With hurricanes battering the East Coast and the South and wildfires through the Western half of the U.S., it’s important to be prepared for a natural disaster, but what do you need to know financially?

 

Lori Scharmer of North Dakota State University Extensions said the first thing you need to do is to make sure you check your insurance.

 

“It’s very important to know what does my insurance cover. If we’re looking at a basic homeowners insurance, that’ll cover a tornado, maybe a wind event.”

 

It’s important to make sure that you have insurance that covers your specific concerns whether that’s fire, flood or something else.

 

Scharmer also noted how important it is to be prepared to live life after a natural disaster.

 

“In those first hours and days following a disaster, sometime your only option is actual cash in hand.”

 

Cash can help pay for a room, food or travel to a relative’s home.

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