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Quick answer: Prepare for extreme cold by limiting time outdoors, wearing warm dry layers, stocking emergency supplies, protecting pipes and heating systems, winterizing your vehicle and checking weather and road alerts. If a storm causes sudden damage, home or comprehensive auto insurance may help depending on the cause, policy terms, limits and deductible.
Changing weather patterns can bring extreme winter conditions to any region in the U.S. Knowing how to prepare for severe cold, frozen pipes, power outages and vehicle breakdowns can help keep your family, home and vehicle safer.
When faced with chilling ordeals like these, the last thing you want to be is reactive. Taking measures to prepare for the winter months will help you protect your family, mitigate property damage and avoid costly disruptions to your schedule. So, where should you start?
Things can always be replaced. People can’t. Extreme cold can cause problems quickly, especially when there’s heavy wind involved. Lack of preparation could lead to frostbite or hypothermia.
Before going outside, check the temperature and the wind chill and dress accordingly.
To ensure you’re adequately protected from the baseline air temperature and the wind chill, prepare for the coldest part of the day by layering your clothing. This allows you to have what you need when you need it and shed layers as the day warms up. Additionally, cover your head, hands, ears and face for maximum warmth and protection. Finally, stay dry.
Extreme weather can lead to power outages, road blockages and supply shortages. As winter approaches, it’s important to stock up on essentials and establish an emergency plan.
The best way to avoid major repairs and insurance claims processes is to practice preventive maintenance. Your home’s pipes, heating system and roof are all susceptible to winter-related damage, but you can reduce the risks.
A few simple precautions can help keep pipes from freezing and reduce the risk of costly water damage to your home or condo.
A few preventive maintenance steps can help your furnace run safely and reliably when temperatures drop.
A few preventive maintenance steps can help your furnace run safely and reliably when temperatures drop.
Whether you want to or not, it’s likely that you will have to drive in extreme cold weather at some point. It’s important to make sure your vehicle is ready. This could keep you from getting stranded or, at the very least, prepare you for it if you do.
Here are a few things to check before extreme cold arrives:
If you’re unsure what you’re looking for, AAA-owned Car Care Centers and AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities can help you identify key areas that will help winterproof your vehicle before you’re stuck on the side of the road. And remember, if you’re a AAA Member and have battery issues, you can request our AAA Mobile Car Battery Service to give you a jump or sell you a new battery and install it onsite.
Even if you’ve prepared your vehicle, accidents do happen, and you could find yourself on the side of the road on an extremely cold day. An emergency kit will help protect you or your passengers if this does happen.
Essential items include:
Get more details on building your winter emergency vehicle kit.
Read More| Scenario | Coverage may apply? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| A pipe freezes and suddenly bursts | Often | Homeowners insurance may cover resulting water damage, but not necessarily the failed pipe itself. Coverage can be affected if heat was not maintained or the home was left without reasonable precautions. |
| Snow or ice damages the roof | Possibly | Sudden structural damage may be covered. Damage tied to wear, deterioration or deferred maintenance may not be. |
| An ice dam causes interior water damage | Possibly | Coverage varies by policy and cause. Prevention, maintenance and prompt steps to limit further damage matter. |
| A power outage causes food spoilage | Sometimes | Some homeowners policies include limited food-spoilage coverage, potentially subject to a deductible or special limit. |
| A tree or branch falls on a vehicle | Possibly | Comprehensive auto coverage may apply after the deductible. Liability-only coverage generally does not cover weather damage to your own vehicle. |
| A vehicle is damaged by ice, hail or flooding | Possibly | Comprehensive auto coverage may apply if it was selected and active before the loss. |
| A vehicle breaks down because of poor maintenance | Usually not | Mechanical wear and maintenance issues generally are not covered by auto insurance, though AAA Roadside Assistance may help with eligible service needs. |
Check road and weather conditions before leaving. Leave extra stopping distance and avoid cruise control on icy roads. Make sure your fuel tank is at least half full and let a family member know where you’re going.
Call for assistance and stay with the vehicle. Stay visible so that family or rescue crews can find you. Run your engine occasionally to stay warm, but make sure your exhaust pipe is clear of blockages, and crack a downwind window to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide buildup.
Small preventive measures can make a big difference. Insulating pipes and performing pre-season maintenance on your heating and cooling systems can help prevent water damage and fire risks. Vehicle maintenance could help prevent breakdowns, while safe driving habits could help prevent crashes. All these measures could reduce weather-related risks for you and your loved ones while also reducing the likelihood of costly losses and frustrating insurance claims.
Coverage depends on the cause of the loss, the policy, applicable limits and exclusions, and whether reasonable steps were taken to prevent additional damage.
Before extreme cold arrives
Frozen pipes, ice, snow and winter driving can expose costly coverage gaps. Schedule a AAA Triple Check® policy review or contact a local AAA Insurance agent to understand how your home and auto policies may respond.
Monitor local alerts, gather several days of food, water, medications and pet supplies, test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, protect vulnerable pipes, service heating equipment and prepare your vehicle and emergency kits.
Frostbite may cause numbness and pale, grayish-yellow, firm or waxy skin. Hypothermia may cause persistent shivering, confusion, drowsiness, slurred speech or loss of coordination. Move the person to warmth and seek immediate medical help for suspected hypothermia or serious frostbite.
Insulate exposed pipes, disconnect outdoor hoses, open cabinets around vulnerable plumbing, maintain indoor heat and allow a small drip from faucets served by exposed pipes during extreme cold. Know where the main water shutoff is located.
Operate generators outdoors and away from doors, windows and vents. Never use a grill, camp stove or gas oven to heat the home. Plug space heaters directly into an outlet, keep them at least three feet from materials that can burn and do not leave them unattended.
Include warm clothing and blankets, water, nonperishable snacks, a flashlight, phone charger, first-aid supplies, jumper cables, an ice scraper, gloves and traction material.
Call for help, stay with the vehicle, make yourself visible and keep the exhaust pipe clear. If you run the engine for warmth, do so intermittently and slightly open a window to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide.
It may cover sudden water damage from a burst pipe, but coverage can depend on whether reasonable steps were taken to maintain heat and protect the property. Policy terms, limits, exclusions and the deductible apply.
Comprehensive coverage may help pay for damage from falling branches, ice, hail or flooding, subject to the deductible and policy terms. It generally does not cover routine maintenance or mechanical wear.
This information is being provided for general informational purposes only. The Auto Club Group does not assume any liability in connection with providing this information.
Note: AAA Triple Check® is not available in Colorado.
