Is Your Home Disaster-Ready? An Insurance Expert's Guide to Preparing for Storms and Fires

Homeowners can take these steps to protect their properties from hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires and hail, while also potentially reducing their insurance costs.

By Karl Susman, CPCU, LUTCF, CIC, CSFP, CFS, CPIA, AAI-M, PLCS

published 13 June 2025

in Features

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Once upon a time, we had weather “seasons.” You know, wildfire season out West, hurricane season along the coasts, tornado season anywhere in between. Toss in some softball-size hail in the South … you get the idea.

There was some pattern to watch, some historical data that actually supported what we were seeing and expected to see.

Now, every day, there seems to be the potential for catastrophic damage somewhere from the weather or wildfires.

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Here’s how you can help protect your home from the storms and other disasters that keep coming — and save some money on your insurance as an added bonus.

1. Protect your home from hurricanes as much as you can

In 2012, Hurricane Sandy, aka Superstorm Sandy, set the record for the largest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. At its peak, its winds stretched 1,150 miles across.

But it isn’t always about size. Hurricane Katrina, in 2005, was the most devastating hurricane to ever hit our country, with damage costs of about $190 billion and more than 1,800 fatalities.

The damage that hurricanes can do cannot be overestimated. Here are a few things you can do to batten down the hatches:

Install hurricane shutters or impact-resistant windows
Secure the roof
Reinforce entry doors and garage doors
Trim trees and secure outdoor items
Clear drainage areas and seal openings

2. Protect your home from tornadoes as much as you can

The May 2011 tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri, caused more than $3 billion in damage and killed 158 people, injuring more than a thousand.

This monster was over a mile wide and ran for a full 22 miles.

Here are five things you can do to be as prepared as you can be:

Have an emergency kit on hand
Develop a family communication plan
Secure your personal property
Know where in your house or nearby to take cover at a moment’s notice
Keep the news on and listen to warnings

While we don’t tend to get very much notice for tornadoes, we can still do what we can to have all of our ducks in line.

3. Protect your home from fire as much as you can

From January 7 to January 31, wildfires ravaged Southern California with damages to the tune of $275 billion. These fires took out more than 10,000 structures and killed 30 people.

Wildfires are not just a California thing either. In the past five years alone, more than 30 million U.S. acres have burned.

Here are some things you can do to prepare:

Create a defensible space around your property
Harden your home with ember-resistant vents and noncombustible roofs
Keep important documents in a fire-safe place or off-premises
Back up all electronic data to a location other than your home
Follow the most up-to-date building codes to protect against fire

4. Protect your home and other property from hail

Hail happens. Big hail. In 2022 alone, more than $3.5 billion in insurance claims related to hail were filed. We saw hailstorms in Minnesota, Texas, Arkansas, Illinois, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

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Hail is one of those crazy things that can happen fast. It can injure and even kill people, as well as make a real mess of property.

For hail prep, think of these steps:

Protect vehicles and outdoor equipment (hopefully you have a garage)
Reinforce the roof and gutters
Secure windows and cover skylights, if possible
Keep a first aid kit handy
Keep a keen ear to the news so you aren’t caught off guard

Now that you have some ideas on how to protect your house, let’s talk about how you may even save money on your insurance premiums.

Remember, you and the insurer are aligned here, you want to avoid a loss, and so does the insurance company, so they will likely be willing to offer you a break in what you are paying them for doing any number of things, including everything we talked about above.

Discounts exist, depending on your state and insurance company, for:

A stronger roof
Cleared flammable items and brush
Smoke alarms
Sprinklers
Certain types of windows
Home bolting and retrofitting
And more

The best way to find out how much you can save and for what, is to call your insurance agent or broker and ask one simple question: “Please tell me all the discounts that are available for my policy.”

Then you can see what you can do, or what you have done, that counts as a premium-reduction discount.

Don’t ask, “How about this?” or “How about that?” Ask for the entire list and go through it. Your wallet will thank you.

Want to learn more about insurance? Visit KarlSusman.com.

Disclaimer

This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA.

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Karl Susman is a veteran insurance agency principal, nationally engaged insurance expert witness and broadcast host who translates insurance from jargon to judgment. For more than three decades, he's helped consumers, courts and policymakers navigate coverage, claims and compliance. As Principal of Susman Insurance Agency, Karl works directly with households and businesses to compare options and make clear, defensible coverage decisions.