Protecting Valuables Through a Hurricane

>> THE ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON JUST STARTED AND THE TIME TO PREPARE IS NOW IS PEAK SEASON RUNS FROM MID AUGUST TO MID OCTOBER. >> THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOES NOT PREDICT ANY TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION WITHIN THE NEXT 7 DAYS AND THE NWS SAYS THERE'S A 55% CHANCE OF THIS SEASON BEING BELOW NORMAL WHEN IT COMES TO NAMED STORMS. WHEN THE TIME DOES COME, THE FIRST NAMED STORM IN THE ATLANTIC WILL BEA ARTHUR, IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO ALREADY NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE PREPARED. AND THAT INCLUDES PROTECTING IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS. IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO ALREADY. NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE SPECIAL CARE TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE IMPORTANT ITEMS LIKE YOUR PASSPORT, BIRTH CERTIFICATES AND OTHER IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS. IN CASE OF THE STORM, FINANCIAL EXPERT FROM ACHIEVE A CREDIT UNION AND THE BRANCH MANAGER IN ESTERO MR. KYLE MITCHELL JOINS US NOW TO GIVE US SOME PRETTY IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT FAMILIES IN OUR AREA NEED TO BE AWARE OF WITH HURRICANE SEASON. STARTING TODAY. WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION REGARDING ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE REALLY TRYING TO HOLD ON TO AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE SAFE. SO DEFINITELY ANY DOCUMENTATION THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO REPLACE. >> WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, YOU'RE ALREADY IN A STRESSFUL SITUATION. I'VE BEEN THROUGH MULTIPLE HURRICANES MYSELF AND ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE SHUT DOWN IF THERE'S NO INTERNET, THERE'S NO POWER. YOU CAN'T GET THOSE DOCUMENTS FROM. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK OF THE PHYSICAL ASPECT. SO STOCK UP ON WATER AS EVIDENCE. BUT THE LINES BEFORE HURRICANE. BUT ONCE YOU ENTER THAT CONE AND IT'S COMING HAVING THOSE DOCUMENTS READING IN A WATERPROOF SAFE IN IRAQ, WATERPROOF BAG, POTENTIALLY THAT CAN COME WITH YOU SHOULD YOU NEED TO TAKE SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO PROTECT THEM? SO ANYTHING FROM IDENTIFYING DOCUMENTS PER CERTIFICATES TO FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS. THE MAJOR INSURANCE TALKING TO TO WANT TO BE LOOKING FOR. THOSE OF YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING REPLACED FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS. IF YOU HAVE FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS WHERE YOU CAN PUT MONEY IN ORDER TO HAVE REPAIRS DONE THOSE KIND OF THINGS ARE GOOD TO HAVE AHEAD OF TIME AND IT LESSENS THE STRESS OF THE SITUATION. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE THESE HARD COPIES? WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS. WE ARE IN A DIGITAL AGE. >> MANY OF OUR DOCUMENTS ARE ARE ALREADY PRESERVED ONLINE. BUT TO YOUR POINT, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH MANY HURRICANES IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. THERE'S AN IMPORTANT REASON HAVE HARD COPIES. ABSOLUTELY. PERSONALLY, I AND 3, 3, SPOTS. TYPICALLY YOU CAN LOG ON ONLINE. BUT AS WE'VE SEEN, THERE'S NOT ALWAYS USE A SOLID CELL SIGNAL. >> DEFINITELY WI-FI IS AN ISSUE I WANT AND A LOT OF PLACES ROLLING TAKING CASH, WHICH MEANS THERE'S NO CONNECTIVITY, WHICH MEANS YOU WILL HAVE CONNECTIVITY HAVING EITHER A HARD COPY. ANOTHER PLACE TO PUT IN HIS PICTURES ON YOUR PHONES NOW, LEGALLY, THAT WILL BE ACCEPTED. BUT SHOULD YOU NEED TO GO FIND INFORMATION? YOU CAN ACTUALLY FIND THOSE. AND FOR MOST OF US, A CELL PHONES, A LASTING LOOSE. >> THAT'S TRUE. AND YOU ALSO WERE TOUCHING ON CASH IS SO IMPORTANT AFTER THE STORM AND THAT MAKES PEOPLE VICTIMS FRAUDSTERS TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT YOU'VE GOT PROPER IDENTIFICATION AFTER THE STORM. >> SO ABSOLUTELY HAVING SOME CASH ON HAND IS A GREAT AS AS WE'VE TO START A SECOND AGO THROUGH IRMA AND IN A LOT OF PLACES WILL ACCEPT IN CASH. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, FUEL LINES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THEY CAN'T TAKE ANYTHING BUT CASH LEE, YOU NEED THAT TO BE MOBILE. HOWEVER, HARDIN, A LOT OF CASH CAN ALSO PUT YOU AT RISK. TYPICALLY AFTER HUGE HURRICANE, YOU WILL HAVE CONSTRUCTION COME FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT THE LICENSE OF A STATE. YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THE INSURED IN THE STATE. THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS THAT YOU NEED TO ASK. TYPICALLY CASH IS KING. IT WILL PUSH IT AHEAD OF THE LINE. BUT IT CAN ALSO PUT YOU BEHIND IF SOMETHING HAPPENS IN THE SAND. YOU DON'T GET THE REPAIRS WHICH ARE LOOKING FOR IN A CAUTIOUS APPEARS. >> AND WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS TO TO HELP MAKE SURE WHEN YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE COMING IN AND THEY ARE VERY STRESSED OR PANICKED AFTER SURVIVING A STORM AND THEY SEE THAT GOT DAMAGE. THEY'RE TRYING TO GET CASH BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT A CONTRACTOR SAYING, HEY, I'M GONNA HELP REMOVE THOSE TREES FROM YOUR PROPERTY. BUT YOU ARE. YOU ARE SAYING, HEY, SLOW DOWN, TAKE A BREATH AND YOU HAVE SOME SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE. ABSOLUTELY. AND WE SEE A BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER THE HURRICANE. SO WHEN IT'S COMING, THE 72 HOURS BEFORE HURRICANE ONCE IT LOOKING LIKE IT'S GOING TO HIT SOMEWHERE ON THE COAST. >> WE'LL SEE PEOPLE AND THAT A WE TRY TO HELP OUR MEMBERS. SO IF SOMEBODY COMES IN AND THEY WANT TO TAKE OUT 20 OR $30,000 IN CASH, JUST IN CASE WE GO AHEAD AND PREEMPTIVELY. WE'LL TELL THEM WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHAT TO ASK. YOU KNOW WHAT TO ASK THESE CONTRACTORS, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE AND THAT THEY HAVE THE PROPER LICENSING TO DO WHAT YOU'RE ASKING THEM TO DO, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE ASKING FOR CASH AND ARE LEAVING. THERE'S NO RECEIPT BEHIND THAT. THEN ONCE WE'RE BACK OPEN, WE DO THE SAME THING BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE FOLKS THAT WILL COME IN INSURANCE IS NOT PAYING OUT AS FAST AS THEY WOULD LIKE. THEY DON'T LIKE THE BLUE TARP ON THE ROOF. YOU KNOW, NOBODY DOES. SO WHEN CASH WILL PUSH YOU TO THE HEAD OF THE LINE, IT'S A GREAT THING, BUT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT YOU NEED TO ASK THEM WHAT YOU NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK AND VERIFY HIS TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS YOU ACTUALLY. >> SORT OF PUT THE BRAKES ON A BIT, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A LARGE CASH WITHDRAWAL TO SAY, HEY, WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING TO DO WITH IT? AND YOU'RE HOPING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU MAY BE A LICENSE FROM A CONTRACTOR. SO ABSOLUTELY. AND WHAT WE'RE NOT LEGAL EXPERTS, WE DO THIS ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, EVEN JUST OUTSIDE HURRICANES. WE JUST WE DOUBLE OUR EFFORTS BECAUSE THERE'S A AN EXTRA ELEMENT TO THAT RISK. >> BUT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY COMES IN AND IT'S A LARGE CASH WITHDRAWALS, ESPECIALLY IN THIS AREA OF FLORIDA. I'M FROM THE MIDWEST ORIGINALLY, BUT YOU SEE SO MUCH FRAUD OUT HERE. WE JUST TAKE AN EXTRA STEP ONCE IT HITS THAT TYPE OF A STRESSFUL SITUATION. >> THAT'S GREAT INFORMATION. AND CAN YOU TOUCH ON WHAT RENTERS NEED TO KNOW? WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE RENTING AN APARTMENTS OR HOMES. WHAT STEPS SHOULD THEY TAKE? THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM HOMEOWNER. YES. SO RENTERS. UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF THEM THAT I SEE WILL ASSUME THAT THE LANDLORD IS GOING TO TAKE CARE. >> EVERYTHING SHOULD SOMETHING HIT. THE LAND WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BUILDING. THEY'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING INSIDE. SO IF YOU CAN IMAGINE HIM IN AN ALREADY STRESSFUL SITUATION, IT'S ALREADY GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF MONEY. A LOT OF CASH FOR EXTRA FOOD MAY BE EXTRA DAYCARE. MAYBE YOU'RE SENDING PETS SOME WHERE ALL OF THAT. THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THAT RAIN COMES. IF THEN ON TOP OF THAT, YOU HAVE TO REPLACE FURNITURE, KIDS, TOYS. KITCHENWARE ABOUT WHERE IT'S A LOT OF MONEY. TYPICALLY RENTERS INSURANCE IS PRETTY CHEAP. FOR THE MOST PART. BUT YOU DO HAVE TO GET IT AHEAD OF TIME BECAUSE ONCE YOU'RE IN WHAT THEY REFER TO AS THE COLD AND WE'RE GOING TO GET HIT, MOST COMPANIES WILL FREEZE THAT THEY WILL NOT FILL THAT OUT. SO IT'S BETTER TO HAVE THAT AHEAD OF TIME THAT HAVE TO REPLACE THOUSANDS, IF NOT 10'S OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF INSIDE YOUR HOME. SO NOW WOULD BE THE TIME IS SOMEONE DOESN'T HAVE IT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S NO IMMINENT THREAT. ABSOLUTELY WANTS THAT IMAGE THREAT OR THAT CONE. >> HITS THIS AREA. NOBODY WILL ENSURE OR ANYTHING. SO AT THAT POINT, IT IS TOO LATE, OBVIOUSLY CAN PROTECT WHAT YOU CAN. BUT IF JUST THINK ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD COST TO REPLACE ANYTHING YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO GO WITHOUT. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. AND YOU ARE IN ESTERO. YES, YOU ARE CLOSE TO OUR STUDIO AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN TODAY TO TALK TO US. THAT SOUND IS VERY IMPORTANT. YOU FOR HAVING ME VERY, VERY MUCH. THANKS A LOT. AS