1 00:00:28,479 --> 00:00:33,519 Suze: January 12, 2025. Welcome everybody to the Women and Money 2 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:38,700 Suze: podcast and everybody smart enough to listen. Suze O here. 3 00:00:39,740 --> 00:00:40,380 Suze: Now 4 00:00:41,168 --> 00:00:45,150 Suze: I said to you on Thursday that this podcast would 5 00:00:45,150 --> 00:00:48,348 Suze: be on insurance and everything that you needed to know. 6 00:00:49,150 --> 00:00:53,450 Suze: And as you can imagine, I've been watching, as I'm 7 00:00:53,450 --> 00:00:57,330 Suze: sure all of you have, the news and the reports 8 00:00:57,330 --> 00:01:01,599 Suze: and the pictures and the realities that are coming out 9 00:01:01,599 --> 00:01:07,089 Suze: of Los Angeles. I personally have a tremendous amount of 10 00:01:07,089 --> 00:01:12,480 Suze: friends who live in Los Angeles, obviously in the entertainment industry, 11 00:01:13,129 --> 00:01:16,290 Suze: many who have lost their homes, my lawyer. 12 00:01:16,790 --> 00:01:22,150 Suze: Lost his home on and on and on. I'm friends 13 00:01:22,150 --> 00:01:26,349 Suze: with a man who's head of Warner Brothers Studio, and 14 00:01:26,349 --> 00:01:28,550 Suze: he sent me a text as to how many of 15 00:01:28,550 --> 00:01:33,949 Suze: his employees have lost their homes. And again, on and 16 00:01:33,949 --> 00:01:35,500 Suze: on and on. 17 00:01:38,139 --> 00:01:41,750 Suze: As I'm watching this and I'm watching television. 18 00:01:42,779 --> 00:01:46,440 Suze: The other day I turned on the TV and there 19 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:51,459 Suze: was this man going through all of his items, the dust, 20 00:01:51,610 --> 00:01:56,209 Suze: the ashes, the everything to find this safe that he 21 00:01:56,209 --> 00:01:59,930 Suze: had all of his stuff in, and he found the 22 00:01:59,930 --> 00:02:02,330 Suze: safe and when he opened it up, there was nothing 23 00:02:02,330 --> 00:02:05,000 Suze: in it cause it had all turned to ash. 24 00:02:06,010 --> 00:02:12,279 Suze: And all of us are watching people who have lost everything. 25 00:02:12,929 --> 00:02:16,449 Suze: They left with just the clothes on their back. They 26 00:02:16,449 --> 00:02:19,529 Suze: did not leave with any of their paperwork or anything. 27 00:02:19,570 --> 00:02:22,729 Suze: They had time simply to get out with the clothes 28 00:02:22,729 --> 00:02:25,049 Suze: on their back, and that was it. 29 00:02:26,429 --> 00:02:29,940 Suze: And here we are now still in the midst of 30 00:02:29,940 --> 00:02:35,419 Suze: all the fires burning. Now, obviously this was a very 31 00:02:35,419 --> 00:02:41,739 Suze: wealthy neighborhood in certain areas, multi-million dollar homes, people with 32 00:02:41,740 --> 00:02:44,660 Suze: a lot of money that even though they lost everything 33 00:02:44,660 --> 00:02:47,259 Suze: and they lost memories and they lost all of that, 34 00:02:47,300 --> 00:02:50,380 Suze: I'm sure they'll be able to replace it. Maybe they 35 00:02:50,380 --> 00:02:53,570 Suze: have another home that they can live in in the meantime, 36 00:02:53,940 --> 00:02:55,630 Suze: but that's one sector. 37 00:02:57,020 --> 00:03:02,089 Suze: A lot of these people that lost their homes were 38 00:03:02,089 --> 00:03:07,970 Suze: workers that didn't have money that were dependent on their 39 00:03:07,970 --> 00:03:12,929 Suze: paycheck from the businesses that were burnt down to be 40 00:03:12,929 --> 00:03:15,330 Suze: able to pay the mortgage on their home. 41 00:03:16,210 --> 00:03:19,660 Suze: To be able to own a home was their dream. 42 00:03:19,830 --> 00:03:23,410 Suze: It's what they wanted. So many of you write into 43 00:03:23,410 --> 00:03:25,869 Suze: the podcast and you tell me that it is your 44 00:03:25,869 --> 00:03:28,029 Suze: dream you want to own a home, and this was 45 00:03:28,029 --> 00:03:33,579 Suze: their dreams. There was a woman who was in her 90s, 46 00:03:33,710 --> 00:03:37,270 Suze: in her 90s, and she had lived in this home 47 00:03:37,270 --> 00:03:39,979 Suze: for 75 years. 48 00:03:40,660 --> 00:03:46,360 Suze: And her fire insurance had been canceled. Her insurance had 49 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:50,509 Suze: been canceled even though she had paid into the exact 50 00:03:50,509 --> 00:03:53,949 Suze: same insurance company that canceled her insurance. 51 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:59,440 Suze: They canceled her insurance a little bit ago. Her house 52 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:03,919 Suze: now has totally burnt down. She doesn't have money. 53 00:04:05,119 --> 00:04:07,259 Suze: Now what does she do? 54 00:04:08,169 --> 00:04:08,610 Suze: So 55 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:15,020 Suze: It's very difficult. It's very difficult because as much as 56 00:04:15,020 --> 00:04:17,299 Suze: I have shouted from the rooftops. 57 00:04:18,019 --> 00:04:21,279 Suze: You have to have an emergency fund. You have to 58 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:24,920 Suze: know if the unthinkable happens that you can get by 59 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:29,159 Suze: for at least one year, one year if you lost 60 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,480 Suze: your job, if you lost everything. 61 00:04:32,230 --> 00:04:37,859 Suze: And yet story after story that I'm watching on the 62 00:04:37,859 --> 00:04:40,779 Suze: news and I'm watching it almost 24 hours a day. 63 00:04:41,970 --> 00:04:45,799 Suze: I don't have any savings. I don't have any money. 64 00:04:45,970 --> 00:04:49,369 Suze: I don't know what I'm going to do, and I, 65 00:04:49,410 --> 00:04:52,720 Suze: I don't know where I'm gonna go and I'm just lost. 66 00:04:53,510 --> 00:04:56,739 Suze: Now I can relate to this very well. 67 00:04:57,678 --> 00:05:01,849 Suze: Because when the Oakland Hills burnt down. 68 00:05:02,690 --> 00:05:05,489 Suze: I was still seeing clients at the time at the 69 00:05:05,488 --> 00:05:09,829 Suze: Suze Orman Financial Group, and one by one they would 70 00:05:09,829 --> 00:05:11,540 Suze: come in and see me. 71 00:05:12,380 --> 00:05:14,970 Suze: And they would be crying over the fact that they 72 00:05:14,970 --> 00:05:19,250 Suze: lost the pictures, they lost their memories, they lost everything. 73 00:05:20,250 --> 00:05:21,010 Suze: And 74 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:25,220 Suze: The insurance company isn't helping them. Suze, you've got to 75 00:05:25,220 --> 00:05:28,678 Suze: help me. The insurance company isn't listening to me. They're 76 00:05:28,678 --> 00:05:31,140 Suze: not going to pay me what I need. I can't 77 00:05:31,140 --> 00:05:33,700 Suze: get by. Can you help me, Suze? 78 00:05:34,790 --> 00:05:39,019 Suze: And I don't know how many people I spoke to 79 00:05:39,019 --> 00:05:40,049 Suze: and I saw. 80 00:05:40,890 --> 00:05:46,130 Suze: But one of the biggest problems was even those that 81 00:05:46,130 --> 00:05:47,760 Suze: had insurance. 82 00:05:48,869 --> 00:05:54,299 Suze: The insurance companies were not paying. They were stalling. Adjusters 83 00:05:54,299 --> 00:05:56,529 Suze: had to go out. There were so many of them 84 00:05:56,529 --> 00:06:00,660 Suze: that everybody was applying at once, and all the companies 85 00:06:00,660 --> 00:06:04,170 Suze: had set up these little booths everywhere for people to go, 86 00:06:04,420 --> 00:06:06,260 Suze: and maybe they were given a check for a few 87 00:06:06,260 --> 00:06:10,260 Suze: $100 to go get some food and clothing and things 88 00:06:10,260 --> 00:06:11,920 Suze: like that, but overall. 89 00:06:12,950 --> 00:06:18,649 Suze: The insurance companies were equally as frustrating to these people 90 00:06:18,649 --> 00:06:24,690 Suze: who lost everything because the insurance companies weren't meeting their needs, 91 00:06:25,130 --> 00:06:27,959 Suze: especially in a timely way. 92 00:06:28,609 --> 00:06:32,078 Suze: And so I'm sitting here and listening to stories just 93 00:06:32,079 --> 00:06:34,479 Suze: like this over and over again. 94 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,320 Suze: And I'm like, what good is it gonna do me 95 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:42,160 Suze: to explain all the differences between the insurance policies and 96 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:46,238 Suze: what insurance A versus B versus C means and this 97 00:06:46,238 --> 00:06:46,880 Suze: and that. 98 00:06:47,589 --> 00:06:48,799 Suze: What good's that gonna do? 99 00:06:49,829 --> 00:06:52,750 Suze: So then I started to think, well, what can I 100 00:06:52,750 --> 00:06:56,390 Suze: do that can help you now? 101 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:00,720 Suze: Now, there's not a lot that I can do for 102 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:04,239 Suze: those that have already suffered this loss. Maybe I can 103 00:07:04,238 --> 00:07:07,119 Suze: go down there, meet with them, try to work with 104 00:07:07,119 --> 00:07:09,790 Suze: their insurance companies and do things like that. 105 00:07:10,959 --> 00:07:15,579 Suze: But that's not what's happening at this moment in time, obviously. 106 00:07:16,059 --> 00:07:20,119 Suze: The fires are still burning. We'll see what happens there, 107 00:07:20,769 --> 00:07:21,149 Suze: but 108 00:07:22,089 --> 00:07:24,600 Suze: many of you listening to me right now. 109 00:07:25,279 --> 00:07:30,220 Suze: Who are not in the situation that these people are in, 110 00:07:30,750 --> 00:07:34,190 Suze: these people who never in a million years thought that 111 00:07:34,190 --> 00:07:36,420 Suze: they would be living this reality. 112 00:07:37,390 --> 00:07:40,510 Suze: How many times have I said to you, you have 113 00:07:40,510 --> 00:07:43,019 Suze: to plan for the what ifs of life, and in 114 00:07:43,019 --> 00:07:47,299 Suze: this case there is no bigger what if than this. 115 00:07:48,239 --> 00:07:51,578 Suze: And I was texting with my very good friend, one 116 00:07:51,579 --> 00:07:56,079 Suze: of my best friends in life who has her bags packed, 117 00:07:56,230 --> 00:08:01,059 Suze: ready to go, waiting for the evacuation as the fires 118 00:08:01,059 --> 00:08:02,660 Suze: may be going towards her. 119 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:07,549 Suze: And I asked her certain questions. I said, Did you 120 00:08:07,549 --> 00:08:09,940 Suze: do this? Did you do that? And she said, No. 121 00:08:10,149 --> 00:08:14,309 Suze: And then I gave her a list of every single 122 00:08:14,309 --> 00:08:18,540 Suze: thing I needed her to do while she was still 123 00:08:18,540 --> 00:08:22,350 Suze: in her house, while there was still time. 124 00:08:23,279 --> 00:08:27,559 Suze: Because after your house has burnt down and there is 125 00:08:27,559 --> 00:08:28,850 Suze: nothing left. 126 00:08:29,609 --> 00:08:32,939 Suze: You're going to wish if this ever happens to you, 127 00:08:33,020 --> 00:08:35,859 Suze: and you should live your life as if this is 128 00:08:35,859 --> 00:08:39,700 Suze: going to happen to you. You are to prepare for 129 00:08:39,700 --> 00:08:42,659 Suze: the worst and hope for the best. 130 00:08:43,530 --> 00:08:46,069 Suze: So if you were to prepare for the worst and 131 00:08:46,070 --> 00:08:48,869 Suze: if you were to do the things that I'm going 132 00:08:48,869 --> 00:08:53,299 Suze: to ask you to do right now just in case 133 00:08:53,299 --> 00:08:58,780 Suze: a fire, a hurricane, a tornado, a flood, whatever it is, 134 00:08:58,830 --> 00:09:02,369 Suze: and there's all those things that are happening right now, 135 00:09:02,669 --> 00:09:08,830 Suze: if those things were to happen, possibly your dealings with 136 00:09:08,830 --> 00:09:11,988 Suze: the insurance companies if you happen to be insured. 137 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:15,429 Suze: Will be a lot easier. 138 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:20,659 Suze: I want to start the Suze school today with what 139 00:09:20,659 --> 00:09:25,659 Suze: should you do before the what ifs. So take out 140 00:09:26,140 --> 00:09:27,289 Suze: your notebook, 141 00:09:27,969 --> 00:09:31,108 Suze: a pen and you listen closely to me. 142 00:09:31,770 --> 00:09:34,239 Suze: But it's more than you just writing down what I 143 00:09:34,239 --> 00:09:35,679 Suze: am about to say to you. 144 00:09:36,340 --> 00:09:40,609 Suze: It's about you promising yourself that you are going to 145 00:09:40,609 --> 00:09:45,460 Suze: do this today, not tomorrow, cause you don't know what 146 00:09:45,460 --> 00:09:48,010 Suze: tomorrow will bring. You don't even know what 5 minutes 147 00:09:48,010 --> 00:09:50,039 Suze: from now will bring everybody. 148 00:09:51,140 --> 00:09:55,809 Suze: And so therefore you have to promise, promise you're going 149 00:09:55,809 --> 00:10:00,150 Suze: to do this today. Now the few friends that I 150 00:10:00,150 --> 00:10:03,840 Suze: spoke to on the phone and gave them this list. 151 00:10:04,580 --> 00:10:07,890 Suze: This list is now done and at least they have 152 00:10:07,890 --> 00:10:10,770 Suze: the comfort of knowing that if they do need to 153 00:10:10,770 --> 00:10:13,530 Suze: leave and it looks like they probably are going to 154 00:10:13,530 --> 00:10:18,369 Suze: have to and their house burns down, at least they 155 00:10:18,369 --> 00:10:22,968 Suze: know what to do before and what to do for after. 156 00:10:23,330 --> 00:10:28,210 Suze: So let's just start with everything's still OK. You have 157 00:10:28,210 --> 00:10:32,890 Suze: a house, you have an apartment, you have whatever. I 158 00:10:32,890 --> 00:10:33,900 Suze: want you, 159 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:35,228 Suze: today, 160 00:10:35,969 --> 00:10:39,849 Suze: to take pictures of every single thing, take your little 161 00:10:39,849 --> 00:10:43,059 Suze: iPhone or whatever kind of phone you have, and I 162 00:10:43,059 --> 00:10:47,489 Suze: want you to go through your entire house. I want 163 00:10:47,489 --> 00:10:53,890 Suze: you to open every closet, every box, every drawer, every 164 00:10:53,890 --> 00:10:59,210 Suze: single place that you may have something in your entire house. 165 00:11:00,359 --> 00:11:05,619 Suze: Everything and you might as you're doing it take note 166 00:11:05,619 --> 00:11:08,669 Suze: of those things that are valuable. 167 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:13,640 Suze: Because if you think when your house burns down that 168 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,309 Suze: you're going to be able to remember, assuming you do 169 00:11:16,309 --> 00:11:20,348 Suze: have fire insurance, you're going to be able to remember 170 00:11:20,349 --> 00:11:23,919 Suze: all the things that have been in that house for 171 00:11:23,919 --> 00:11:28,848 Suze: 2 years, for 10 years, for 20 years, for 30 years, 172 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:32,159 Suze: or 50 years or more. If you think you're going 173 00:11:32,159 --> 00:11:34,939 Suze: to be able to do that. I'm here to tell you, 174 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:38,709 Suze: having worked with hundreds and hundreds of people. 175 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:41,760 Suze: They do not. 176 00:11:42,479 --> 00:11:45,119 Suze: So for you to be able to make a claim. 177 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:51,979 Suze: On your policies, your insurance policies for what's inside of 178 00:11:51,979 --> 00:11:53,020 Suze: your home. 179 00:11:53,719 --> 00:11:56,190 Suze: You're going to need to be able to prove what 180 00:11:56,190 --> 00:12:00,070 Suze: was in that house and what is the value of it. 181 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:04,200 Suze: What did you pay for it? Your TVs, the gifts 182 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:07,309 Suze: maybe your parents gave you or that you inherited from them, 183 00:12:07,650 --> 00:12:12,640 Suze: every single thing you need to take a picture of. 184 00:12:12,919 --> 00:12:16,320 Suze: And then if you were smart, you would print out 185 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:18,000 Suze: all of those pictures. 186 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:23,109 Suze: And write down what they are worth, what room they 187 00:12:23,109 --> 00:12:26,059 Suze: were in, and you should do it room by room. 188 00:12:26,549 --> 00:12:29,109 Suze: Go first to maybe the master bedroom and put down 189 00:12:29,109 --> 00:12:33,830 Suze: master bedroom, everything, everything, and then go on to the 190 00:12:33,830 --> 00:12:40,500 Suze: next bedroom or go on to the living room, dining room, kitchen, bathrooms, 191 00:12:40,510 --> 00:12:42,659 Suze: closets everywhere. 192 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,640 Suze: Basements garages. 193 00:12:47,690 --> 00:12:51,080 Suze: All right, do you promise me that you will do that, 194 00:12:51,609 --> 00:12:55,369 Suze: because if you do that and you document everything. 195 00:12:56,239 --> 00:13:01,330 Suze: And then something happens. Now when you file a claim 196 00:13:01,539 --> 00:13:04,739 Suze: with your insurance company, the first thing they're going to 197 00:13:04,739 --> 00:13:06,539 Suze: ask you for is that. 198 00:13:07,239 --> 00:13:09,250 Suze: And you will be able to give it to them 199 00:13:09,250 --> 00:13:11,469 Suze: right then and there. 200 00:13:12,650 --> 00:13:18,289 Suze: Next you need to take a picture and count every tree, 201 00:13:18,729 --> 00:13:24,130 Suze: every shrub, everything that is around your house. 202 00:13:24,859 --> 00:13:27,520 Suze: Do you know how many trees you have? Do you 203 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:30,440 Suze: know how many shrubs you have? Do you even know 204 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:34,228 Suze: if they're covered under your insurance policy? 205 00:13:35,059 --> 00:13:38,640 Suze: But it is very possible that they are, but only 206 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:41,479 Suze: if you can tell them, Oh, I had 10 trees, 207 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:44,640 Suze: I had this, I had that. Those things are expensive 208 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:49,440 Suze: to replace everybody, but you have to prove that you 209 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:53,080 Suze: had them. Next, I want you to do something that 210 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:56,359 Suze: I know none of you want to do or maybe 211 00:13:56,359 --> 00:13:59,488 Suze: you've ever even done is I want you to get 212 00:13:59,489 --> 00:14:02,150 Suze: out your home insurance policy. 213 00:14:02,700 --> 00:14:05,330 Suze: As well as your car insurance policy. 214 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:11,000 Suze: And then I want you to call your insurance agent, 215 00:14:11,330 --> 00:14:15,630 Suze: and I want you to go through every possible question 216 00:14:15,630 --> 00:14:17,729 Suze: that you might have with them. 217 00:14:18,570 --> 00:14:22,989 Suze: Such as if my house burnt down today, what kind 218 00:14:22,989 --> 00:14:24,590 Suze: of money would I get for it? 219 00:14:25,599 --> 00:14:29,049 Suze: What am I insured for? What aren't I insured for? 220 00:14:29,260 --> 00:14:32,700 Suze: Where do you see holes into what might be happening? 221 00:14:32,900 --> 00:14:36,419 Suze: And the reason that I say that is this even 222 00:14:36,419 --> 00:14:41,090 Suze: though your home may have increased tremendously in value. 223 00:14:41,809 --> 00:14:45,900 Suze: You're not going to get the value of your home. 224 00:14:46,309 --> 00:14:50,309 Suze: You're going to be paid by the insurance company what 225 00:14:50,309 --> 00:14:55,799 Suze: it will cost for you to actually rebuild your home. 226 00:14:56,770 --> 00:14:59,630 Suze: And your insurance agent might even be able to tell 227 00:14:59,630 --> 00:15:02,320 Suze: you what they think it would take for you to 228 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:08,479 Suze: rebuild your home if your policy actually would pay you 229 00:15:08,479 --> 00:15:13,250 Suze: to replace it, a replacement value because you want to 230 00:15:13,250 --> 00:15:16,919 Suze: know that if you have a home and it's burnt down. 231 00:15:17,460 --> 00:15:22,840 Suze: That you have enough insurance to actually replace it given 232 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:27,890 Suze: inflation with everything that it costs today. The labor is 233 00:15:27,890 --> 00:15:34,099 Suze: more expensive. The material is more expensive. Everything is more expensive, 234 00:15:34,450 --> 00:15:40,169 Suze: especially listen to me during a time when everything has 235 00:15:40,169 --> 00:15:42,479 Suze: burnt down. Think about LA right now. 236 00:15:43,460 --> 00:15:47,690 Suze: Labor is going to be at a premium. Everything is 237 00:15:47,690 --> 00:15:51,460 Suze: going to be at a premium because over 10,000 or 238 00:15:51,460 --> 00:15:55,130 Suze: 20,000 or how many ever houses it is are going 239 00:15:55,130 --> 00:15:59,869 Suze: to want to be rebuilt, so prices will escalate. So 240 00:15:59,869 --> 00:16:04,460 Suze: the question that I want you to ask is if 241 00:16:04,460 --> 00:16:08,020 Suze: I had to rebuild my home today and I wanted to. 242 00:16:08,900 --> 00:16:11,539 Suze: I adequately insured. 243 00:16:12,609 --> 00:16:17,489 Suze: You have to ask them, do you have a replacement value, 244 00:16:18,210 --> 00:16:22,000 Suze: insurance policy, or an actual cash value? 245 00:16:23,039 --> 00:16:27,260 Suze: You need to know what those things mean. You need 246 00:16:27,260 --> 00:16:31,950 Suze: to know if in fact you can rebuild somewhere else 247 00:16:31,950 --> 00:16:35,950 Suze: if in fact you don't want to rebuild where that 248 00:16:35,950 --> 00:16:39,630 Suze: property happens to be, because maybe it is in LA. 249 00:16:40,390 --> 00:16:43,650 Suze: And everything around you is in ash, and you just 250 00:16:43,650 --> 00:16:47,690 Suze: want to go somewhere and build somewhere else. You need 251 00:16:47,690 --> 00:16:53,239 Suze: to know that you need to know that your car, 252 00:16:53,609 --> 00:16:56,080 Suze: what is your car insured for. 253 00:16:56,849 --> 00:16:59,799 Suze: And I'll keep saying this over and over again. Remember, 254 00:16:59,900 --> 00:17:04,000 Suze: if you don't have comprehensive insurance on your car and 255 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,719 Suze: your car is in a fire, it's not going to 256 00:17:06,719 --> 00:17:11,760 Suze: cover it. Next, I want you to make copies of 257 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:14,079 Suze: or gather the originals up to you. 258 00:17:15,130 --> 00:17:22,159 Suze: Of your marriage certificate, your birth certificate, anything that is 259 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:26,869 Suze: valuable to you, including your insurance policies, by the way, 260 00:17:27,479 --> 00:17:31,800 Suze: and I want you to get yourself either a little 261 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:36,270 Suze: portable box, something that you can grab and go. 262 00:17:36,729 --> 00:17:41,659 Suze: And that box is to hold everything that is important 263 00:17:41,660 --> 00:17:44,810 Suze: and that you will need if you have to leave 264 00:17:44,810 --> 00:17:49,810 Suze: within 5 minutes. And what are those things? Are you 265 00:17:49,810 --> 00:17:51,089 Suze: writing this all down? 266 00:17:51,910 --> 00:18:00,790 Suze: It's prescriptions. It is extra medication. It's extra glasses. It's 267 00:18:00,790 --> 00:18:05,979 Suze: those types of things your passports, your social security card, 268 00:18:06,189 --> 00:18:09,069 Suze: your credit cards, everything. 269 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:13,530 Suze: That is kept in that box so that you can 270 00:18:13,530 --> 00:18:19,180 Suze: just grab and go. I can't tell you how important 271 00:18:19,180 --> 00:18:24,260 Suze: that is because let's just say you were in the 272 00:18:24,260 --> 00:18:26,939 Suze: LA fires you left with only. 273 00:18:27,630 --> 00:18:31,379 Suze: The clothes on your back. Do you even have the 274 00:18:31,380 --> 00:18:35,329 Suze: phone numbers? Maybe your phone was left in the house. 275 00:18:35,540 --> 00:18:40,489 Suze: Do you even have the phone numbers of your insurance agent? 276 00:18:40,689 --> 00:18:44,020 Suze: Do you have the policy numbers? Do you even know 277 00:18:44,020 --> 00:18:46,869 Suze: who you would call, what you would tell them? Do 278 00:18:46,869 --> 00:18:50,739 Suze: you have the numbers of all your credit cards and 279 00:18:50,739 --> 00:18:53,739 Suze: all of those things, so you could possibly call them? 280 00:18:54,589 --> 00:18:58,750 Suze: You need to have with you in your grab and 281 00:18:58,750 --> 00:19:05,219 Suze: go box all the information that you could possibly need. 282 00:19:06,170 --> 00:19:06,849 Suze: Next 283 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:10,699 Suze: You are to make a copy of all of that 284 00:19:10,699 --> 00:19:16,270 Suze: information and send it to somebody in your family or 285 00:19:16,270 --> 00:19:17,270 Suze: a friend. 286 00:19:18,089 --> 00:19:23,859 Suze: That you trust with it because if everything is destroyed 287 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:27,680 Suze: you don't have anything you can't even remember your password 288 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:33,270 Suze: to get into your computers or your phones there's somebody 289 00:19:33,270 --> 00:19:36,719 Suze: in your family or a place that has it. 290 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:41,609 Suze: So that you can call it up and therefore be 291 00:19:41,609 --> 00:19:46,449 Suze: able to contact everybody that you need to contact. 292 00:19:47,469 --> 00:19:52,010 Suze: These are the things that are really, really important for 293 00:19:52,010 --> 00:19:53,300 Suze: you to do. 294 00:19:55,239 --> 00:19:59,379 Suze: Last but not least there is one more thing. 295 00:20:00,229 --> 00:20:03,020 Suze: And this is a very difficult thing because a lot 296 00:20:03,020 --> 00:20:08,469 Suze: of people really don't know how to answer this question. 297 00:20:09,569 --> 00:20:14,280 Suze: And it's if this were to happen to you. You've 298 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:17,109 Suze: now done everything that I've asked you to do. 299 00:20:18,030 --> 00:20:21,089 Suze: And you are ready. You are ready. 300 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:27,119 Suze: But the very last step of all of this is, 301 00:20:27,449 --> 00:20:32,729 Suze: where would you go? Where would you go? Who would 302 00:20:32,729 --> 00:20:33,439 Suze: you call? 303 00:20:34,439 --> 00:20:39,229 Suze: What would you do just to have a mental plan 304 00:20:39,479 --> 00:20:40,949 Suze: where you play this out. 305 00:20:41,839 --> 00:20:45,239 Suze: I just have to say, and I've said it so 306 00:20:45,239 --> 00:20:48,209 Suze: many times, and I just, you know, I said it earlier. 307 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:53,540 Suze: One of the key ingredients for you to be really, 308 00:20:53,589 --> 00:20:55,949 Suze: really prepared for this. 309 00:20:56,599 --> 00:21:01,718 Suze: is to have that one year emergency savings account. 310 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:06,800 Suze: Cause if you think about it now, all these people 311 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:10,030 Suze: that have lost everything, they didn't just lose their house. 312 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:13,239 Suze: Many of them lost their ability to make money. 313 00:21:14,310 --> 00:21:17,420 Suze: Their places of work have been destroyed. 314 00:21:18,239 --> 00:21:22,079 Suze: So they've lost their ability to make money. 315 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:26,869 Suze: And if you think about how long it's going to 316 00:21:26,869 --> 00:21:30,810 Suze: take to be able to get your lives back together, 317 00:21:31,069 --> 00:21:36,229 Suze: do you all understand now why I really say a 318 00:21:36,229 --> 00:21:41,948 Suze: one year emergency savings account is absolutely vital. 319 00:21:42,890 --> 00:21:45,609 Suze: Absolutely vital. 320 00:21:46,619 --> 00:21:49,170 Suze: Those are the things really. 321 00:21:49,839 --> 00:21:53,899 Suze: That I want all of you to do right now. 322 00:21:54,750 --> 00:21:58,719 Suze: To prepare for the what ifs of life. 323 00:21:59,969 --> 00:22:00,579 Suze: Now 324 00:22:01,750 --> 00:22:03,280 Suze: What do you do? 325 00:22:04,300 --> 00:22:06,890 Suze: If something has happened. 326 00:22:07,630 --> 00:22:10,099 Suze: So if you have a relative or somebody in the 327 00:22:10,099 --> 00:22:14,010 Suze: fire area or they're going through this, they don't know 328 00:22:14,010 --> 00:22:15,209 Suze: where to start. 329 00:22:16,270 --> 00:22:19,489 Suze: You start by going back to the property when you can. 330 00:22:20,219 --> 00:22:27,290 Suze: And do what? Take pictures of absolutely everything. Immediately you 331 00:22:27,290 --> 00:22:32,680 Suze: take pictures of everything, then call your insurance agent. In fact, 332 00:22:32,810 --> 00:22:38,040 Suze: you probably should already have called them and started the process. 333 00:22:38,569 --> 00:22:41,969 Suze: You should call your mortgage company if you have a 334 00:22:41,969 --> 00:22:44,099 Suze: mortgage on the property. 335 00:22:44,569 --> 00:22:48,300 Suze: And tell them what has happened and can something be 336 00:22:48,300 --> 00:22:53,280 Suze: done to postpone mortgage payments? You are to call the 337 00:22:53,280 --> 00:23:00,280 Suze: utility companies and cut off all utilities, cable, everything that 338 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:04,319 Suze: possibly you even have an automatic payment going out every 339 00:23:04,319 --> 00:23:09,639 Suze: single month to call them and stop the services. 340 00:23:10,670 --> 00:23:13,800 Suze: So, in fact, you don't have to be paying for 341 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:15,319 Suze: things that you're not using. 342 00:23:16,280 --> 00:23:19,879 Suze: One thing you need to know, however, is that if 343 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:23,890 Suze: you do have insurance, you want to make sure that 344 00:23:23,890 --> 00:23:30,150 Suze: you continue to pay that insurance premium even if everything 345 00:23:30,150 --> 00:23:34,680 Suze: has been destroyed unless your insurance company says, OK, you 346 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:36,439 Suze: don't have to for a time being. 347 00:23:37,050 --> 00:23:42,680 Suze: But your insurance policy needs to stay in effect and 348 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:47,149 Suze: valid for them to cover everything for the next year 349 00:23:47,150 --> 00:23:49,989 Suze: or two or whatever it's going to take you to 350 00:23:49,989 --> 00:23:52,670 Suze: get through this process. 351 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:57,670 Suze: You need to do those things, so you need to 352 00:23:57,670 --> 00:24:01,989 Suze: know what your mortgage company is going to expect of you. 353 00:24:02,189 --> 00:24:06,819 Suze: You need to know is there enough insurance to cover 354 00:24:06,819 --> 00:24:11,099 Suze: the mortgage, because whether you all know it or not, 355 00:24:11,689 --> 00:24:15,069 Suze: your insurance company does not pay you if you have 356 00:24:15,069 --> 00:24:20,300 Suze: a mortgage. They will pay your mortgage company the insurance, 357 00:24:20,589 --> 00:24:22,699 Suze: and it is your mortgage company. 358 00:24:23,270 --> 00:24:26,169 Suze: That happens to pay out to you. 359 00:24:27,319 --> 00:24:32,430 Suze: If you're rebuilding as you're rebuilding or whatever it may be, 360 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:37,479 Suze: so you really need to find out how all of 361 00:24:37,479 --> 00:24:41,689 Suze: that is going to work right now so that you 362 00:24:41,689 --> 00:24:45,030 Suze: can make a plan as to what you should do, 363 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:49,810 Suze: what you can do, and what you cannot do. Once 364 00:24:49,810 --> 00:24:52,719 Suze: you have found the truth of everything. 365 00:24:53,660 --> 00:24:57,939 Suze: Now you have the ability to be able to make 366 00:24:57,939 --> 00:25:02,969 Suze: decisions based in reality and not in you just thinking 367 00:25:02,969 --> 00:25:05,500 Suze: this is how it's going to work. Well, my house 368 00:25:05,500 --> 00:25:08,020 Suze: burnt down so I don't have to pay the mortgage anymore. Well, 369 00:25:08,060 --> 00:25:09,859 Suze: there's nothing to insure, so I don't have to pay 370 00:25:09,859 --> 00:25:13,540 Suze: the insurance premium anymore and on and on. Oh, I'm 371 00:25:13,540 --> 00:25:15,579 Suze: going to get a big amount of money from the 372 00:25:15,579 --> 00:25:16,619 Suze: insurance policy. 373 00:25:17,500 --> 00:25:22,859 Suze: You have to know the reality of your situation. 374 00:25:24,069 --> 00:25:26,910 Suze: So that is what you need to do. 375 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:31,680 Suze: Right here and right now if you have suffered a 376 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:35,560 Suze: loss or for those of you who haven't suffered a loss, 377 00:25:35,569 --> 00:25:38,150 Suze: and I hope you never do, but if you do, 378 00:25:38,439 --> 00:25:44,589 Suze: please remember what I am saying right here and right now. 379 00:25:45,630 --> 00:25:46,420 Suze: All right. 380 00:25:48,050 --> 00:25:51,609 Suze: That's your little what you need to do before, what 381 00:25:51,609 --> 00:25:53,449 Suze: you need to do after 382 00:25:54,760 --> 00:25:58,650 Suze: Suze School, but I want all of you to know. 383 00:25:59,579 --> 00:26:04,859 Suze: That you are all really strong enough to handle whatever 384 00:26:04,859 --> 00:26:07,379 Suze: it is that you need to handle, and I know 385 00:26:07,380 --> 00:26:08,900 Suze: at this moment in time. 386 00:26:10,099 --> 00:26:13,619 Suze: Many of you, hundreds of thousands of you, don't have 387 00:26:13,619 --> 00:26:16,290 Suze: a clue where you're gonna go, what you're gonna do, 388 00:26:16,540 --> 00:26:17,699 Suze: how you're gonna do it. 389 00:26:18,390 --> 00:26:23,430 Suze: The millions of us that are watching, including me, are like, 390 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:25,760 Suze: what are you gonna do? I, I don't know, what 391 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:27,920 Suze: are you gonna do? Who are you gonna call? Where 392 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:28,879 Suze: are you gonna go? 393 00:26:29,699 --> 00:26:31,679 Suze: I do know this. 394 00:26:32,550 --> 00:26:37,280 Suze: That shortly all of that will be revealed to you. 395 00:26:38,290 --> 00:26:40,349 Suze: So just stay strong. 396 00:26:41,150 --> 00:26:44,239 Suze: Just keep putting one foot after another. 397 00:26:45,229 --> 00:26:50,030 Suze: Don't lose your faith. Don't give up hope. Don't just 398 00:26:50,030 --> 00:26:54,020 Suze: become somebody who's like, Ah, life isn't worth living any more. 399 00:26:54,550 --> 00:26:57,949 Suze: There's always something to live for. And if you don't 400 00:26:57,949 --> 00:27:02,629 Suze: feel that way right now, I promise you you will 401 00:27:02,630 --> 00:27:04,420 Suze: again sooner than later. 402 00:27:05,680 --> 00:27:09,959 Suze: All right, on Thursday, Ask KT and Suze Anything is 403 00:27:09,959 --> 00:27:14,000 Suze: going to be a continuation of this. Now, maybe you 404 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:14,959 Suze: have noticed, 405 00:27:15,949 --> 00:27:19,629 Suze: that I no longer have for this podcast and probably 406 00:27:19,630 --> 00:27:24,540 Suze: the rest of this year the unstoppable theme song by Sia. 407 00:27:24,829 --> 00:27:27,989 Suze: Not that I don't love it, I love it to bits. 408 00:27:28,829 --> 00:27:29,180 Suze: But 409 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:34,339 Suze: I just think that the theme song that I had 410 00:27:34,339 --> 00:27:38,619 Suze: the very first year that I did this podcast, which 411 00:27:38,619 --> 00:27:40,810 Suze: was Together We Will Rise. 412 00:27:42,630 --> 00:27:46,170 Suze: I think that's our theme song for this year. 413 00:27:47,189 --> 00:27:52,849 Suze: So until Thursday there's only one thing that all of 414 00:27:52,849 --> 00:27:56,449 Suze: us really, really need to remember. 415 00:27:57,250 --> 00:28:00,349 Suze: And that is this together. 416 00:28:01,339 --> 00:28:05,750 Suze: Together we will rise.