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How to prepare your vacation home for a natural disaster

Learn how to prepare and respond before—and when—calamity strikes.
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Natural disasters impact vacation homes—yours included

The likelihood a natural disaster could impact your property is higher than you might expect.

According to a study by Realtor.com, nearly half of all homes in the U.S. are at risk of severe or extreme damage from environmental threats.

So, it’s important to consider the changing climate patterns in your area and how they could impact your guests (and your bottom line).

What counts as a natural disaster, anyway?

The United States Department of Homeland Security defines natural disasters as “all types of severe weather, which have the potential to pose a significant threat to human health and safety, property, critical infrastructure, and homeland security.” In our world, a natural disaster constitutes anything that could potentially risk the safety of our guests, owners, and local teams.

These can include large disasters such as:

  • Hurricanes
  • Wildfires
  • Blizzards
  • Tornadoes
  • Flooding or flash flooding
  • Landslides
  • Earthquakes
  • Tsunamis
  • Volcanic eruptions
  • Cyclones

Even minor natural events can disrupt your bookings and guests, such as extreme snowfall closing roads or a red tide impacting beach communities.

Shot of Sarasota marina and park at dusk

Resources that support your home

Download the essential vacation rental natural disaster prep checklist

6 steps for preparing your vacation home for a natural disaster

Whether you live down the street or across the country from your vacation rental, here’s what we suggest doing before, during, and after a natural disaster.

Step 1. Understand the risk of natural disasters

The first—and most crucial—step: Identify which disasters are most likely to occur in your area.

  • Look into your local climate history and see how disasters have evolved over the years. For example, Texans didn’t need to worry about deep freezes and flooding in the past. But they’re now taking these risks more seriously after recent incidents.
  • Determine if your home’s location poses an even bigger risk during a disaster. Homes on hillsides in fire-prone areas may want to have detailed escape routes handy for guests. And, owners of vacation rentals on flood plains may want to investigate building preventative infrastructure to protect the integrity of their property.
  • Lean on local expertise. Use local government resources and assessments to guide your decisions. And turn to a trusted, local vacation rental manager for their natural disaster damage prevention tips.

Step 2. Brush up on your homeowner’s insurance policy

Your homeowners’ insurance policy may not cover as much as you think—especially if the risk for catastrophic and damaging weather has increased in your area. Based on what you find, consult with an attorney or other professional, and consider purchasing or upgrading your supplemental vacation rental protection plan.

Step 3. Assess any unsafe conditions

Inspect your property for potential dangers that can compound the damage of a natural disaster, such as overgrown brush in wildfire-prone areas or mold in hurricane-impacted properties.

If you find outstanding issues, address them swiftly. A minor fix now could save you from a major loss down the road.

Step 4. Share key safety information with your guests

Consider your guest’s perspective during an emergency. How can they stay safe during a weather disaster? What do they need to know to evacuate, if needed?

At a minimum, we suggest:

  • Ensuring all exits are functional, easy to access, and up to code
  • Checking if escape routes are required to be posted or available in your home per local regulations
  • Confirming your driveway and exits are clear of any potential obstructions

Step 5. Stock your home with essential tools

With the right stuff, it’s much easier to deal with common inclement weather. For example, homes that experience heavy snowfall should have a snow shovel and salt on hand for the safety and convenience of local teams and guests. Ensure these tools are kept in good repair and can be found easily in the event of an emergency.

Step 6. Develop an emergency communication plan

Having resources on hand is vital to your natural disaster plan.

Elevate guest safety by creating an alert system that informs guests of potential danger. We also recommend ensuring your guests have local emergency contact information and the resources below.

Natural disaster resources for homeowners in the United States

Climate.gov features maps, reports, guides, and data to help you understand and make informed decisions concerning your local climate.

FEMA keeps you up-to-date with developing natural disasters, points to support for anyone impacted, offers preparation tips and tools, and more.

Ready.gov can help you make a plan, build an emergency bag, and teach you how natural disasters could impact you, your guests, and your local team.

Natural disaster resources for homeowners in Canada

Getprepared.ca offers guides to help you prepare for emergencies, explains about best practices, and links to Canadian governmental resources, it’s a good place to get reliable information when a disaster happens.

Natural disaster resources for homeowners in Mexico

Coordinación General de Protección Civil y Gestión Integral del Riesgo features a risk atlas of Mexico’s states, information about earthquakes, reports about volcanic activity, and emergency preparedness tips.

Natural disaster resources for homeowners in Belize

The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) features storm-tracking tools, educational materials, and checklists to prepare for hurricanes and storms.

Natural disaster resources for homeowners in Costa Rica

Comisión Nacional De Prevención De Riesgos Y Atención De Emergencias Costa Rica (CNE) features information, alerts, and response plans to disasters within Costa Rica.

Natural disaster prep FAQs

Whether the damage is minor or catastrophic, your primary concern should be your and your guests’ immediate safety. Proceed with caution and follow local government recommendations when surveying the damage. Document the damage thoroughly, then start a conversation with your homeowners’ insurance holder and vacation rental coverage provider.

Keep an eye out for problems that surface long after the disaster has passed. Mold, hidden structural issues, and other long-term impacts can compromise the safety of your guests and the viability of your vacation rental investment.

Vacasa vacation rentals are located across North America, in various climates and regions. From Molokai to Mount Pocono—and even some tropical spots in Central America—each destination has its own unique weather patterns that should be considered when planning for an emergency.

We’re here to help homeowners protect their properties and proactively identify location-based risks to their homes, guests, and communities. Our local teams in each market we serve have navigated everything from wildfires to blizzards to hurricanes, so we know what it takes to help our homeowners come out stronger—and our guests stay safer—after a natural disaster.

You can access the VRBO natural disaster policy here and VRBO’s support for homes impacted by natural disasters here.

Airbnb’s natural disaster policy can be found via their Help Center, here. Airbnb’s disaster response will sometimes include opportunities for Airbnb owners to contribute: You can find Airbnb Disaster Relief information here.

Safety throughout a natural disaster is key. But because no two calamities are alike, the approach to riding out a disaster event can—and should—change depending on the situation.

That said, there are some simple, universal rules to follow:

What to do at your vacation rental ahead of a natural disaster:

  1. Review your homeowners’ insurance policy and any short-term rental coverage, including things like hurricane insurance for vacation rentals.
  2. Make adjustments to your home that can help mitigate the impact of common, local natural disasters. This can include installing storm shutters in hurricane-prone areas, removing brush and overhanging trees in wildfire zones, and more.
  3. Add an emergency bag to your home with essentials like candles, a battery-operated radio, and a basic first aid kit.
  4. Stay alert for notifications from your vacation rental partner and look out for updates about how they’ve helped prep your home.
  5. Check in with your local government to stay up-to-date on changes and recommendations.

What to do for your vacation rental during a natural disaster:

  1. If you’re visiting your home or live nearby, follow directions from your local government about things like evacuation, boil notices, and travel hazards.
  2. Do not attempt to confront issues caused by the disaster during the event. Wait until all danger has passed before making any repairs.
  3. If you do not live near your vacation home, keep an eye out for updates from your local government and stay alert for notifications from your vacation rental partner.

How to deal with a vacation rental immediately after a natural disaster:

  1. Wait until all danger has passed before assessing the damage.
  2. Follow directions from local and federal disaster agencies, taking special care to assess and address immediate and long-term safety hazards.

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