Hurricane season officially started June 1st and goes through November. And just as expected a Tropical Storm is brewing in the Gulf of Mexico right now. That means that anyone that could potentially be in the path of this or any other tropical storm or hurricane ought to have a “disaster” plan in place.

But you know what? You don’t need to live in hurricane territory to need such a plan. Every household should have a plan, albeit unofficial, for what they would do in a fire or another kind of emergency. This is for safety’s sake. But there are also financial ramifications for not being thoroughly prepared for a disaster–man made or Mother Nature-inspired–and that’s why I want you to consider these four ways to prepare (and be prepared) for a disaster. (I got these ideas from The Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), a non-profit educational, research and communications organization funded by the insurance industry to explain what insurance is and how it works.)

STEP #1: Review Your Insurance Coverage
Be sure you have the right kind and amount of insurance, enough to rebuild your home and replace your belongings. A house in my town got struck my lightning last week and burned to the ground. The homeowners lost everything inside. I hope they had enough insurance to cover this disaster. Also, ask about flood insurance, which is not covered under a standard homeowners policy.

STEP #2: Create a Home Inventory
An up-to-date home inventory will speed up the claims process by substantiating losses and may provide documentation for tax purposes. It can also help you determine how much insurance to purchase. The I.I.I. offers free web-based software that makes the process easier. I’m definitely going to check this out, since I wouldn’t even know where to begin documenting what’s in my house.

STEP #3: Protect Your Property
Keeping wind and water out of your home is critical. Invest in storm shutters and reinforced garage doors. Secure roof shingles and seal any openings, cracks and holes. Gable end walls and roof sheathing should be strongly attached and braced, and double doors should have heavy duty anchors at the top and bottom and a dead bolt at least 1″ long.

STEP #4: Have an Evacuation Plan
Decide where you will go and how you will get there, and have more than one option. Keep a map, phone numbers and addresses handy. Think about what you’ll need to take with you – items like medicines, important documents, clothing and food – and have them ready to go.

Have you taken the necessary steps to prepare yourself for a disaster? If not, maybe it’s time to add that to your “to do” list.