Should I look at my coverage ahead of El Nino?

I’ve been seeing on the local news lately about a "Super El Niño" that's supposedly building up and heading our way for this summer and winter. They keep saying it could break records and cause some really crazy weather.

I own a home out here, and we have two family cars. I just pay our insurance premiums every six months and don't think twice about it, but with the weather getting more weird every year, I'm thinking I should pay attention this time. Is there anything I should be changing or adding to my car or homeowners insurance right now before the summer gets full-blown? I don't want to get caught off guard if we get hit with massive storms or flooding, but money is a little tight right now so I don't want to buy stuff I don't actually need either. If it's just weather guys fear-mongering, then I can just leave things as is.

Yes, it is a smart idea to review your policies ahead of time, but you probably don't need to completely overhaul your coverage or break the bank to protect your family. Instead of buying every add-on available out of fear, you should focus on a few key areas where major storms cause the most damage:

• Your Cars: Take a look at your auto policy and ensure you have comprehensive coverage on both vehicles. This is the specific coverage that pays for damage from hail, falling tree limbs, or rising floodwaters. If you only have basic liability insurance, your insurance company won't pay a dime if a storm ruins your cars.
• Your Home: Standard homeowners insurance protects your house from severe wind and hail, but it almost never covers rising water or flash floods. If you are worried about heavy El Niño rains, you may want to look into a separate flood insurance policy.

The most important piece of advice is to act early. You can't wait until a major storm is actively heading toward Georgia to make these adjustments. Once the National Weather Service issues a severe tropical storm or hurricane watch for your area, insurance companies will officially place a temporary freeze (called a binding restriction or moratorium) on all policies. During this freeze, you can't buy a new policy, lower your deductibles, or add comprehensive coverage until the storm passes.

Take an hour this week to look over your paperwork or call your agent to make sure your comprehensive car insurance is active and to see if a flood policy fits into your tight budget. I hope this helps!