| In August 2005, the people of the gulf coast | | | | earthquakes, floods or hurricanes, it is |
| United States suffered record losses of life, | | | | important to look into the specific types of |
| homes and businesses from Hurricane Katrina. | | | | insurance designed to financially protect you |
| Merely months before, thousands lost their | | | | from the danger most common to your area.3. |
| homes and lives in Southeast Asia during a | | | | Know what you own.If you are a victim of a |
| reckless Tsunami. Although it is hard to | | | | disaster or emergency and you place an |
| imagine the threat of natural disasters and | | | | insurance claim on property or belongings, |
| emergencies until we find ourselves involved | | | | your insurance company will want to know |
| in one, it is always smart to plan ahead. | | | | exactly what was lost. It is important to |
| Use the following three tips to help gauge | | | | keep track of your most valuable belongings |
| whether you and your family are financially | | | | as well as proof such as photos and deeds to |
| prepared for an emergency situation or | | | | property. Make a list of all of your |
| disaster:1. Start an emergency savings | | | | valuables, and be specific. Be sure to take |
| fund.Many individuals and families find it | | | | pictures of the current state of each of |
| difficult to save for the future. While it | | | | these belongings, like your car and the |
| is important to save for your retirement or | | | | different facets of your property, as proof |
| your child's higher education, you cannot | | | | of damage should a disaster strike. Make |
| forget to plan ahead in case of an emergency. | | | | copies of your photos, as well as your |
| Insurance can help during a time of crisis, | | | | family's important documents. Keep these |
| but very rarely does an insurance claim cover | | | | items in a locked safe or safety deposit box |
| 100% of the damages incurred from a natural | | | | where at least one copy is out of harm's way |
| disaster or other emergency. By putting away | | | | at all times.ABOUT ACCC: American Consumer |
| small amounts of money each week, month or | | | | Credit Counseling (ACCC) is a non-profit 501 |
| pay period, saving for an unexpected event | | | | (c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering |
| can be very easy. Plus, with automatic | | | | consumers to regain control of their lives |
| online transfers and direct deposit, banks | | | | through education, counseling and debt |
| and credit unions can automatically transfer | | | | management. ACCC provides individuals with |
| money from your paycheck each week to make | | | | the practical solutions for solving financial |
| your emergency savings much easier to | | | | problems and recognizes that consumers' |
| swallow.2. Stay insured.Disasters do happen | | | | financial difficulties are often not the |
| and it never hurts to be prepared. While it | | | | result of poor spending habits, but more |
| is easy to think, "it'll never happen to me," | | | | frequently, from extenuating circumstances |
| the monthly insurance cost will seem like | | | | beyond their control. As one of the nation's |
| pennies should you find yourself in an | | | | leading providers in consumer financial |
| emergency situation without any insurance | | | | education and credit counseling services, |
| helping to repair or rebuild your home. If | | | | ACCC works with consumers to help them with |
| you live in a region traditionally prone to | | | | the best plan of action to reduce their debt |
| certain natural disasters such as | | | | and regain financial stability. |