Contact: Safeco Media Relations
Paul Hollie, 206-473-5745, paul.hollie@safeco.com

Safeco Insurance Advises Policyholders to Be Prepared for Hurricane Season '09

Seattle— (May 28, 2009) — A slightly milder hurricane season than 2008 is predicted for this year (June 1 to Nov. 30), still Safeco®  Insurance is advising policyholders to take important precautions to prepare for and recover from severe weather.



Safeco Insurance offers disaster preparedness tips to consumers at www.safeco.com, under the Insurance 101 tab. The guide helps homeowners plan ahead for possible disasters and explains the importance of making a household inventory. It also offers advice of what to do after a disaster strikes.



Other important considerations include:



• Ask an out-of-town family member or friend to be your family contact. After a storm hits, anyone not able to get home should check in with that contact person;

• Bring objects such as patio furniture or toys into the house or garage. Secure large items such as boats or swing sets to the ground;

• Turn off circuit breakers, closing all doors and securing all windows; and

• Have an evacuation route and destination planned and monitor the forecast regularly. Leave earlier than later to avoid traffic jams, gasoline shortages, lodging shortages, etc.

• If you evacuate, turn off electric, gas, and water utilities. If there’s a power loss, doing so will help prevent damage from an electrical surge once power is restored

• If you have hurricane shutters, make sure they are installed and utilized



Being prepared for severe weather also means understanding your insurance coverage. Homeowners who have experienced flooding in the past need to consider whether they should purchase flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Losses associated with flooding are usually not reimbursable under standard homeowner policies.



“We recommend that our customers review their policies and coverages with their agents annually,” said Robert Johnston, assistant vice president, Liberty Mutual Agency Markets National Catastrophe Team. “Policyholders in disaster-prone areas are especially encouraged to understand the extent of their coverage and take precautions to help protect themselves and their assets in the face of severe weather.”



About Safeco



In business since 1923 and based in Seattle, Washington, Safeco sells insurance to drivers and homeowners through a network of independent agents and brokers in eight regions throughout the United States.



Safeco is part of Liberty Mutual Agency Markets, a business unit of Liberty Mutual Group, consisting of property and casualty and specialty insurance carriers that distribute their products and services primarily through independent agents and brokers. Liberty Mutual Group ranks 86th on the Fortune 500 list of the largest U.S. corporations based on 2008 revenues.