Can Your Small Business Survive a Natural Disaster?

Post author:ServiceMaster by Reed
Post published:September 14, 2021
Post category:Blog / Cleaning / Water Damage

Natural disasters can overwhelm small business owners. In addition to costly property losses, there’s also the danger of permanent business closure. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports that about 40 to 60 percent of small businesses never reopen after a disaster strikes. To increase the chances of your small business surviving unexpected events, ServiceMaster by Reed has compiled some tips to help business owners prepare and make recovery fast after severe disaster damage.

Check Your Insurance Coverage

Getting an insurance policy for your small business is a good decision. While most basic insurance policies cover natural disasters, you may have to secure additional coverage depending on a variety of factors. Use these tips below to know if your insurance coverage is adequate for your business.

Learn about the natural disasters that often visit your area. If your place of business often experiences earthquakes, floods, fires, storms or other types of disasters, it would be for your best benefit to secure coverage for these events.
Review your existing policy. Having the right policy will help you rebuild your business as quickly as possible after a disaster. Check if your dollar amounts are high enough to get your business running again after catastrophic losses.
Update your policy. If you need additional coverage, have it added long before a disaster happens.

Create a Disaster Preparedness Plan

A comprehensive natural disaster preparedness plan will help you better mitigate losses, make you and your employees feel confident, and get your business back up quickly after a disaster strikes. Perform the following:

Gather all employees' emergency contact information.
Determine the best evacuation routes and spaces.
Create a communication plan for staff members to keep in touch with one another.
Create communication guidelines for customers. Include ways they can reach you.
Determine how to access important business documents and information.
Specify if there will be an off-site location where employees can work until the business is back to normal.
Determine how to protect your company's data, including the backing up of files to a reliable storage device and a cloud-based platform.
Create an emergency preparedness kit.
Disseminate copies of the plan and practice it with employees and emergency response teams regularly.

Creating a disaster preparedness plan can be a challenge. Check FEMA’s business continuity and disaster preparedness plan for guidance.

Schedule an Appointment for Reconstruction Services in Dania Beach, Florida

ServiceMaster by Reed is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (954) 922-2020 to provide residential and commercial reconstruction services after water damage in Miami, Florida and the surrounding areas.