You cannot predict the amount of property damage your business will sustain in a disaster, so how do you fully plan for the repair or replacement process? No crystal ball is available to predict the future, but our Broward County insurance claim lawyers advise clients to spend time thinking about the possibilities. Even a partial plan can help you anticipate major issues so you can get back to business as soon as possible after disaster strikes.
The Key Components of a Disaster Recovery Plan
After a major storm, any business can sustain major damage to the building and its contents. Just as important, however, they can lose vital paper and electronic records, along with facing other challenges when damages in the region prevent employees from getting to the workplace.
Every business owner needs to pre-plan the handling of these and other issues. In its article about creating a recovery and business interruption plan for a catastrophic incident, the Houston Chronicle recommends four basic steps that can help your business survive a catastrophic incident:
- Prepare: This is where forethought comes into play. You need to envision what destruction might look like for your business so you can develop a plan to deal with each possible incident. This includes countless considerations, such as filing insurance claims, arranging for off-site data backups and setting up a communication system that can keep employees, suppliers and customers informed of the status of your business.
- Respond: With proper preparation and planning in place, you have a roadmap for the steps you need to take. Of course, all employees with direct involvement in the plan need to understand and follow the plan, as well.
- Recover: This should also be incorporated into your plan. The overall goal is to make sure your company can resume operations quickly, even if remote sites or limited staffing are involved.
- Control damage: It can take a long time to return to your normal mode of operation; however, some side effects of using stop-gap measures can have a profound effect on the long-term success of your business. Do not expect your employees to remain forever if they do not get paid. Do not expect your customers to stick with you if you cannot supply them with needed goods or services. You need to prioritize the most critical problems so you can prevent these losses quickly.
Insurance is an Important Part of Any Plan
Any business needs to obtain appropriate property insurance as of the moment the doors open on the first day of operations. In addition to carrying appropriate commercial property damage coverage, be sure to consider coverage for an interruption in business. Both types of insurance can play integral roles in buying the time you need to recover from a disaster.
Just as important, identifying a law firm with skills in assisting with property damage claims can be vital to ensure your claims receive fair and rapid treatment. Call us at (954) 928-9568 or use our convenient online contact form to begin a relationship that can help save your business in the future.
