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Prepping for anything (Part 4): Take action

By The SHTF App Team

Knowing your risks and making a plan are necessary, but they are not enough. A plan on paper protects nothing. Take Action is the step where preparedness becomes physical: the insurance that pays for recovery, the documentation that proves what you owned, and the mitigation that keeps your home standing.

⚠️ The coverage gap is catastrophic. Standard homeowners policies do not cover floods or earthquakes. Nearly 25% of all flood insurance claims come from outside high-risk areas. If you wait until the storm is coming to buy coverage, you will hit the 30-day waiting period, and it will be too late.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as, and should not be considered, professional, legal, or insurance advice. Always consult a licensed insurance agent for your specific situation.

The Readiness Audit

Is your property protected and documented?

  • 🟢 Green: You understand your insurance coverage, have a current home inventory, and have mitigated your home against your top hazards.
  • 🟡 Yellow: You have insurance but have never read the policy or documented your belongings.
  • 🔴 Red: You have no flood or earthquake coverage, no inventory, and no mitigation.

If you are Yellow or Red, execute Phase 1 immediately.

Phase 1: Know Your Insurance Options

Goal: Understand what your policy actually covers.

  • The Peril Rule: Insurance only applies when your policy covers the peril that caused the loss. Check which perils your policy covers, and which it does not.
  • The Gaps: Basic property policies may not cover flooding, wind, earthquakes, terrorism, or pollution. Flood insurance is purchased separately through the National Flood Insurance Program.
  • The Flood Reality: Flooding is the most common and costly disaster in the U.S. If you are in a high-risk area, your mortgage lender requires flood insurance. Even if you are not, it is a good idea.
  • The Waiting Period: There is usually a 30-day waiting period between buying flood coverage and when it begins. Do not delay.

The Takeaway: Read your policy. The peril you assume is covered may be the one that is not.

Phase 2: Document Your Property

Goal: Create a home inventory that proves what you owned.

  • The Photos: Take photos or videos of your belongings, and write down descriptions, year, make, and model numbers.
  • The Whole Home: Photograph the inside and outside of your home, including closets and cabinet interiors.
  • The High-Value Items: Consider getting an appraisal for expensive items.
  • The Storage: Keep your inventory on a portable drive, in cloud storage, or on paper, somewhere away from your home where you can access it after a disaster.

The Takeaway: An inventory is the difference between a fast claim and a long fight with the adjuster.

Phase 3: Protect Your Property (Mitigation)

Goal: Make the disaster less severe before it happens.

  • The DIY Steps: Trim trees away from your home, install working shutters, anchor your manufactured home, and clear debris from gutters and drains.
  • The Professional Steps: Upgrade windows, doors, and garage doors to high-wind standards, or retrofit a tornado safe room into an existing home.
  • The New Construction Rule: If building new, check whether your site is subject to flooding, ground shaking, steep slopes, or nearby hazards, and build to exceed code.
  • The Discount: Tell your insurance agent about any mitigation you do, it may qualify you for discounts.

The Takeaway: Mitigation is the only step that reduces the damage before the disaster, not just the cost after it.

Phase 4: Practice Your Plans

Goal: Keep the plan alive with a regular schedule.

  • Test: Your evacuation, shelter, and communication plans.
  • Refresh: Your emergency supplies at least every six months.
  • Drill: Hold an emergency response drill.
  • Review: Your inventory and insurance annually.

The Takeaway: A plan you never practice is a plan you will not remember.

The Essential Kit Checklist

  • The Policy Review: Read your insurance policy and note the gaps.
  • The Flood Check: Determine if you need flood insurance.
  • The Inventory: Photograph and document your belongings.
  • The Mitigation: Complete at least one DIY mitigation step this month.

Scenario Planner (Contingencies)

“I’m not in a flood zone, so I don’t need flood insurance.” The trap: false security. The fix: nearly 25% of flood claims come from outside high-risk areas. Poor drainage and new development can flood a “safe” zone. The cost of coverage is a fraction of the damage.

“I’ll document my stuff after the disaster.” The trap: it is too late by then. The fix: after a disaster, you are exhausted, displaced, and trying to remember what you owned from memory. Document it now, in calm weather, when you can walk room to room with a camera.

Next: Read Part 5: Alerts and Warnings to learn how to receive and understand the warnings that give you time to act.