- Prepare for storms year-round with basic home maintenance, a family plan and a home inventory.
- Keep an emergency kit ready with food, water, medications, important documents and pet supplies.
- If evacuation is ordered, leave early, follow local guidance and bring essentials with you.
- After a storm, protect your pets, use trusted emergency resources and choose contractors carefully.
Storm Preparation Toolkit and Checklist
Key Takeaways
Storm prep starts before severe weather is on the radar. Use this checklist to help protect your home, gather essential supplies and plan what to do during a storm.
Quick takeaway: Prepare your home, build an emergency kit and know your evacuation plan before severe weather arrives. During a storm, follow local guidance and evacuate if instructed. Afterward, document damage, contact your insurer if needed and choose repair contractors carefully.
Prepare before storm season
Good storm prep starts before severe weather is even in the forecast. Keep these tips in mind for yearly cleanup and preparation, so that you’re ready for any storm that might come your way.
- Trim branches and clean gutters.
- Make repairs around the house, like fixing broken windowpanes or missing shingles.
- Make a family communication and evacuation plan.
- Prepare an inventory of your belongings with photos and videos.
- Compile a list of phone numbers for local police, fire and rescue services and family, friends and neighbors.
- Put together an emergency supply kit.
- Keep a roadside emergency kit in your car.
- Protect and store family valuables and important papers in waterproof containers including photographs, medical records and birth and marriage certificates.
Knowing how to prepare for a storm can put you ahead of the game. Focus on the basics first – home maintenance, emergency supplies, communication plans and a safe place to go if local officials order an evacuation.
Preliminary prep list:
| Storm prep task | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Trim branches and clean gutters | May help reduce roof, siding and water damage during heavy wind and rain. |
| Create a home inventory | Makes it easier to document belongings if you need to report damage later. |
| Build an emergency supply kit | Helps your household manage outages, sheltering in place or evacuation delays. |
| Protect important documents | Keeps records easier to access if your home is damaged or you need to leave quickly. |
Emergency supply kit
One way to prepare for a storm is to have an emergency supply kit ready. Here’s a list of things to include:
- First-aid supplies
- Bottled water: one gallon per person per day, for at least three days
- Nonperishable food
- Battery-operated flashlight, radio and extra batteries
- Prescription and other medications
- Cash: ATMs and credit card readers may not work during a power outage
- A charged cellphone and extra power bank charging devices
- Phone numbers for emergency services, family, friends and neighbors
- Blankets, clothing and toiletries
- Necessary items for infants, elderly or disabled family members
- Pet supplies — food, water and medications
It’s a good idea to check your supply kit from time to time, to make sure nothing has expired. And remember to restock your kit after a storm, so it’s ready for the future.
Need more planning info? See how to prepare for a power outage and put together a car emergency kit.
What to do if you’re told to evacuate
- If authorities tell you to evacuate, do so immediately.
- Turn off electricity, gas and water supplies, if you have time.
- Disconnect electrical appliances.
- Bring your emergency supply kit and important papers.
- Follow posted evacuation routes, since other roads may be blocked or closed.
- Text or use social media to let others know you're okay, or register on the American Red Cross’ Safe and Well website.
Preparing pets for evacuation
- Stock plenty of food and water.
- Put together an emergency supply kit with a leash, crate or carrier, blanket, water dish, toys and medications.
- Keep copies of rabies certificates and vaccinations handy.
- Make arrangements for your pet to stay at a local kennel or animal shelter, especially if you have to evacuate. Most public shelters don’t accept pets for health reasons.
- Leash your pets and keep them in the room with you during a storm.
Do you know what to do during a storm? As a general rule, follow local alerts and leave early when evacuation guidance is issued. Waiting too long can make travel less safe.
Choosing contractors for post-storm cleanup
- Get recommendations from family, friends or neighbors with similar claims.
- Verify that the contractor is licensed and insured. Ask for references, or check with the Better Business Bureau or attorney general’s office.
- You can choose who repairs your home or let us help you find qualified professionals to do the work. Amica has partnered with Contractor Connection to provide you with more than 2,000 professionally credentialed emergency service and restoration contractors.
- Be wary of bids that are unusually low or high.
- Ask if the contractor offers a workmanship warranty.
- Request a contract that specifies everything the contractor will do — prices for labor and material, cleanup procedures, and estimated start and finish dates.
- Don’t pay in full until the job is complete and has been inspected.
- Follow local building codes — get permits and inspections before and after the work is complete.
- Use a check or credit card to pay, so there’s a record of the payment.
Does insurance cover damage from a storm?
Home insurance may help cover certain types of storm damage, but what’s covered depends on the cause of the loss and the details of your policy. For example, wind or hail damage may be covered, while flood damage typically requires separate flood insurance. If your home is damaged in a storm, review your policy, document the damage and contact your insurer as soon as you can to understand what your coverage may include.
Do you have home damage? It may also help to review how to file a claim and document the damage. They might also help answer questions around storm damage, house insurance and claims documentation.
Emergency resources
Keep these emergency resources handy so you can check forecasts, find safety guidance and get updates before, during and after a storm.
Get an insurance quote today
FAQs about storm preparation
Start with home maintenance, emergency supplies, a family communication plan and protected copies of important records. It also helps to know whether you may need to shelter in place or evacuate.
A basic kit may include water, nonperishable food, first-aid supplies, medications, flashlights, batteries, cash, blankets, toiletries and pet supplies.
Follow local emergency guidance, stay indoors unless authorities direct you to leave and keep your phone charged if possible. If evacuation orders are issued, leave right away and take your supply kit and important papers with you.
After a storm, homeowners often need to document damage, contact their insurer and work with repair professionals. If you need next steps, see how to file a claim and what to expect from a home insurance adjuster.
Your Policy, Policy Declarations or Amended Declarations in effect on the date of loss is the primary source of reference for your coverage, coverage limits and deductible amounts.
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