MetLife Auto & Home Offers Hurricane Preparedness Tips; 24-hour claim number established--800-854-6011

-- Decide in advance where to go if you must evacuate your home. You might choose a friend's home, a motel, or a shelter.

-- Identify a safe evacuation route--and alternate routes. Remember that roads may be crowded and that bridges or causeways may be under water.

-- Stock plywood, nails, and other items needed to board up windows to protect your home.

-- Prepare for possible power outages by stocking up on such necessities as food and bottled water, as well as a first aid kit, a portable radio, warm clothing, and clean blankets. In addition, keep a supply of flashlights and extra batteries handy, and avoid relying upon potential light sources such as candles and kerosene lamps, since open flames can be hazardous.

-- Keep your car fueled in case you have to evacuate, and store some bottled water, nutritious snacks, and blankets in the trunk.

-- Listen to local radio or television for the latest information and instructions for your area.

-- Protect your windows with boards or shutters.

-- Look around your property and reduce the threat of flying debris. This includes moving all outdoor items (patio furniture, garbage cans, garden tools) indoors, and, if possible, removing any tree limbs that may be too close to your home, or appear to be diseased or damaged.

-- Check mobile home tie-downs.

-- Make arrangements for your pets. In the event you needed to be evacuated to a shelter, most shelters won't allow them. Animals that assist people with disabilities are permitted.

-- If time permits, and you live in an identified surge zone, elevate furniture to protect it from flooding or, better yet, move it to a higher floor.

-- Shut off the gas, water, and electricity in the event that you need to leave home.

For MetLife Auto & Home customers who have questions about thestorm, or need to file a claim, a 24-hour, toll free claim line isavailable by calling 1-800-854-6011.

"We're ready to take care of our customers in the event that theworst occurs," said Bob Smith, MetLife Auto & Home's chief claimofficer. "Our national Catastrophe Response Team of expert adjustersis being dispatched to areas impacted by the storm to help customerssecure shelter, guide them through temporary repairs, issue checks forimmediate expenses, and promptly compensate customers for propertydamage."

Boats present unique challenges, and MetLife Auto & Home urgesboat owners to take precautions to protect their property. For vesselskept in the water, it may be necessary to remove the boat from thearea where the boat is moored or docked to a protected area. MetLifeAuto & Home reminds its customers that after a hurricane advisory isissued by the National Weather Service for the area where their boatsare moored or docked, their policies provide $250 reimbursement forthe costs associated with this type of removal.

After the Storm

Smith also urged those who may be impacted to heed the safetywarnings of local officials and to take precautions to protectthemselves and their property. It is important to be cautious ofhazards that may make it unsafe to enter the home, such as downedpower lines and broken glass. If unable to enter, customers shouldseek shelter elsewhere and re-enter the home only when it is safe todo so.

When it is safe to enter, covering exposed portions of propertywith heavy-duty tarps and boarding up any broken windows can helpprotect the premises from additional exposure to the elements andminimize the possibility of additional property damage. In addition,MetLife Auto & Home suggests that consumers save receipts fortemporary repairs, begin to make inventory lists of damaged property,and jot down any issues or concerns they have so that insurancepersonnel can get their claims processed as soon as possible.

Additional disaster preparedness information is available atwww.lifeadvice.com (choose "Disaster Preparation"). This material wasdeveloped with assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA) and the American Red Cross. In addition to offering ways toprepare for a hurricane, the site provides information on what to doafter a hurricane strikes, what types of damages are generally coveredunder an insurance contract, and helpful links offering additionalresources.

MetLife Auto & Home, an affiliate of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET), isone of the nation's leading personal lines property and casualtyinsurance companies, insuring over 3.8 million autos and homes. Thecompany was named among the industry's leaders in customer service,according to JD Powers' 2005 Claims Customer Satisfaction survey forauto insurers. For more information about MetLife Auto & Home, visitMetLife's website at www.metlife.com.

MetLife Auto & Home is a brand of Metropolitan Property andCasualty Insurance Company and its affiliates, Warwick, RI.