When Disaster Strikes it pays to manage your money effectively to minimize the impact of the unexpected.

If you’ve ever experienced a flood, tornado, car crash, hurricane or other unexpected disaster, you know that there are two primary issues to overcome. First, you must take care of your physical needs.

Then, you need to be prepared for the financial fallout.

While you can’t prevent a disaster, you can take steps now to and during a disaster to minimize your financial impacts:

1. Always know where your important financial documents are.
2. Make sure your medical coverage is adequate. Be sure to know who to contact in the event of a disaster
3. Decide if your other insurance is adequate.
4. Always know where you stand financially. Be sure to sign up for Coastal’s COLTS online banking and AMIE telephone banking to keep track of your accounts.
5. Find out how your employer can help.
6. Know how and where to apply for disability benefits.
7. Look for other sources of cash.
8. Call your creditors. Put together a list of creditors and people to call if you get sick and may have problems paying the bills. You’ll need to arrange to call or have someone call for you to ask for more time to pay.

Coastal’s Trust and Investment Service advisors » can assist you in making plans for illness and accidental injury. Contact them or visit one of our Financial Resource Centers for information. And, of course feel free to contact us at 1-800-868-4262 to speak with a financial service representative at Coastal should you need assistance.