Are You Ready For A Fire?

It was unfortunate to hear of the 77 year old man that died earlier in the week as a fire at the home he shared with his wife of 53 years. The gallant lady was able to
pull three of her grandchildren from the burning house but not able to help her bed ridden husband as smoke overwhelmed her. Not only did this dear lady lost her husband but all of her possession.

While there is no way to replace a life there are a few precautions that may have changed the out come. So, here are three things you can do to be ready in the event of a fire.

1. Install A Smoke Detector. This little device could be a life saver as it will alert you early to the presence of smoke. And you know where there is smoke there is usually fire.
2. Replace The Batteries In Your Smoke Detector. If you got a smoke detector be sure to replace the batteries. A rule of thumb is to replace the batteries at the same time you change your clocks - switching from daylight to eastern standard time.
3. Get A Fire Extinguisher. Your ability to take action is greatly enhanced if you have a fire extinguisher. So get yourself at least one and put it in an easily accessible place, usually the kitchen.

And how do you recover from a fire if all else?

The answer is Home Owners Insurance. Whether it's to repair damages or replace what you've lost. Your ability to recover from any disasters is heavily dependent on your insurance coverage. But you have got to avoid these mistakes.

1. Not Insuring Your Home. Your house is your home and castle and the largest investment you may ever make - the least you can do is to insure it.
2. Under Insuring Your Home. One of the most common mistake homeowners make with their homeowners insurance is to undervalue their home and possessions. It is estimated that 70 percent of homes in the Bahamas are under insured. Many people do not insure their home to its full replacement cost. The full replacement cost is how much it would cost to rebuild the house on the land it sits on now — not the value for which you could sell your house today. It is also not the amount you current owe the bank.
3. Not Insuring Your Content. If you experience any loss to items inside of your home they are not covered by the building insurance. This is why it's very important to insure your contents and to keep an up-to-date home inventory list so that you can adjust your coverage to protect these items as needed.

So take the time to prepare by checking with your insurance carrier or agent now rather than later and make sure you have adequate coverage for your personal situation, and that your home and content are adequately protected.