Citizens Property Insurance Corporation today issued a statement urging policyholders to take precautions to protect themselves and their families as Hurricane Matthew threatens strong winds, heavy rains, storm surge and flooding along Florida’s east coast.
Now is the time for all policyholders to prepare for the potential impact of Matthew, the most powerful hurricane to threaten Florida in more than a decade, says the Florida insurer.
“Policyholders need to remember that their personal safety is the highest priority,” said Barry Gilway, Citizens president, CEO and executive director. “Take precautions and follow instructions of local emergency management agencies. Citizens is ready to help you recover.”
Citizens says it has made the necessary initial contacts to deploy all the independent adjusters needed to service claims following the storm as it coordinates response efforts with state and local authorities.
"To help our policyholders stay abreast of developments, Citizens has launched a Storm Tracker feed, which delivers real-time National Hurricane Center updates directly to your desktop and mobile device," according to the statement. "Citizens also offers storm preparation and response information through Facebook and Twitter at @citizens_fla."
Citizens has also partnered with the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) to bring the latest news about catastrophic weather impacting listeners' specific areas. FPREN updates can be heard on local public radio stations and by downloading their free Florida Storms app from iTunes and Google Play.
Citizens advises policyholders to do this:
- Verify that Citizens has up-to-date contact and mortgage company information. You can review your information on record with Citizens through Manage myPolicy (myPolicy) or by contacting your Citizens agent.
- Ensure that all key property and family information (insurance policies, health records, financial records, pet records, identification details, home inventory, etc.) are stored in a safe, waterproof and easy to access location.
- Pack a disaster supply kit, learn your evacuation route and develop a family communication plan that includes emergency contact information. Don’t forget to create a plan for your pets! Not all emergency shelters allow pets.
If you suffer property damage, remember to call Citizens first at 866.411.2742 to report a claim. Representatives are available 24/7. More information can be found on Citizens website here.
“In the decade since Florida last suffered a severe storm, Citizens has made significant investments in its response capabilities to better serve our policyholders when they need us most,” said Chris Gardner, Chairman of Citizens Board of Governors. “Citizens has never been better prepared to handle a storm.”
