It
often surprises me that virtually everyone has insurance cover for
their homes in the event of flooding, but when it comes to businesses
many business owners seem to be pretty lax about what insurance cover
they purchase for their commercial properties. While most of them do
have business insurance, the number of people who just assume
flooding is covered by their policy is phenomenal. They seem to be
unaware that a separate policy is often required to cover not only
equipment lost during a flood, but also the repair work that is
required.
If
you get a commercial flood protection policy then the coverage will
help you to cover the cost of sandbagging the property prior to a
flood; replacement or repair of anything damaged by the flood waters;
and will cover all or part of your clean up costs after the fact.
This has the potential to save your business a substantial sum of
money so it is definitely worth looking into flood insurance,
especially if you are in an area prone to flooding on a semi-regular
basis. It could even be the difference between being able to reopen
your business after the disaster. Many small businesses are forced
into bankruptcy following a flood, but over half of small businesses
who have flood protection cover are able to reopen while the
remainder are at least able to recoup their losses and break even.
The
cost of this type of insurance cover will vary greatly depending on
your location. If you are situated on a flood plain then you will
have to pay more than someone in an area where flooding is not
likely. The industry you operate within and the credit rating of your
business is also going to play a part in how much your policy will
cost you. Talking in ball park terms a policy can be anything from
$100 to $1000 per month. That may seem like a massive expense, but
consider that you are personally liable for replacing anything lost
in a flood, this could potentially bankrupt not just the business but
also you. Is it worth the risk when you could be covered by
insurance? To me the answer is no. I'm all about the risks – but
not when it comes to my money! I won't put my ability to feed my
family on the line for the sake of trimming a couple of hundred bucks
from the budget.
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