As Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” This can apply to many scenarios in life including dealing with natural disasters such as hurricanes.
Are You Ready for This
For many Americans, the possibility of experiencing a hurricane is real. In recent years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted more intense hurricane seasons, with longer durations and unprecedented damage to homes.
Hurricane Storm Stats
Recent NOAA Hurricane Forecasts have included annual predictions for:
Named storms: >20
Hurricanes: <10
Major Hurricanes: <6
The Atlantic hurricane has season has recently yielded more than $67 billion in total damages, ranking it as the most expensive hurricane period since the 1980s. Read that again. Hurricanes are responsible for bringing heavy rain, high winds, flooding from storm surges, and yes, even tornadoes.
Hurricane Categories Defined
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale rates hurricanes based on their sustained wind speed.
| Hurricane Category | Wind Speed | Likely Damages | Historical Examples | Sustained Damages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
74–95 mph |
Very dangerous:
roof, shingles, siding, and/or gutters; fallen tree branches; coastal surges
|
2024: Hurricane Oscar |
$50 million |
|
2 |
96–110 mph |
Extremely dangerous:
major roof/siding; shallow trees uprooted
|
2024: Hurricane Isaac |
$3.44 billion |
|
3 |
111–129 mph |
Devastating:
loss of decking, roof gable ends; snapped trees; no electricity or water for days
|
2024: Hurricane Rafael |
$1.35 billion |
|
4 |
130–156 mph |
Catastrophic:
roof, exterior walls; downed power poles; long-lasting power outages; uninhabitable areas
|
2023: Hurricane Idalia |
$3.6 billion |
|
5 |
157 mph or higher |
Catastrophic:
framed home will be flattened, with wall and roof collapse; power outages, and uninhabitable areas for months
|
2024: Hurricane Milton |
$34.3 billion |
How Long is the Hurricane Season in America
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the US Department of Labor, the Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June to November, while peaking between August and October. The Easter Pacific hurricane season starts in mid-May and finishes in November.
How DomiDocs Can Help You Navigate Through a Disaster
The key to weathering any natural disaster is preparation—knowledge and organization are your best tools. As a homeowner, taking proactive steps to protect your family and property before disaster strikes is essential. The secure, award-winning DomiDocs Homeowner Enablement Platform® helps you stay prepared by allowing you to:
- Create a detailed home inventory – Upload receipts, photos, and videos documenting your home’s condition and contents to ensure an accurate record for insurance purposes.
- Store and manage essential insurance documents – Use the Insurance Bundle feature to securely organize policies, including company details, coverage, cost, and policy start and end dates. A calendar timeline provides quick reference, and with one click, you can share documents with your insurance agent when filing a claim.
- Prepare for and recover quickly from any disasters – Ensure quick and easy access to critical homeownership and insurance documents before and after a natural disaster. Use the Disaster Bundle to safely store everything from insurance policies and mortgage information to your home inventory list, photos & videos and emergency vendors—allowing you to recover faster when you need it most.
- Stay ready for emergencies – Keep all your most important documents—such as IDs, medical records, financial statements, and emergency contacts—securely stored and instantly accessible. The Digital Go Bundle ensures you have everything you need in one place, whether you’re evacuating or managing post-disaster recovery.
- Follow expert homeowner guidance – Access the comprehensive DomiDocs New Homeowner Guide, which offers best practices to help prevent insurance claims and keep your home in top condition.
By leveraging these tools, you’ll have the critical information you need at your fingertips, making it easier to recover and rebuild after a disaster.
The Basics of Hurricane Preparedness:
In short, NOAA states you should do the following basics:
| Before A Natural Disaster, Take The Time To: | ||
|---|---|---|
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Determine your personal hurricane risk.
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Do you know if you live in a hurricane evacuation zone? You may have experienced some high wind scenarios as a homeowner, but have you actually ever checked to see what your home’s risk is? Government websites in hurricane-prone states offer programs such as Know Your Zone to help homeowners determine their hurricane risk. |
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Develop an evacuation plan. |
Every member of your family needs to know what your homeowner evacuation plan is. Where will you go? How will you get there? What optional evacuation routes will you have if your initial choice is blocked? Where will you stay? Knowing these basics in advance can help stem panic during an actual natural disaster situation. Have a to-go bag in place with all the supplies you’ll need, including items for your pets. If you’ll need assistance in traveling, you’ll need to confirm with someone in advance. And be sure to follow any evacuation orders that have been issued. As a family, discuss how you can help your neighbors during a natural disaster by checking in or helping them evacuate as well. |
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Assemble disaster supplies for your family members and your pets. |
The American Red Cross recommends gathering 2 emergency supply kits:
NOAA recommends adding the following to round out your emergency disaster supply kits, where applicable:
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Review/update your homeowner insurance policy. |
It’s estimated that 40% of Americans can’t find an important household document when needed, so the first step is to upload your vital household documents to our user-friendly digital platform, so there’s easy access 24/7/365. Secondly, reassess your homeowner policy to ensure you have the best coverage to fit your needs. Compare the cost and coverage that you have in place, to what else is available from your current insurer and other companies. If there have been any major additions to your home and/or contents in the last year, it’s time to review your homeowner insurance policy to ensure it’ll cover your new additions. Homeowner insurance doesn’t cover flooding, so you’ll need to purchase a separate policy for it; note that there’s a 30-day waiting period before flood insurance takes effect. |
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Make your home disaster-resistant. |
Depending on where you live across America, insurance companies may reward your efforts in making your home disaster-resistant by offering discounted homeowner insurance premiums. Think storm shutters, reinforced roofing with hurricane clips/materials, and sump pumps. Upgraded plumbing systems can lessen the risk of water damage. |
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Have supplies on hand to make emergency repairs. |
Such supplies can include plastic sheeting, tarps, sandbags, and/or plywood, plus the necessary tools to apply these to your home like a staple gun and/or duct tape. |
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Complete a written disaster plan. |
Now that you’ve got everything in place, there’s no better way to solidify it than by making a written plan, which should include regularly practicing your escape route, and maintaining your disaster prep plan supplies by replacing expired items. Ensure your plan includes a contact list, with at least one contact who lives outside the impacted area; share your disaster plan with family and friends. |
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Take the time to emergency life-saving skills. |
The American Red Cross recommends that adults and kids around the age of nine learn first aid and CPR skills. |
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| When an Impending Hurricane is Heading Your Way: |
|---|
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Remove outdoor objects that could be picked up by high winds including trash cans and lawn furniture; anchor gas BBQs and propane tanks. Move your vehicles to a safe location. Secure all of your doors. |
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Fuel your vehicles.
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Double-check your emergency supplies including bottled water, plus battery-operated flashlights and a radio.
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Monitor local news reports and emergency alerts; know that ‘A Watch’ warning means be prepared, while ‘A Warning’ means take action.
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Proactively shut off your electricity, gas, and water utilities.
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Shelter safely while staying away from doors and glass windows; move to higher ground if flooding starts to occur. And if you’re not in your home, don’t return until officials say it’s safe to do so.
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Navigating Insurance Claims: What Every Homeowner Should Know
When you’re facing the aftermath of a natural disaster, working with your insurance company is an inevitable part of the recovery process. DomiDocs® CEO and Founder, William McKenna advises homeowners to carefully review their insurance company’s initial settlement offer, as it may not fully cover all damages. Many experts recommend assessing the offer to ensure it aligns with your policy coverage.
What should you do? Access your personal profile on the DomiDocs® home management platform to easily submit your documented receipts, photos, and videos to your insurance adjuster with just one click. Before accepting a settlement, take the time to consider all potential losses, including missed wages, medical expenses (both current and future), vehicle repairs, and any other damages. Being thorough can help ensure you receive the full coverage you’re entitled to under your policy.
DomiDocs has your back! Whether it’s a hurricane, tornado, flood, or fire, the DomiDocs Resource Page: How To File An Insurance Claim is here to guide you through the claims and recovery process.
Take Control of Your Homeownership Journey with DomiDocs®
Managing your home shouldn’t be stressful. DomiDocs® empowers homeowners with innovative technology, expert guidance, and unparalleled organization—all within a secure, cloud-based platform. From protecting your property and finances to streamlining essential tasks, our tools help you save time, reduce expenses, mitigate costly risks, and maximize your home’s value.
Explore the DomiDocs suite of solutions:
- Homeowner Enablement Platform® – A centralized, digital hub for organizing documents, tracking home value, and managing property details effortlessly.
- HomeLock™ – Protects your home from fraud and title theft with 24/7 monitoring and instant alerts.
- TrueValueIndex® – Provides real-time insights into your home’s value to help you make informed financial decisions.
- propRtax® – Identifies potential property tax savings and ensures you’re not overpaying.
- Documenting for Disaster® – Securely stores critical homeownership documents, ensuring quick access before and after a disaster.
Join the home management revolution today and experience the confidence that comes with having everything you need in one place.
