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Millions of Americans live under the threat of being hit with a hurricane every year, and the vast majority of them live along the southern parts of the Eastern Seaboard, or the Gulf of Mexico. However, this kind of major storm can also affect other states, and chief among these is Hawaii, which sits in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. As such, home insurance agents who operate there might want to caution residents about the chances they might be affected by such a weather event, and let them know that they should check their policies to see what is and is not covered.

Consumers being aware of everything that's covered by their home insurance policies when hurricanes strike can make a huge difference for how they're going to sort out any issues that might arise, according to a report from the office of Hawaii insurance commissioner Gordon Ito. That includes people knowing the upper limits of their policies, as well as what their deductibles are going to be, because this will give them an idea of just how much the damage will cost them in even extreme scenarios.

""Consumers should contact their insurance agent to go over their policies and do a thorough inventory of their belongings before a storm arrives in the islands,"" said Ito. ""In case of a disaster, the last thing a homeowner should be worrying about is whether or not they have adequate coverage. Filing a claim will be much easier if homeowners have proper documentation of their belongings and are familiar with the type of coverage they purchased.""

What can be done?
Fortunately, consumers might actually be able to reduce their home insurance costs in a number of ways, including those that could allow them to limit the amount of damage their homes suffer in the event of a hurricane, the report said. For instance, there are devices such as wall-to-roof ties and storm shutters that can help to ensure the damage to a home is minimal even in severe storms.

Insurance agents who reach out to consumers and tell them the best ways to slash their costs could score big customer loyalty points with those clients because it both saves them money and lets them know their insurer cares about the issues they might have with their coverage. More loyalty, in turn, could mean consumers are less likely to shop around even if costs rise somewhat in the future.

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