“Just how bad will California's summer wildfire season be?,” asked a recent newspaper headline. Thanks to drought conditions, climate change, and a long hot summer, the answer is potentially devastating.
And California is by no means the only state affected. According to a report released in June of this year, fire activity has already begun increasing this year across the Southwest and drought conditions continue to plague the West, the Plains, Texas, and even parts of Hawaii. The result is an “above normal” significant fire potential forecast stretching into the fall months for affected areas.
As an insurance agent or broker, making sure your p&c insurance clients are covered in the event of a catastrophic fire is your first job. But recovery only matters if those impacted survive the wreckage. Helping your clients prepare for a worst-case scenario during Wildfire Season is not necessarily expected, but it’s sure to provide helpful information at a minimum. It’s also a great way to deepen your relationships and, hopefully, help enrich your customer experience.
Here, we offer disaster preparedness tips for you to share with your p&c insurance clients, be it through an automated email, a blog on your website, or as a direct mail marketing piece.
The first step in your evacuation plan is to make sure you have plenty of warning, with as much advance notice as possible. The National Weather Service offers alerts, as do many communities in fire-prone areas.
If you live in one of them, know your evacuation routes and shelter locations. Additionally, a trial run or two with family members and pets in tow can prove to be a lifesaver should you be forced to flee to safety. Make sure you have at least a half tank of gas at all times in your vehicles, and also reinforce the plan with family members, including kids.
Lastly, if you haven’t already downloaded the Fema app, do it today. It can be literal lifesaver during a wildfire emergency.
Ideally most of your personal documents are stored digitally in a secure place, but items you will want to have in hand should you need to evacuate include:
You can’t stop a wildfire, but you can prepare to keep the damage to a minimum as much as possible. Opt for fire-resistant materials when building, renovating, or repairing your home, and regularly clear any flammable or dead vegetation in the areas that surround it. Likewise, trim any overhanging tree branches near porches, decks, and your home itself, and make sure emergency responders have access and visibility to your home via a cleared pathway and clearly marked street numbers.
Should you need to evacuate, you’ll want to make your vehicles are ready to hit the road. Make sure your vehicle’s trunk and glove compartment is stocked with:
Disaster supplies in the form of a go kit will prove indispensable during an evacuation, when you may have hours or you may only have minutes to escape harm from a wildfire. Should you need to grab and go, these disaster supplies can help your family survive the worst:
Providing you with p&c marketing content to share out to your customers is just one way AgentCubed can help you grow your business. Our powerful platform is designed to help you achieve growth while handling the hurdles that come with operating an insurance agency. To learn more about how AgentCubed can help accelerate your digital journey, book a demo with one of our consultants today.