Here’s a New Year’s resolution that doesn’t involve depriving yourself of something you like to eat or drink: Do at least one thing in 2022 to make it less likely that your home could be damaged or destroyed due to a weather event or natural disaster.

Depending on where you live, it could be:

• Cleaning out gutters regularly.

• Installing hurricane straps or shutters.

• Installing sand bags around areas where heavy rains might enter your home. In many areas, you can get them free from your town, city or a local charity.

• Relocating bushes, plants and small trees away from your home so there’s at least 5 feet of open space around your home. This best practice is likely to become legally required in many rural and suburban areas in the near future.

We know many home improvements aren’t easy or easily affordable, and incentives and rewards can make all the difference.  Some insurance companies will reward you for reducing risk, and UP is working hard to turn “some” into “ALL”.

Call your insurance company or agent and ask what you can to do qualify for home insurance discounts. In some states they are legally required to give rewards to those who make specific risk reduction improvements. Some insurers are offering rewards voluntarily. For more info on wildfire risk reduction and rewards, click here.

If you live in California and are a homeowner, PLEASE take our very short and easy to complete Home Insurance Survey.

Originally published as our January 2022 Tip of the Month.