Louisiana Hurricane Season Notes

We're about to enter the peak of the hurricane season.

Any day now, you're going to turn on the TV and see a weather person

pointing to some radar blob out in the Gulf of Mexico and making two basic

meteorological points:

(1) There is no need to panic.

(2) We could all be killed.

Yes, hurricane season is an exciting time to be in Louisiana. If you're new

to the area, you're probably wondering what you need to do to prepare for

the possibility that we'll get hit by "the big one.''

Based on our experiences, we recommend that you follow this simple

three-step hurricane preparedness plan: STEP 1. Buy enough food and bottled

water to last your family for at least three days. STEP 2. Put these

supplies into your car. STEP 3. Drive to Nebraska and remain there until

Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately, statistics show that most people will not follow this

sensible plan. Most people will foolishly stay here in Louisiana.

We'll start with one of the most important hurricane preparedness items:

HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE: If you own a home, you must have hurricane

insurance.

Fortunately, this insurance is cheap and easy to get, as long as your home

meets two basic

requirements:

(1) It is reasonably well-built, and

(2) It is located in Nebraska.

Unfortunately, if your home is located in South Louisiana, or any other

area

that might actually be hit by a hurricane, most insurance companies would

prefer not to sell you hurricane insurance, because then they might be

required to pay YOU money, and that is certainly not why they got into the

insurance business in the first place. So you'll have to scrounge around

for

an insurance company, which will charge you an annual premium roughly equal

to the replacement value of your house. At any moment, this company can

drop

you like used dental floss. Since Hurricane George, I have had an estimated

27 different home-insurance companies.