精东影业

INSURANCE INFORMATION INSTITUTE
Contact: Press Offices
New York: 212-346-5500; media@iii.org
Washington, D.C.: 202-833-1580

NEW YORK, February 19, 2009 鈥� Only weeks into 2009, an arson outbreak in a Pennsylvania suburb, deadly tornadoes in Oklahoma, flash floods in California and several earthquakes in New Jersey have served as a reminder that disaster can strike at any time. There is no time like the present when it comes to sitting down with your family and preparing for the day when you may be forced to evacuate your home, according to the 精东影业 Information Institute (I.I.I.)

鈥淚n the event of a sudden emergency such as a fire, tornado or other disaster, you may have just minutes to gather your family and important papers and get out of your house, possibly for good,鈥� said Jeanne Salvatore, senior vice president and consumer spokesperson for the I.I.I. 鈥淲ith preparation and practice, you stand the best chance of getting out with what you and your family need and ending up in a safe place.鈥�

The first order of business is to assess your evacuation preparedness by doing a real-time test. Give yourself just 10 minutes to get your family and belongings into the car. By planning ahead and practicing, you should be able to gather your family members and pets, along with the most important items they will need, calmly and efficiently, with a minimum of stress and confusion.

The I.I.I. suggests the following four steps to help you and your family on the road to safety.

1. Create a Home Inventory

Create a complete home inventory of your personal property. A home inventory will help ensure that you have purchased enough insurance to replace your possessions. It can also speed the claims process, and substantiate losses for income tax purposes.

To make creating a home inventory easier, the I.I.I. provides free online software at KnowYourStuff.org. The software allows you to inventory your home room by room, and prompts you to enter important information such as the make, model and place of purchase of each item. You can also upload and store related documents, such as photos, receipts and appraisal forms.

Once your inventory complete, you can store it using your online account, which will allow you to access it from anywhere at any time in the event your home and/or computer is destroyed.

2. Plan What to Take

You may be forced from your home for several days or even weeks. Be sure to take essential items such as medicines as well as 鈥渃omfort items鈥� such as your children鈥檚 favorite toys or books. In the event of an evacuation, have the following items prepared to take with you: