September is National Preparedness Month, which serves as a reminder to individuals and communities about the importance of proactive planning for emergencies and natural disasters. For P&C insurance professionals, this month presents a prime opportunity to have meaningful conversations with insureds about disaster preparedness and risk mitigation.

For commercial and personal insurance customers alike, the first step an agent should take is to review and discuss their current policies; paying particular attention to things like coverage limits and exclusions. It is especially important to discuss flood coverage with those who live or own businesses in at-risk areas so they are aware they will likely need to purchase additional coverage. Agents should also ensure customers understand their deductibles; including any separate deductibles for things like wind or hail.

A few creative tactics agents can utilize to help spread the word about disaster preparedness from the American Agents Alliance include:

  1. Share weekly preparedness themes from FEMA’s toolkit. Use a diverse selection of social media channels, like LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube, to share tips with insureds.
  2. Create agency-branded, downloadable checklists that policyholders can use to prepare their home or business for emergencies.
  3. Spotlight common exclusions on social channels along with tips about how policyholders can mitigate those risks.
  4. Post short Q&A videos answering common questions about coverage, endorsements, exclusions and risk management.

FEMA has observed National Preparedness Month since 2004. The theme for 2025’s campaign is “Preparedness Starts at Home,” which focuses on getting back to the essentials of preparedness. In the slideshow above, we offer a dozen basic tips from FEMA that insureds should consider when crafting their disaster readiness plans.

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