{"id":9148,"date":"2023-08-30T08:47:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-30T08:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/?p=9148"},"modified":"2025-01-15T14:25:49","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T14:25:49","slug":"getting-ready-for-hurricane-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/auto\/getting-ready-for-hurricane-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting Your Vehicle Ready for Hurricane Season"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>People&nbsp;who live in&nbsp;hurricane&nbsp;prone areas are accustomed to preparing their&nbsp;homes&nbsp;and businesses each&nbsp;year&nbsp;to withstand the onslaught. If you live near a coastal region, you should know how to prepare your&nbsp;car&nbsp;for a&nbsp;hurricane, as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember to make sure your&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/auto-insurance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">car&nbsp;insurance<\/a>&nbsp;is up to the task if a&nbsp;hurricane&nbsp;hits your location. After a major&nbsp;storm&nbsp;is already predicted, you won&#8217;t have permission to do that. Some of the coverages you may consider include&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/auto-insurance\/coverage\/comprehensive\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">comprehensive<\/a>, which helps you financially repair your&nbsp;car&nbsp;or replace it if it is totaled after a&nbsp;hurricane. Review your&nbsp;insurance&nbsp;policy&nbsp;well in advance of any disastrous weather events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What to Do Before to Prepare Your&nbsp;Car&nbsp;for a&nbsp;Hurricane<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you live and work in an&nbsp;area&nbsp;prone to this type of weather event, such as on the&nbsp;Atlantic Ocean, you should already be familiar with&nbsp;hurricane&nbsp;preparedness&nbsp;tips.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;American Red Cross&nbsp;is a great source of&nbsp;information&nbsp;for&nbsp;emergency situation&nbsp;suggestions. Decide where to keep your&nbsp;car, like in the&nbsp;garage&nbsp;or somewhere else, to ensure its&nbsp;safety.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember to watch your local news and listen to the&nbsp;National&nbsp;Hurricane&nbsp;Center&nbsp;for updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Essential Preparations&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To protect your&nbsp;car&nbsp;during&nbsp;hurricane&nbsp;season, make sure you prepare for&nbsp;severe weather&nbsp;with&nbsp;strong winds,&nbsp;heavy rain, and flooding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Fill Up Your&nbsp;Gas&nbsp;Tank<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At the first sign that a weather disaster may head your way, make sure you have a&nbsp;full&nbsp;tank&nbsp;of&nbsp;gas. Once it starts to become more imminent, there will be&nbsp;long lines&nbsp;at the&nbsp;gas&nbsp;station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Check Tires and&nbsp;Brakes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The last thing you want to deal with if you are trying to evacuate is a flat tire or&nbsp;car&nbsp;maintenance. Plus, you may have to drive over some questionable objects after the&nbsp;storm&nbsp;passes. Before it gets to you, check your&nbsp;tire pressure, make sure your&nbsp;spare tire&nbsp;is good and, just for kicks, put your&nbsp;brakes&nbsp;through a little test to make sure they are in good working order. You may be in for some stop-and-go traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Maintain Oil and Fluid Levels<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Along with checking your tires and&nbsp;brakes&nbsp;before the&nbsp;storm&nbsp;hits, don\u2019t neglect topping off important fluids, such as&nbsp;power steering&nbsp;fluid and oil. If you use additives in your&nbsp;fuel&nbsp;tank, such as for a diesel, be sure you have some extra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Secure the Window and Windshield<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Check your car&#8217;s windows and replace&nbsp;windshield wipers&nbsp;if necessary to prepare for a big&nbsp;storm. You don\u2019t want to drive in&nbsp;heavy rain&nbsp;without the best wipers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Prepare an&nbsp;Emergency Kit&nbsp;for Your&nbsp;Car&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s always a&nbsp;good idea&nbsp;to have some form of&nbsp;car&nbsp;emergency kit&nbsp;in your&nbsp;vehicle. That&#8217;s even more true when a&nbsp;hurricane&nbsp;is about to slam you. Here is a list of some&nbsp;items&nbsp;you should include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00b7 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;First-aid kit<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00b7 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Go-bag&nbsp;(water, meds, non-perishable foods)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00b7 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Road&nbsp;flares<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00b7 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Power source<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00b7 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Cell phone<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00b7 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Jumper cables<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can stash these&nbsp;things&nbsp;in your&nbsp;trunk, along with any&nbsp;necessary supplies. Don\u2019t forget to pack&nbsp;important documents.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Freeway-Directive-New-Hurricane2.jpg\" alt=\"Tree on top of truck after hurricane\" class=\"wp-image-9149\" style=\"width:754px;height:503px\" width=\"754\" height=\"503\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Freeway-Directive-New-Hurricane2.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Freeway-Directive-New-Hurricane2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Freeway-Directive-New-Hurricane2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Freeway-Directive-New-Hurricane2-750x500.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Freeway-Directive-New-Hurricane2-294x196.jpg 294w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Freeway-Directive-New-Hurricane2-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Freeway-Directive-New-Hurricane2-285x190.jpg 285w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 754px) 100vw, 754px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What to do When a&nbsp;Hurricane&nbsp;is Coming<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;ve been told a&nbsp;hurricane&nbsp;is coming and you haven&#8217;t left yet, it&#8217;s&nbsp;time&nbsp;to go now. Grab your&nbsp;emergency kit, lock up your&nbsp;home&nbsp;and&nbsp;garage&nbsp;and head for an&nbsp;area&nbsp;with&nbsp;higher ground&nbsp;and elevated areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Park in a Safe&nbsp;Area<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To protect your&nbsp;vehicle&nbsp;from&nbsp;strong winds, try to park it in a closed&nbsp;garage. A closed&nbsp;garage, like a&nbsp;parking&nbsp;garage, would be ideal if you have&nbsp;access&nbsp;to one. Make sure you are on&nbsp;high ground&nbsp;to avoid losing your automobile to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/auto\/auto-tips\/8-signs-may-looking-flood-damaged-vehicle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">flooding<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cover Your&nbsp;Car<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you cannot get into a&nbsp;garage, try using a&nbsp;car&nbsp;cover&nbsp;to avoid&nbsp;damage&nbsp;caused by blowing debris and hail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Check Weather Updates<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a&nbsp;good idea&nbsp;to continuously monitor any&nbsp;information&nbsp;coming from your local news or the state. Remember, the&nbsp;most important&nbsp;things&nbsp;include getting your&nbsp;family&nbsp;to a&nbsp;safe place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>After the&nbsp;Hurricane<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>After a&nbsp;hurricane, there are still risks to think about before moving around without caution. These type of&nbsp;storms&nbsp;often leave floods and standing&nbsp;water, which can carry dangerous pathogens and move rapidly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Light poles&nbsp;and&nbsp;utility poles&nbsp;may have fallen, leaving live&nbsp;power lines&nbsp;laying about.&nbsp;Strong winds&nbsp;may have blown down&nbsp;large&nbsp;trees, causing&nbsp;road&nbsp;blockages and&nbsp;damage&nbsp;to&nbsp;homes&nbsp;and&nbsp;cars.&nbsp;Broken glass&nbsp;is likely to be everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Inspect Your&nbsp;Home&nbsp;and&nbsp;Vehicle&nbsp;for Any Issues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you can safely move around your&nbsp;home, check for&nbsp;damage, especially on the roof. If you evacuated, you may have to be patient and expect delays and disruptions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There may be&nbsp;power outages. If you lost your&nbsp;home, the&nbsp;American Red Cross&nbsp;has temporary shelters. The&nbsp;Federal Emergency Management Agency&nbsp;will arrive soon.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Contact Your&nbsp;Insurance&nbsp;Company<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As soon as you are able, contact your&nbsp;insurance&nbsp;company&nbsp;to file an&nbsp;insurance&nbsp;claim&nbsp;for any damages to your&nbsp;home. Remember, there will likely be many&nbsp;people&nbsp;doing the same thing so exercise patience.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Address Any Necessary Repairs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As with your insurer, local contractors will also be busy with numerous calls for repairs. Again, you\u2019ll need to be patient. Call as soon as you can determine what needs repairing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After a disaster, there will be untrustworthy companies that exploit those who need new roofs, flood protection, and other services. These companies take advantage of the situation. They are not trustworthy. They come to exploit&nbsp;people&nbsp;who are in need.&nbsp;People&nbsp;should be aware of this.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Always follow best practices of checking for recommendations, checking the BBB for previous complaints and use local companies, if possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Purchase Comprehensive&nbsp;Car&nbsp;Insurance&nbsp;to Prepare Your&nbsp;Car&nbsp;for a&nbsp;Hurricane<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Comprehensive auto coverage helps you after a&nbsp;hurricane. Your basic liability will not pay for storm-related damages, but comprehensive will.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember, most&nbsp;insurance&nbsp;companies&nbsp;will not allow you to purchase this additional protection once a&nbsp;hurricane&nbsp;is on the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Protect Your Investment and Stay Safe with Freeway&nbsp;Insurance&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you live in an&nbsp;area&nbsp;that\u2019s prone to&nbsp;hurricanes&nbsp;(or any other type of weather disaster), you should plan ahead for the proper protection that can&nbsp;help&nbsp;you recover financially. Whether it\u2019s your&nbsp;vehicle&nbsp;or your&nbsp;home&nbsp;or business, Freeway can&nbsp;help&nbsp;you find affordable coverage. Get a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free quote for&nbsp;insurance&nbsp;online<\/a>, call us at&nbsp;<a href=\"tel:(800)%20777-5620\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">(800) 777-5620<\/a>&nbsp;or stop by one of our convenient&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/locations.freeway.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">locations<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>People&nbsp;who live in&nbsp;hurricane&nbsp;prone areas are accustomed to preparing their&nbsp;homes&nbsp;and businesses each&nbsp;year&nbsp;to withstand the onslaught. If you live near a coastal region, you should know how to prepare your&nbsp;car&nbsp;for a&nbsp;hurricane, as well. Remember to make sure your&nbsp;car&nbsp;insurance&nbsp;is up to the task if a&nbsp;hurricane&nbsp;hits your location. After a major&nbsp;storm&nbsp;is already predicted, you won&#8217;t have permission to do [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1002630,"featured_media":9150,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[78,5,77],"tags":[],"importance":[],"type-content":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9148"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1002630"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9148"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9148\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10715,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9148\/revisions\/10715"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9150"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9148"},{"taxonomy":"importance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/importance?post=9148"},{"taxonomy":"type-content","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/type-content?post=9148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}