Poll reveals that many residents in hurricane-prone areas are still not ready for hurricane seasonHARTFORD, Conn., Jun 12, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- In preparation for this year's Atlantic hurricane season,
Travelers is sponsoring the 2007 National Hurricane Survival
Initiative (NHSI), a collaborative effort led by the National
Hurricane Center, The Salvation Army, the National Emergency
Management Association, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and
the State of North Carolina to educate individuals on the importance
of hurricane preparedness.
Although the images of the devastating storms from 2004 and 2005
are fresh in everyone's minds, a recent Mason-Dixon poll commissioned
by NHSI reveals that a large number of coastal residents may not have
the proper insurance coverage if their property is damaged by a
hurricane. The survey found that 45% of those surveyed have not
reviewed their homeowners policy in the past year, some in more than
five years. In addition, 41% were not sure if their homeowners policy
covered damage caused by water driven by hurricane force winds and 25%
did not know if their policy covers flood damage. In fact, flood
damage is only covered if homeowners purchase a separate flood
insurance policy such as that offered by the federal government's
National Flood Insurance Program.
"Travelers is committed to informing residents of hurricane-prone
states on how to prepare for a weather emergency for their own safety
and to protect their property," said Ray Stone, vice president of
Catastrophe Operations for Travelers. "Our catastrophe team stands
ready to respond and be in-synch with our customers when they need us
most - during a disaster situation."
To spread the message about hurricane readiness, the National
Hurricane Survival Initiative created an easy to use Web site at
www.hurricanesafety.org. The site offers a wealth of information
including storm facts, downloadable checklists and downloadable
hurricane tracking maps in both English and Spanish. Additionally, the
initiative has partnered with local television stations from Texas to
Maine to air a 30-minute television special to help educate
individuals on hurricane preparedness and safety. "The National
Hurricane Survival Test" will air throughout hurricane season along
with a series of public service announcements.
Stone recommends three simple things all residents in
hurricane-prone areas should do to prepare for adverse weather:
-- create a home inventory with video tape or a written list,
-- review their insurance coverage with an insurance agent to
make sure residents have the appropriate amount of coverage to
rebuild in the current market should a loss occur and
-- consider buying flood insurance.
About Travelers
Travelers understands that life and business are inherently
dynamic and that the best way to serve agents and policyholders is to
deliver insurance that evolves to stay in-synch with life and business
as they change. For more information on being in-synch, visit
www.travelers.com.
The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV) is a leading property
casualty insurer selling primarily through independent agents and
brokers. The company's diverse business lines offer its global
customers a wide range of coverage in both the personal and commercial
settings, including automobile, homeowners, construction, small
business, oil and gas, ocean marine, bond and financial products,
global technology and public sector services. Travelers is a Fortune
100 company, with 2006 revenues of $25.09 billion and total assets of
$113.76 billion. The company has approximately 33,000 employees.
SOURCE: The Travelers Companies, Inc.
The Travelers Companies, Inc.
Matt Bordonaro, 860-277-7014
or
Jennifer Wislocki, 860-277-7458