More than 90% of home policyholders surveyed have not practiced an evacuation plan: Allstate

The Allstate Corp. released Tuesday results of a recent survey, in which nearly two in three home insurance policyholders reported they have not compiled an inventory of their belongings.

Northbrook, Ill.-based Allstate commissioned a survey of 1,000 American adults with homeowners and renters insurance.

“More than 90 percent of Americans have not practiced an evacuation plan or a way to escape if a major storm is approaching,” Allstate noted in a press release. “Sixty-four percent of Americans have not created an inventory list of the belongings in their home.”

In addition, 30% of respondents said they would “ignore evacuation orders in the face of an imminent natural disaster.”

The survey was conducted by phone April 8 to 16 of this year. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1% at the 95% confidence interval.

Allstate is advising home policyholders who do not have inventories to walk through their homes with still or video cameras and to take pictures of their belongings. The carrier also advises clients to discuss evacuation plans with their families and to designate a meeting place away from home.

Evacuation kits should include first-aid kits, personal hygiene items, water, non-perishable foods, weather radios, flashlights, cash, important papers, medications and/or their prescriptions, as well as insurance policy numbers, Allstate says.