• Decide in advance where to go if you must evacuate your home. You might choose a friend's home, a motel, or a shelter.
• Identify a safe evacuation route—and alternate routes. Remember that roads may be crowded and that bridges or causeways may be under water.
• Stock plywood, nails, and other items needed to board up windows to protect your home.
• Prepare for possible power outages by stocking up on such necessities as food and bottled water, as well as a first aid kit, a portable radio, warm clothing, and clean blankets. In addition, keep a supply of flashlights and extra batteries handy, and avoid relying upon potential light sources, such as candles and kerosene lamps, since open flames could be hazardous.
• Keep your car fueled, in case you have to evacuate, and store some bottled water, nutritious snacks, and blankets in the trunk.
• Listen to local radio or television for the latest information and instructions for your area.
• Protect your windows with boards or shutters.
• Look around your property and reduce the threat of flying debris. This includes moving all outdoor items (patio furniture, garbage cans, garden tools) indoors, and, if possible, removing any tree limbs that may be too close to your home, or appear to be diseased or damaged.
• Check mobile home tie-downs.
• Make arrangements for your pets. In the event you needed to be evacuated to a shelter, most shelters won't allow them. Animals that assist people with disabilities are permitted.
• If time permits, and you live in an identified surge zone, elevate furniture to protect it from flooding or, better yet, move it to a higher floor.
• Shut off the gas, water, and electricity in the event that you need to leave home.

Boats present unique challenges, and MetLife Auto & Home urges boat owners to take precautions to protect their property. For vessels kept in the water, it may be necessary to remove the boat from the area where the boat is moored or docked to a protected area. MetLife Auto & Home reminds its customers that after a hurricane advisory is issued by the National Weather Service for the area where their boats are moored or docked, their policies provide $250 reimbursement for the costs associated with this type of removal.

Additional disaster preparedness information is available by accessing Preparing for Hurricanes, part of the award-winning Life Advice^TM series. This material was developed with assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the American Red Cross. In addition to offering ways to prepare for a hurricane, the site provides information on what to do after a hurricane strikes, what types of damages are generally covered under an insurance contract, and helpful links offering additional resources.