After “Super Storm Sandy”, many people along the east coast have been trying to get their lives back to normal. Not only did the storm damage their homes, vehicles, and personal belongings, but the storm also damaged and put businesses on hold. Many business owners have been working hard to get their businesses up and running again. Without power, this can definitely be a difficult task. Sandy was a tragic storm, and it will take sometime before life is normal again for those people who live in the northeast.
It is vital, especially in Florida with its risk of severe storms, that you have a plan for getting your business back up and running following a disaster. Part of your plan may be having the right business insurance coverage for your specific operation. We at Westgate-Jones Insurance Agency are here for you to help you determine the policies that are best for your specific business.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has some basic recommendations for Florida and other businesses around the country to follow in the event of a disaster.
• Consider your Florida suppliers as well as your own business by keeping an updated list of active suppliers and alternate suppliers. You may need a plan to keep your business running in case your regular Florida suppliers are devastated by a disaster and temporarily or permanently unable to fill your orders.
• It is important to keep an inventory of your business equipment, keep it properly maintained and have your service person’s contact information easily accessible.
• You may want to have a portable generator on hand in case of a power outage.
• It may be wise to know how to shut off utilities in the event of fire or burst water pipes.
• It may be wise to keep some essential equipment and valuable records stored offsite for business continuity purposes.
You may want to keep your insurance agent’s contact information handy, especially during the Florida hurricane season. It is important, following a disaster, to begin the claims process quickly in order to get your business back up and running as soon as possible. Make sure as part of your disaster planning that you have the right insurance policies, and that they are kept up date, and provide adequate coverage limits.
To find out more about the recovering businesses in the northeast, check out this New York Times article.
Westgate-Jones Insurance Agency
352-787-7548