Protect Your Assets Before Severe Weather Hits

When Hurricane Katrina hit four states in 2005, it became the costliest storm in history. This category three stunner caused most of its damage in Louisiana and Mississippi, and the total damage was estimated at over $105 billion dollars. Hurricane Sandy comes in second at $50-$70 billion in damage, while 1992's memorable category five Andrew is third with just over $45.5 billion in damages. Looking at the pictures of the aftermath, many shake their heads and wonder what they can do to protect themselves and their families from that kind of devastation. The truth is, while there is little you can do to prevent it, at least you have some time to prepare your family and your assets.

Those who live in the Southern states know to keep their eyes on the Gulf and the Atlantic every year from June 1 until November 30. They also get their wood, keep their shutters lubricated and have a plan if they need to evacuate. There are some who go beyond those directives, even if it costs them a little extra.

Keeping Track of Your Personal Assets

More savvy residents are turning toinventory software to keep an inventory of their furniture, electronics and vehicles. It could be as simple as an app on your phone or using GPS tracking devices to find the exact location of an item or a person. Some use GPS tracking for motor vehicles, electronics, such as phones, even animals.With your own discrete device and the asset inventory software loaded on your phone, you'll be able to easily locate your items in real time. You can combine the device with an organization inventory app to keep track of the lost items that have been found.When it comes to hurricanes or any other storms, having a real-time beat on family and possessions makes it easier to deal with the insurance claims process.

Keeping Precious Family Memories Safe

In the age of digital everything it's sometimes hard to fathom a world without all those wonderful toys. That's especially why taking the time to safeguard non-digital photos means even more. You can load the photo albums into a safe along with other personal documents, such as passports and birth certificates. The problem is that if the storm is powerful enough, and those hurricane winds can be over 150 miles per hour or more near the center, thesafe and all its contents can go missing in action.

Using asset inventory software would find it but there's an easier way. Having your photos scanned and saved onto a cloud drive means that even though the physical photos may be lost or damaged, the memories are far from that. Keeping them in a remote location guarantees that if your computer is damaged, you haven't lost your photos. You can even scan personal documents related to the house, your vehicles, even your family's birth certificate and medical documents. It will take some time to scan all of that but if your area is hit by a Sandy or an Andrew, youhave less to worry about and more time to be glad you're safe.

Going through a hurricane is bad enough but two of the realities of dealing with the aftermath of any natural disaster are fire and looting. Just one spark and a gas leak can destroy an entire block. Houses that law enforcement deem uninhabitable are even more vulnerable to thieves who are looking to take advantage of the situation. Both potential realities are more than enough reason to make the time to invest in a personal inventory tracking application. When disaster hits, the last thing you'll be able to do is make plans.