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The hurricane season is about to begin, and while experts have predicted that it will be a relatively quiet one, the fact of the matter is that many Americans who live in areas that could be affected by these major storms will still have to do some work to make sure their properties are safe. However, one important part of that protection - which may often be overlooked as consumers ready emergency kits and the physical materials needed to secure a home - is that they should also have comprehensive home insurance coverage, and it may be incumbent upon agents in particular to impart that wisdom to owners.

The state of Virginia recently observed its annual Hurricane Preparedness Week, and during that time cautioned that homeowners should have comprehensive, actionable plans to be ready for a major storm making landfall in the coming months, according to a report from the state's Bureau of Insurance. The agency pointed out that once hurricane season arrives, it's not easy for owners to find affordable insurance coverage of this type, and in fact, many policy providers won't extend new plans to residents once storms begin developing. As such, those who get an early jump on the issue will be those most likely to be protected best.

""It's never too early to start planning for hurricanes and other disasters,"" said Virginia insurance commissioner Jacqueline K. Cunningham. ""If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner, make sure you have the insurance coverage you need before the first hurricane begins to brew.""

What will consumers need to know?
When it comes to the ins and outs of their home insurance policies, owners will want to keep in mind a number of things, the report said. This includes how their insurance companies pay for damages they might suffer during a storm, what is and isn't covered by their plans, whether vehicles or other parts of their properties are protected by their home coverage, and so on.

This is a time during which many agents may begin to make, or improve, inroads with clients. Taking the time to talk through all aspects of a policy and what they may need to do to increase their security may go a long way to increasing customer satisfaction, as well as develop loyalty. If these storms do affect consumers who recently improved their plans, they're likely to be extremely thankful they did so.

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