Hurricane season typically runs between June through November. Before the season begins, it’s critical for business owners to have plans in place should a disaster impact business operations.
Assess Your Risk
You do not need to be on the coastline to be impacted by a hurricane potentially. While businesses closer to the coastline would most likely see more severe damage than those further away, the residual impact from a storm can be felt for hundreds and even thousands of miles.
Keeping that in mind, business owners should assess if the location or locations of their business are typically affected when hurricanes come through or if they are rarely affected. Knowing this information will help determine the potential frequency a plan will need to be utilized.
Determine Your Emergency Response
An emergency response plan does not necessarily need to be in place only for hurricane season — there should be a general emergency response strategy ready to go at all times.
An in-depth emergency response plan should have:
- \Emergency contact information for employees;
- \Roles for essential employees;
- \The location of hurricane shutters (if there are any);
- \Location of emergency generators and additional fuel;
- \Information for employees if they need to be temporarily relocated; and,
- \Information to be distributed to customers and/or vendors.
Additionally, if the business is significantly damaged, owners should have a restoration company on standby so the business can be repaired as quickly as possible. A call to the insurance company is also necessary with any significant damage.
But Will My Insurance Company Deny My Claim?
This is a common fear for business owners, and rightfully so. While insurance coverage is supposed to help for worst-case scenarios, the insurance companies will not always approve a claim. That’s when Hawash Cicack & Gaston, LLP can help.
We proudly represent business owners when insurance companies deny claims without a valid reason. Don’t let a denied claim stop you from getting your business back up and running. Reach out today so we can get working on your case.
Categories
- \Insurance Claims
- \Business Insurance