3 Key Elements of a Comprehensive Disaster Preparedness Plan
A Comprehensive Business Disaster Plan
Florida hurricane season just around the corner. Would your business be able to recover from any natural disaster?
A few years ago hurricane Irma threatened Florida. As the hurricane bands kept swirling and touching parts of the State, news channels showed devastating images of rooftops blowing away, trees downed and debris flying. I remember watching the news with horror as water was shown rushing down Broward Blvd, close to where my office at the time was located. Irma caused power outages, devastation and destruction for 2,108,378 businesses across 48 counties in Florida.
With hurricane season just around the corner, would your business be able to recover from any natural disaster like windstorm, flooding, sustained power outage, etc.? While most business owners say it’s important to plan for natural disasters, the vast majority of companies do not have any kind of formal plan in place, even as catastrophic weather events continue to arise.
Are You Putting the Future of Your Company at Risk?
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), roughly 40 to 60 percent of small businesses never reopen in the wake of a natural disaster. Don’t let your business be one of them.
Make sure your business prepared for a natural disaster
61 percent of small business owners say they don’t have a formal disaster recovery plan.
A poll conducted by Insureon in partnership with online small business directory Manta found that 31 percent of small business owners don’t know if their business would survive if it was forced to close for more than a month. Self-employed, small-mid size businesses are the foundation of our economy, yet all too often owners believe ‘it could never happen to me’. As a result, they leave themselves, employees and customers vulnerable to a disaster.
3 Key Elements of a Comprehensive Disaster Preparedness Plan
- Make an inventory of assets: In the midst of (and shortly after) a disaster, things can get pretty chaotic. From employees to customers, data to equipment, keep an inventory of pertinent personnel information, furniture, equipment, records, inventory, everything. Pro Tip: Be sure important documents are duplicated, securely stored and accessible after the disaster.
- Develop a communication strategy: Your strategy should include an evacuation plan, a list of important contacts (employees, suppliers, IT support, customers, emergency numbers, etc.) and a remote work strategy for how and where you and your team will work during the interruption. Pro Tip: Keep the information in the cloud and provide access to key staff.
- Insurance can play a critical role in recovery: Your business has most likely changed over time, so may the insurance coverage you need. Conduct a detailed review of your business insurance policies with your agent or an experienced insurance attorney, to ensure there are no gaps in coverage. Does your insurance include? Pro Tip: Be sure your review includes having additional coverage for damages not typically covered in a basic business insurance policy such as business interruption insurance, extra expense insurance, wind, water, equipment or construction damage.
We help businesses rebuild after a disaster
Conclusion
With hurricane season around the corner, performing an insurance gap analysis now, is a great way to ensure there are no gaps in coverage.
If you’d like some help understanding whether you have the right amount of coverage for your small business, then you might be interested in our free no-obligation consultation.
We’ve helped businesses just like yours get the money they need to rebuild, replace or repair what’s been damaged by any natural disasters.
The information provided here is intended for informational purposes and should not be considered legal advice.
About Desir Law Firm
Attorney Leonard Desir is the founder of Desir Law Firm, a boutique insurance law office representing only insurance policyholders. We work with homeowners, renters, homeowner associations (HOAs), condominium associations, small and mid-sized businesses, and commercial property investors throughout the State of Florida.
When damage happens to your home or business, you have enough to worry about without having to worry about whether your insurance company will act in your best interests. Learn how Desir Law Firm can help you with your insurance damage claim. Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Florida law allows for the recovery of attorney’s fees and costs from your insurance company, if you prevail in a lawsuit. At Desir Law Firm, even if we do not prevail, you will not owe money to an attorney since our cases are taken on a contingency basis. It is truly a win-win situation to hire an insurance attorney to dispute a partial or complete insurance denial or partial payments.
