DO YOU NEED FLOOD INSURANCE?

Flooding is not covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy.

Don't Get Ripped Off On Repairs

Finding your home damaged or destroyed and your personal possessions ruined by a tornado can be devastating. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous "professionals" who prey on victims.

Following are tips for consumers in the aftermath of the Oklahoma and Kansas tornadoes:

Roofers or Builders

1. Don't be rushed into signing a contract with any company. Instead, collect business cards and get written estimates for the proposed job.

2. Beware of building contractors that encourage you to spend a lot of money on temporary repairs. Payments for temporary repairs are covered as part of the total settlement. If you pay a contractor a large sum for a temporary repair job, you may not have enough money for permanent repairs. In most cases, you should be able to make the temporary repairs yourself. Remember to keep receipts. Your insurer will reimburse you for these costs.

3. Investigate the track record of any roofer, builder or contractor that you consider hiring. Look for professionals that have a solid reputation in your community. You can call your Better Business Bureau for help. Also, get references and never give anyone a deposit until after you have thoroughly researched their background.

A common fraud scheme is for a "so-called" contractor to convince a homeowner that a large deposit must be provided before repair work can begin. Frequently, the job will be started, but not completed. Unfortunately, these con artists are never seen or heard from again.

Public adjusters and attorneys

1. Don't make any rash decisions about hiring someone to handle your claim. Be especially wary of individuals who go door-to-door soliciting business in the aftermath of a catastrophe. Most importantly, don't let anyone scare you into signing a contract. You don't want to be victimized by someone who is swooping into town to make a fast buck. You could end up forfeiting a significant portion of your insurance dollars.

2. Before hiring a public adjuster or an attorney, try to settle your claim directly with your insurance company. Your insurer provides an adjuster at no charge to you. Ask your insurance agent or company representative to help you with your claim and don't be afraid to ask questions. If you decide to work directly with your insurer, you still have the right to hire a third-party professional to help you.

3. If your claim is complicated and you want to hire a public adjuster or attorney, make sure he/she is qualified to handle your case. Ask your friends, relatives or business associates for the names of well-regarded professionals in your community. Also, call the state department of insurance regarding a public adjuster and your state or county bar association about a prospective attorney.

4. Understand that you will have to pay a public adjuster 15% and an attorney 30% of your total claim settlement.

HOME SECURITY

A burglar's three worst enemies -- light, time and noise

A burglar won't find your home an "easy mark" if he or she is forced to work in the light, if he or she has to take a lot of time breaking in, and if he or she can't break in without making a lot of noise.

CASE YOUR PLACE

Take the time to "case" your house or apartment, just as a burglar would.

Where is the easiest entry? How can you make it more burglar resistant?

Trim trees and shrubs near your doors and windows, and think carefully before installing a high, wooden fence around your back yard. High fences and shrubbery can add to your privacy, but privacy is a burglar's asset. Consider trading a little extra privacy for a bit of added security.

Force any would-be burglar to confront a real enemy -- light. Exterior lights, mounted out of easy reach, can reduce the darkness a burglar finds comforting.

Research shows that if it takes more than four or five minutes to break in to your home, the burglar will go elsewhere.

Simple security devices -- nails, screws, padlocks, door and window locks, grates, bars and bolts -- can increase the amount of time it takes to break into your home. This could discourage intruders and keep them from entering.

Try to make the general prospect of robbing your home a noisy job. Consider investing in a burglar alarm. The most effective ones also ring at an outside service.

Are any of your valuables - paintings, a silver collection or a computer-easy to see from outside? Rearranging your furnishings might be advisable if it makes your home less inviting to criminals.

SIMPLE SECURITY STEPS

1. Doors - Make sure you have strong doors. Outside doors should be metal or solid hardwood, and at least 1 3/4 inches thick. Frames must be made of equally strong material, and each door must fit its frame securely. Even the most efficient lock, if it is placed in a weak door, will not keep out a determined burglar.

A peephole or a wide-angle viewer in the door is safer for identifying visitors than a door chain.

Sliding glass doors present a special problem because they are easy to open, but there are locks designed for them. A broomstick in the door channel can help, but don't depend on it for security.

2. Locks - Deadbolt locks are best. They usually are locked with a key from the outside and a thumb turn on the inside. The cylinder (where the key is inserted) should be pick-resistant. Ask your hardware dealer for a reputable brand, or buy your locks from a locksmith.

3. Windows - Key locks are available for all types of windows. Double-hung windows can be secured simply by "pinning" the upper and lower frames together with a nail, which can be removed from the inside.

For windows at street level or on fire escapes, consider installing metal accordion gates.

DISCOUNTS

Most insurance companies provide 2 to 15 percent discounts for devices that make a home safer -- dead-bolt locks, window grates, bars and smoke/fire/burglar alarms.

When improving the security of your home, it is also important not to exchange security for personal safety. Don't make your home such a fortress that you are unable to escape in case of a fire or other emergency.

HOME SECURITY HABITS

Establish a routine to follow in making certain that doors and windows are locked and alarm systems are turned on.
Avoid giving information to unidentified telephone callers, or announcing your personal plans in want ads or public notices (such as giving your address when advertising items for sale).
Notify police if you see suspicious strangers in your area.
Handle your keys carefully. Don't carry house keys on a key ring bearing your home address or leave house keys with your car in a commercial parking lot.
Don't hide your keys in "secret" places outside your home - burglars usually know where to look.

VACATION TIPS

Leave blinds open in their usual position.
Have mail and packages picked up, forwarded or held by the post office.
Lower the sound of your telephone ringer and answering machine so they can't be heard outside.
Arrange to have your lawn mowed or your walk shoveled.
Stop newspaper deliveries.
Ask a friend to pick up "throwaway" newspapers and circulars.
Use automatic timers to turn lights on and off in your living room and bedrooms at appropriate times. Consider connecting a radio to a timer.
Tell police and dependable neighbors when you plan to be away and join with your neighbors to keep a close watch on what's happening in your area - working closely with them is a good way to prevent crime.

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