It's tornado season for much of the country, with April, May andJune being the most active months for tornadoes, according to theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's NationalClimatic Data Center.

Tornadoes frequently occur in other countries, such as Australiaand New Zealand, and across Europe and Asia, but the United Stateshas more tornadoes for its size than any other country.

The costliest U.S. tornado outbreaks in terms of insured losseswere in the billions of dollars, with the top three occurring injust the past five years. According to the Insurance InformationInstitute and Property Claims Services, the tornadoes that hitTuscaloosa and Hackenberg, Ala., April 22-28, 2011, caused $7.6billion in insured losses and affected 13 states.

On May 22, 2011, an EF-5 tornado struck Joplin, Mo., which atits peak was more than one mile wide with winds that registered atmore than 200 mph. As the tornado traveled 22 miles across thestate, it killed 158 people and injured more than 1,000 more,according to a report from U.S. Tornadoes. The seriesof tornadoes that impacted 20 states resulted in $7.2 billion ininsured losses.

Tornadoes in Southeast Kansas and Missouri on May 2, 2013,affected residents in 18 states altogether, and createdapproximately $4 billion in insured losses.

The Alabama Center for Insurance Information and Research at theUniversity of Alabama Culverthouse College of Commerce haspartnered with the Property Casualty Insurers Association ofAmerica, the Alabama Department of Insurance and Smart Home Americato create the new “2016 Tornado Preparedness Guide & InsuranceTips,” which highlights some safety steps as well as the newtechnology available to provide some advance warning of thesedeadly weather events.

“Recent studies show that most people have short memoriessurrounding disasters,” Lars Powell, director of the AlabamaCenter for Insurance Information and Research, said. “As unpleasantas it may be to remember a terrible storm, if we don't keep thepublic's attention, we will not be ready for the next event.”

Here are five things to do to prepare for tornado season:

1. Warning: Tornadoahead

Residents in tornado-prone areas should be familiar with theterminology that indicates how imminent a tornado may be:

• Tornado Watch conditions are favorable for tornadoes inthe area.
• Tornado Warning issued from NOAA, thunderstorms withtornadoes are imminent or occurring.

Provided it is safe to do so, residents should secure any itemsthat could become projectiles such as umbrellas, outdoor furnitureor trash cans; move vehicles inside a garage or carport; and checktie-downs for mobile homes before moving to a safe location.

If a warning siren sounds, immediately take shelter inside andstay away from windows.

2. Stayingsafe

When it comes to tornado readiness, the new tornado guide offersseveral recommendations to keep residents safe when a tornado hits.People who get caught outside or in a mobile home shouldimmediately seek shelter inside a solidly constructed structure orin the basement of a nearby building.

If you can't get to a building in time, lie down in a ditch orother low-lying area and cover your head with your arms.

Unlike the movie Twister, drivers should not follow ortry to outrun a tornado. If possible, drivers should seek shelterin a sturdy structure, but should not park under a highway overpasssince it could collapse in the high winds.

Residents inside a home or other building should go to aninterior room in the basement. If there is no basement, go to aninside room, preferably one without windows such as an interiorhallway, a closet or a bathroom on the lowest level possible.

To protect against flying debris, use cushions, blankets, amattress or other impermeable items as a cover.

3. Am Icovered?

Usually, severe weather-related events would be covered under ahomeowners', renters' or commercial insurance policy, butpolicyholders should understand what their coverage provides andwhat it does not.

Creating a home inventory with photographs can be most valuablewhen it comes to reporting items lost in a tornado or other weatherevent. Many insurers have tools that can help capture a home'scontents before a loss occurs. At the very least, take photos ofeach room in the home, paying particular attention to antiques,works of art, collections of any sort, firearms, rare books,jewelry, furs and other items that would be difficult to replace inthe event of a loss. Make sure to check with an insurance agent toensure the items have the proper coverage and limits.

Save the photos to the cloud or store them someplace where theycan be easily accessed in the event the home is damaged ordestroyed.

4. Tornadowarnings

Each year the National Weather Service issues more than 1,000watches and almost 30,000 severe storm warnings.

NOAA has an early warning system that can predict whether or notthere is a potential for tornadoes as far as eight days ahead of aweather event. In addition, municipalities can now provideresidents with a weather warning about 14 minutes before a tornadooccurs. There are also a number of vendors that provide serviceswhich allow insurers to warn policyholders when a severe weatherevent is imminent in their area.

Social media can also be used effectively to educate and warnpolicyholders when storms, tornadoes and other events pose arisk.

5. Road torecovery

Tornadoes cause widespread devastation over a large area as theinfrastructure and other resources are destroyed and place burdenson first responders, residents, insurers, suppliers and others.

Here are some tips to begin the recovery process after a tornadoevent:

• Policyholders should contact their insurance agents or othercompany representatives to report any damage. An agent should beable to provide information on additional living expenses that willbe reimbursed and other payment information.

• Take photos of the damage and begin creating an inventory ofwhat was lost or damaged. (This is where a home inventory can beparticularly helpful.)

• Secure the property against further damage and theft, as bestas possible.

• Keep a log of conversations with individuals involved with theclaim. Save receipts for all expenses, such as food, clothing,lodging, medication, repairs.

• Business owners should keep records of any activities that havebeen affected by the tornado and extra expenses incurred. An agentcan provide information on what is covered under businessinterruption coverage.

• Beware of fraudsters. Unfortunately, some individuals seedisasters as an opportunity to take advantage of people who havealready suffered tragic losses. Check out companies who solicityour business with the Better Business Bureau and other onlinerating services. Call previous customers to see if they weresatisfied with the work performed. Don't pay for everything upfront and remember that if what the company promises sounds toogood to be true, it probably is.

So far this year, U.S. Tornadoes said theUnited States has had the most active February since 1950, withmultiple tornado events 36 reports from Feb. 15-16 and 79from Feb. 23-24. Another 32 tornadoes were reported on March30-April 1, and 41 were reported from April 26-27.

“Tornado preparedness saves lives,” Jim Ridling, commissioner ofinsurance for the state of Alabama, said. “The time betweendetection and devastation can be very short, and public educationis the best strategy to keep people safe during tornadoes.”