OAHU, Hawaii--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As Hurricane Lane moves closer to the Hawaiian Islands, GEICO is preparing its CAT teams to assist customers and is also encouraging policyholders to tune into official emergency instructions and to listen to weather advisories and updates.
"As we continue to track Hurricane Lane, our Catastrophe Response Teams (CAT) are preparing to assist policyholders throughout the islands,” said GEICO Senior Vice President Shawn Burklin. "We want our customers to know that we’re vigilant in tracking the storm and we’ll have people in place to assist immediately.”
Burklin also added the reminder that hurricanes have the potential to cause severe flooding. In flooded locations, GEICO recommends:
- Avoid walking or driving through high water. Six inches of moving water can knock you down, and a foot can sweep your vehicle away according to Ready.gov.
- Reduce your speed. If you need to drive, reduce your speed to try to reduce the chances of hydroplaning. If you hydroplane, immediately take your foot off the accelerator. A rotating tire has traction, while a sliding one does not.
- Maintain a safe distance. Increase the distance you would normally have between you and the vehicle ahead.
- Turn on your headlights – Simply turning on your headlights makes you more visible to others.
- When to abandon the car – Ready.gov recommends that you only abandon your vehicle if the flood water is rising around your vehicle, but is not moving. Then proceed to higher ground. Do not leave the car and enter moving water.
- Consider moving your vehicle to the highest possible ground and avoid parking in underground garages if possible because hurricanes can cause severe flooding.
“We sincerely hope that residents stay safe and the storm does not significantly impact you and your family,” added Burklin.
And should GEICO customers need to report a loss, they are encouraged to do so as soon as possible on the GEICO mobile app, at GEICO.com or by calling 1-800-841-3000 24-hours a day.” GEICO commercial vehicle policyholders can report losses at 1-866-509-9444.
GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and is the second-largest private passenger auto insurance company in the United States. GEICO, which was founded in 1936, provides millions of car insurance quotes to U.S. drivers annually. The company is pleased to serve more than 16 million private passenger customers, insuring more than 27 million vehicles (auto & cycle).
Using GEICO’s online service center, policyholders can purchase policies, make policy changes, report claims and print insurance ID cards. Policyholders can also connect to GEICO through GEICO Mobile, reach a representative over the phone or visit a GEICO local agent.
GEICO also provides insurance quotes on motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), boats, travel trailers and motorhomes (RVs). Coverage for life, homes and apartments and identity theft is written by non-affiliated insurance companies and is secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. Commercial auto insurance and personal umbrella protection are also available.
For more information, go to www.geico.com.
