How to Insure Your Business Survives a Hurricane

Hurricanes and tornadoes can't be avoided, but a far-seeing protection plan can save your enterprise from financial ruin.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. A hurricane or tornado means more than just property damage: it can mean a lengthy disruption to your business's operations. When reviewing hurricane insurance, find out if your plan:
   - provides for business interruption insurance to make up for lost revenue
   - covers income disruptions caused by damage not on your premises, such as power and telephone service outages
2. Although hurricane and tornado insurance often covers wind damage, rain damage, theft, vandalism and fire caused by a hurricane, most plans don't cover flooding. Flood insurance is often sold as a supplement to hurricane insurance. Make sure your business is covered for both.
3. You can find out about the National Flood Insurance Program through your local insurance agent or the Federal Emergency Management Agency: www.fema.gov
4. DOCUMENTING YOUR LOSS:
   After a hurricane or tornado, it's your responsibility to substantiate your loss.
   
   - Take photographs of your building from multiple angles both before and after a disaster
   - Make inventories of damages to document your losses.
   - Don't make any permanent repairs before an insurance adjustor can assess your damage. Otherwise, you may not be fully compensated.

Tips & Warnings

• Discuss with your insurance agent what's covered in your existing policy.