Before a storm arrives

Have a plan. Establish or review an emergency action plan that covers prevention, emergency response, evacuation criterion, and key personnel. This can help keep things organized and prevent confusion when a storm hits. Staging drills ensures your plan is effective and that all members are well aware of their roles and responsibilities.
Make necessary insurance considerations. Some commercial property insurance policies will exclude coverage for things like flooding or named storms. Assessing your coverage, limits, and exclusions will help determine whether you're prepared for a hurricane or need more coverage. Ideally, you should do this well ahead of any forecasted storms because insurance policies don't typically take effect immediately.
Take inventory. Documenting your business's assets before a storm hits will profoundly benefit the claim process if damage or loss occurs. Substantiating the inventory with photos can also be helpful.
Prepare the property. Putting up storm shutters, storing loose objects, and stacking sandbags in critical locations can help prepare your property to withstand a storm. Ahead of a major weather event, your local government may offer sandbags and other material resources. You can also move important records and other valuable objects off-site for safekeeping.
Have your property inspected. Meet with a building consultant to ensure that you're aware of any potential issues with your property. Confirm that the roof is prepared to handle strong wind and rain, and that plumbing is not prone to clogging. If possible, make plans with a remediation company before the storm to ensure that all immediate necessary repairs can be made afterward.
Follow National Hurricane Center guidance. Heed official advice offered by the National Hurricane Center to ensure your safety. Make any necessary evacuation plans before a storm hits to prevent delays in travel. Verify that you can access the NOAA radio frequency so you can receive updates if power is lost.

After the storm

Have policy information ready. Insurance companies can be very busy in the wake of a major storm. Making sure you have insurance policy and contact information on hand is the best way to ensure a prompt response.
After-storm inventory. Taking another inventory when you can safely return to the property expedites the claim process. This helps the insurance company itemize and determine values for anything that was lost or damaged.
Remediation. Because water damage can have long-term consequences like mold growth, it's crucial to handle these repairs quickly. Work with a licensed and reputable contractor to ensure the repairs are thorough. Avoid contractors that ask for payment up front or don't have remediation experience.

Business continuity

When a hurricane strikes, many business owners will worry about interruptions to service. Preventing a lapse may be easier for an office where the employees can work remotely than for a business that requires employees to be on-site. Manufacturing facilities that require power, water, natural gas, or other resources may not be able to stay open. To offset potential losses, some businesses may run extra shifts to increase output before a storm.

Special Reports /

Hurricane preparedness is increasingly crucial for businesses

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