A disaster plan begins with assessing your needs. What is the potential for loss and who will be affected?

If you live in a multiple unit building and you sustain a loss, typically that loss will affect at least one other unit owner.

An insurance package that properly covers the association and the unit owner is just the first step. The next step is to do as much preventative maintenance as possible.

Even though these types of disasters cannot be avoided, having a plan in place will help reduce the amount of damage, which of course will always make an insurance company happy.

Smoke Detectors

Making sure there are operating smoke detectors in each unit is crucial.

“Snowbirds”

If the winter months send the “snowbirds” to a warmer climate ensure that the water is shut off in their units prior to their departure. Typically when people are away the furnace is either turned off or is maintained at an unusually low temperature. While this is money saving—it does create a risk of burst pipes. A good rule of thumb is for unit owners to turn their individual units’ water supply off anytime they leave their unit for more than one night. Many water damage claims could be alleviated or minimized if the water had been turned off.

Tornadoes

Tornadoes can cause tremendous damage. Make sure that you know where the safest place in your home is in the event of a tornado or the potential of a tornado. Of course, a basement is always the safest place to be, but if there is not a basement available then choose a center hallway, closet, or interior bathroom.

Emergency Contacts

Are emergency numbers available for all unit owners?? As a rule of thumb, these numbers should be listed in monthly newsletters (or any other publication that the association or management company sends out) and posted in a common area, if available. Additionally, they should be sent on an annual basis for unit owners to post in a spot that they are familiar with in the unit.

Typically included within the numbers should be:

• Your property management company
• Your insurance agent
• A general contractor
• A plumber
• An electrician

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