Prepare Customers if Disaster Strikes.(Credit Counselor)

Byline: Amilda Dymi

As I write these lines, the talk in town appears to be about the Democratic and the Republican conventions, the nominees, jobs, the economy, the U.S. Open finalists and other issues we wonder and worry about daily sipping coffee. Weather talk, random and as boring as elevator music, catches our attention only if a hurricane is about to hit town. And right now quite a few are lining up.

Natural disasters can and do occur anytime during the year even though June is considered the beginning of hurricane season. According to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling of Silver Spring, Md., "after surviving the initial unexpected crisis, many consumers find themselves struggling to recover financially, too. While none of us wants to imagine Mother Nature striking close to home, it does happen, and if consumers find themselves ill-prepared either through a lack of savings or being uninsured, another type of disaster awaits: financial ruin."

Earlier this year, NFCC quoted MSN Money 2008 Financial Literacy Survey data showing 36% of adults have no savings outside of retirement, with a full 31% without homeowner's insurance, while up to nine in 10 renters are not insured. Given what seems to be part of a popular culture that does not understand the importance of insurance, ignores the option, or simply cannot afford it, the fact that 67% of all homebuyers and renters do not have disaster insurance is not surprising. Even after Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita reminded everyone how fragile we all are in the face of nature and sudden disasters, it appears that the overused expression "Old habits die hard" stands true.

"It is so important for families and individuals to know there are ways to proactively protect personal finances in the event of a natural disaster - be it hurricanes, tornados or single instances of fires or storm damage," said NFCC spokesperson Gail Cunningham. "By having a plan in place, and knowing what ...