For gulf coast business owners, being prepared for unruly weather and dangerous storms should be priority number one during the summer months. Weather.com has predicted a less-than-active hurricane season for 2018, whereas other weather outlets determine a more heightened hurricane season. Given the uncertainty of climates and storms, it’s even more important to prepare for whatever may come your way.
Business owners in Orlando, Florida and other high-risk areas can be more educated and better prepared for the possibilities that come with hurricane by looking into business insurance options. Here are some other ways to prepare for the risks that come with hurricane season.
What Matters Most
The first step in preparing your business in hurricane season is to start with what matters most: the people. Your employees and dependents depend on you to keep them safe and connected to information before, during and following a storm.
Always make sure to know the whereabouts of your staff and be able to contact them to make sure everyone is safe. Keep a log of schedules for mobile employees who may be out in the field doing work for your business. Also, be sure to assess your assets and have important information and funds backed up. Systems, equipment, technology, supplies, and facilities are just a few important ingredients to consider when it come to what could be damaged or at risk.
Have an Emergency Plan
Always have a step-by-step action plan ready to go to be able to prepare, maneuver through and recover from a storm. Your plan should be flexible to account for possible changes that may arise in terms of people, assets and locations.
Start by backing up your data so you don’t experience any setbacks afterward. This is extremely important due to the sensitivity of customer information as well as your business’s financials. If the facility is damaged or destroyed, your backup date will go with it. Make sure to back up data offsite on a regular basis.
Next, create a checklist that covers what you and your employees need to do to cover all the bases. You should physically file this somewhere so you can access it as well as store it in a cloud-based system, which you can download and access offline.
Communications Plan
Establish a communications policy between yourself and your staff of employees. Get everything down from phone numbers to emails to make sure you have the most up-to-date contact information. Consider acquiring emergency email accounts for all employees and stay away from relying on your company email system, especially if it accessed through a local Internet provider.
Externally, have a plan in mind for which employees will be in charge of contacting customers, utility companies, suppliers and creditors during the recovery period. This can keep everyone informed and current on your status as well as be current on rebuilding efforts.
About Newman Crane & Associates Insurance
Deciding what coverage you need and what limits and deductibles make the most sense can be tricky. Since 1965, Newman Crane & Associates Insurance has been helping Central Floridians 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 (407) 859-3691 for a consultation.