After back-to-back years of devastating hurricane seasons that ravaged the southeastern and eastern seaboards of the United States, the 2019 hurricane season is getting a downgraded rating. The outlook from forecasters of the oncoming storm season shows a near-normal Atlantic hurricane pattern with an equal chance of having below-normal activity compared to above-normal.
This is looked at as a sigh of relief for businesses and individuals living in the affected areas that traditionally have to worry about major damage from flooding, fire, wind, and general storm damage. But even though this hurricane season, which ranges from June 1 to November 30, is expected to be a little more low-key than usual, it helps to be ahead of the curve and know exactly what you’re in for.
What to Expect
For 2019, forecasters are predicting a likely range of 10 to 15 named storms, of which about six could become hurricanes hitting winds of 74 mph or higher. Two to four major hurricanes with winds surpassing 111 mph can be expected as well. On average, a hurricane season usually sees about 12 named storms, so this year is right on par.
The persistent El Nino weather pattern is expected to continue and help suppress the overall intensity of this year’s hurricane season. But while an easier-going hurricane season may bring comfort to homeowners and business owners alike, it still helps to be proactive in your hurricane insurance Florida options.
For business owners, having the right property insurance will help to protect your business from the effects of any size hurricane season. Even a light season can still bring flooding or wind damage and cause business owners to have to dive into their own pockets to pay for repairs. Work with your local hurricane insurance Florida providers to figure out the best property insurance options that can help you prepare for the upcoming storms.
How to Prepare
Beyond getting hurricane insurance in line for your Florida business, there are a number of things businesses can do to be as prepared as possible for the upcoming hurricane season. Getting a plan together as easily as possible is the key to limiting risks and keeping repair costs low.
Here are a few ways to prepare:
- Communication: Business owners should conduct regular emergency preparedness drills and get their staff up to speed on their responsibilities in the event of an emergency. In general, businesses that wait too long to put together an emergency plan suffer bigger losses as it becomes too late to take action.
- Data Protection: Make sure to back up your business’s sensitive data. Putting your information on the cloud is one way to get ahead of this, but another physical way is to protect your data storage with waterproof protection. Also, it’s important to have a plan to move costly equipment away from windows and to keep areas of your building secure where data is stored, saving you thousands of dollars to get back online sooner.
- Energy: No matter what kind of business you run, the continuity of your power supply needs to be dealt with early on. Securing the necessary power solutions such as mobile generators as well as reliable emergency fuel provider can be the deciding factor of whether or not your business can continue on following a major storm.
About The Hilb Group
Deciding what coverage you need and what limits and deductibles make the most sense can be tricky. Founded in 2009, the Hilb Group has been helping clients to make sense of their options and make the smartest choices for their circumstances. Whether you need Warehouse Insurance or any other type of business or personal coverage, we encourage you to contact our friendly, experienced, and capable team today. Call us at (800) 776-3078 for a consultation.