Peak Atlantic hurricane season has arrived, and residents and business owners should not assume that a calm June and July mean a major hurricane is not on its way. There is often a “calm before the storm” during early summer months – minimal storm activity followed by massive tropical storms and/or hurricanes occurring mid-August through October. Over the last 158 years, nearly 80 percent of all tropical storms and hurricanes develop during this time. This August, three named storms formed in just 33 hours.

Attention Agents: Protect Your Customers!

If you’re an insurance agent you already know that without flood insurance, property owners may have to absorb the financial losses caused from flooding on their own, potentially wiping out their savings. Let your customers know that flood insurance is more affordable than they may think. The average flood insurance policy is around $540 a year, but for homes in moderate-to-low risk areas, Preferred Risk Policies start as low as $119 a year. Encourage your customers to visit www.FloodSmart.gov/hurricane to learn more about the risk of flooding during hurricane season and how they can protect their homes and its contents with flood insurance.

www.Agents.FloodSmart.gov has tools and resources that will help you reach out to your customers to warn them about hurricane season, including hurricane-themed direct mail templates (sent directly from your desktop!) and hurricane season ads available in the NFIP Agent Co-Op Advertising Program. And while you’re there, you can sign up for the flood program’s Agent Referral Program and receive free leads.

Looking for a flood program for your agency? PIA has partnered with Hartford Flood Insurance. Learn about this great program for PIA members.

August 31, 2009