?Prepare Your Business For The Next Disaster

 Prepare Your Business For The Next Disaster

There are many things businesses can do to prepare for the impact of the many natural hazards they face, including floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes.  Developing an emergency preparedness plan is one of the most important strategic decisions you will make as a small business owner.

Your Business Insurance Company Or Agent May offer Resources

Check with us to determine if your business insurance company has tools and resources to help you.  Your business insurance will respond to many hazards and risks that are insured under your policy.

Three Questions to Ask About Your Business

1.    How vulnerable would your business be if a disaster or other emergency were to occur?

2.    Do you have a plan to protect your employees and business?

3.    Have you provided emergency preparedness training to employees?

The American Red Cross offers free tools that may be useful to you: www.readyrating.org

Get Your Business Prepared

• Review your policy with us to make sure you understand the nature of your coverage, the deductibles, and the limits of your insurance.
• Create evacuation and shelter safety procedures.
• Create backup copies of critical data and programs.
• Train your employees annually in emergency preparedness.
• Protect vital business records. Keep your most important documents in a safe that has been tested and listed by UL (Underwriters Laboratories) as being resistant to fire, heat, burglary tools, and torches.
• Create an emergency contact list.
• Learn what kind of emergencies might affect your business.
• Decide ahead of time what you can do if your building becomes unusable.
• Make emergency preparedness part of daily procedures and communications.

Thanks to the American Red Cross and U.S. Small Business Administrating for providing some of this information.