If It's Not a Fire, It’s a Flood
Lately there has been some crazy weather going on throughout the US. There have been raging wild fires in Colorado, hurricanes in Florida, and severe flooding right here in Minnesota. While some are more predictable like hurricanes, others can catch us completely off guard.
We may be stating the obvious here but we feel this is an important subject. Make sure your business is protected against the elements! Purchase flood, fire, storm, etc. insurance. These will seriously save your butt in the event of unfortunate weather.
It may seem foolish to spend money each month on something that may or may not happen, but think of the costs if you do not:
- The average annual U.S. flood losses in the past 10 years (2001-2010) were more than $2.7 billion. –FloodSmart.gov
- In 2008, the total value of property lost in this country due to fires was a staggering $13.2 billion dollars. – National Fire Data Center
We suggest you at least look into insurance plans. Talk with a trusted insurance agent about the area you are in. Is it a high risk area? How often in the last 10 years has there been flood damage? But don't just count on history. Duluth, MN recevied about 10" of rain in a 24 hour period. History would never be able to predict a rain event like that. Consider unreasonable amounts as well.
Also, look at your business. Is your company in a stable building? Do you have a safe place to put your trucks in case of severe weather? Do YOU have a safe place to go? Do you at least have backups saved of all of your information incase your entire company is destroyed? As the old saying goes, it’s better safe than sorry, and that sorry could be thousands of dollars of damage if not the entire loss of your company.