By Amy Moore

The News staff writer

National Weather Service meteorologist Roger Erickson said it’s easy to tell the new forecasters from the old ones.

“The new ones still get excited about storms coming, but those of us who’ve lived through them know what damage they can do,” the Lake Charles meteorologist said.

With many years’ background in weather forecasting and the experience of surviving hurricanes, Erickson knows that while storms do bring an element of excitement to his job, they also bring the threat of damaging winds and rain.

To help Texas coast dwellers prepare for whatever the hurricane season brings, Erickson and the National Weather Service teamed up with the Insurance Council of Texas to inform residents of the importance of being insured.

This year’s message is ‘Don’t Just Think about Preparing, Be Prepared.’

“You never know for sure if a storm will come here. We’re halfway through a 30 year cycle of storms and dodged several bullets this year,” Erickson said. “What we don’t want is people in denial or being complacent.”

It’s not if, it’s when, he added.

“We’re starting to see tropical storms form into hurricanes much sooner and that can leave coastal homeowners little time to evacuate if necessary,” Erickson said. “In this height of the hurricane season, everyone along the Texas coast should be closely monitoring what’s happening in the Gulf.”

Erickson, along with Mark Hanna of the Insurance Council of Texas, kicked off the week long educational trek Monday that will make 32 stops in 10 cities along the Gulf Coast, starting in Beaumont and ending in Brownsville.

This is the third year in a row where representatives from the Insurance Council of Texas have toured the Texas coast in educating consumers on the various coverages that offer protection against hurricanes.

“We’re trying to reach everybody along the Texas coast so they will know what resources they have to protect themselves and their property in the event of a storm,” Hanna said. “We want to pass along to residents what we learned form the aftermath of Hurricanes Rita and Dolly.”

Hanna said agents discovered after Dolly hit earlier this summer that homeowners had purchased the bare minimum of home insurance coverage — a move that left many without the coverage they needed.

Hanna said insurance protection will help homeowners “sleep better at night” and “the base minimum policy may not help you sleep at night.”

“You’ll want a policy that will pay to rebuild your home. If you have a $100,000 home, you’ll want a $100,000 policy,” Hanna said.

Because homeowners cannot purchase insurance once a storm enters the Gulf of Mexico, Hanna said it is vital to maintain communication with your insurance agent to make sure your coverage is up to date.

“You want to know your insurance information before a storm, not after,” he said.

Ask insurance agents important questions now to be prepared when a storm hits.

“Communication is key to relationship with your agent,” Hanna said. “Shop around (for an agent) to work with someone you’re confident with.”

Last year the insurance council representatives traveled with Red Cross and FEMA representatives to spread information on the importance of insurance.

“Last year we reached one million people through our radio, television and newspaper ads. This year we hope to reach one and a half million,” he said.

Homeowners who obtain their windstorm insurance coverage through the Texas Windstorm Association (TWIA) must obtain a construction inspection during their repair process following a storm. They will need a WPI-8 certificate that will verify that their repairs met current windstorm standards.

For more information, visit ICT’s website at www.insurancecouncil.org.