Hurricane Preparedness for Businesses

The best way to protect your business—including the time and money you’ve invested—from a hurricane is to take the necessary steps long before a storm is coming. You should have a plan in place and consult with legal and insurance professionals to create a comprehensive preparedness plan. 

Hurricanes and their effects are unpredictable. It can be difficult to know when or how flooding, wind damage, or a long power outage could disrupt your business. But the truth is that a hurricane could shut you down for weeks or even months. Having a plan in place can help minimize damage and result in a quicker recovery.

If you already suffered property damage in a hurricane, working with a Corpus Christi commercial property damage lawyer to navigate the claims process can ensure you are fighting for maximum compensation. 

Prepare Your Business for Hurricanes Before They Form

Hurricane season comes around every year. If your business is in an area that might be affected, you should have a good idea of the specific risks and what you will do when a storm is coming your way. First, consider the specific risk you face: 

• Are you close to the coast? Could a storm surge affect you?
• Are you in a low-lying, flood-prone area?
• Are there tall trees near your property that could cause damage?
• What barriers could keep you from running your business?
• What barriers could keep customers from utilizing your business?

Considering your risks will allow you to develop a plan. Consider these topics:

• Property Damage and Business Interruption Insurance: Talk to your insurance company to ensure you have coverage for all types of likely hurricane-related damage, including flooding and business interruption.
• Documenting Your Property: Put a plan in place to regularly document your property, including your structure and contents. Video or photos are the best option. Store these files in the cloud or off-site. They could be vital for recovering compensation via an insurance claim.
• Establish a Communication Plan: Determine how you will keep in touch with employees, clients, and vendors in the event a storm occurs. Ensure you have contact information, access to social media, and passwords to update the website away from your office.
• Ensure You Backup Critical Data: Back up all critical data off-site or in the cloud on a regular basis. This safeguards this information from any type of disaster, weather, or equipment failure.
• Develop an Evacuation Plan: Ensure you have clear evacuation plans for any employees, especially those who might need to board windows or take other steps before leaving work.

Know What to Do as a Hurricane Approaches Your Business

You will want to have a plan in place for what you will do as a hurricane warning goes into effect, and you need to leave your business to evacuate. Taking the right steps now can ensure you can reopen as soon as possible. This includes:

• Reinforce Your Building: Assign the tasks necessary to limit property damage, such as installing storm or hurricane shutters, securing outdoor equipment, and reinforcing windows and doors with plywood as necessary. Some businesses will need to consider sandbags or other measures to stop water damage.
• Safeguard Important Items: Protect your valuable documents, servers, equipment, and stock. Move items to higher ground to avoid water damage and take the most essential items to inland locations if necessary.
• Pre-storm Maintenance: Do not forget to clean gutters and outdoor drains, ensuring water can flow freely if there is a storm surge or heavy rain. If your building requires power, double-check your generator and stockpile enough fuel for several days. 

What Steps Are Necessary for Post-Hurricane Recovery for a Business?

As soon as it is safe to return to your business, it is time to begin the recovery process. Do not put yourself in danger during this process. It is always important to prioritize your safety and the health and well-being of your employees.

Knowing what to do and how to manage the necessary tasks allows you to make repairs and get your business open again as soon as possible. These steps include:

Assess the Damage

Conducting a thorough assessment of any damage. Take pictures and act quickly to mitigate any further concerns. Do not throw anything away or haul off debris until your insurance company instructs you to do so.

If your structure will need extensive repairs, you may need to consider alternative locations for your business operations until you can move back into your building.

File Insurance Claims

Prepare and file your insurance claims. This will require notifying your insurance carrier about the damage, documenting your covered losses, and following their instructions to navigate the claims process.

It is important to note that this process does not always go smoothly. There are often undue delays and attempts to pay out as little as possible. This is why you need strong evidence to show what losses you incurred and how much money you are owed.

Work With a Property Damage Lawyer

Working with a property damage lawyer will help you understand the steps you should take post-hurricane, including filing timely claims and addressing coverage disputes.

A lawyer can handle your claim for you from start to finish or step in when you encounter issues. They will know how to navigate the process and fight for maximum compensation to get you back on your feet quickly.

Talk to Our Property Damage Insurance Claim Lawyers About Your Options

At Carrigan & Anderson, PLLC, our property damage attorneys understand how much a major storm can disrupt your business operations and leave you and your employees without paychecks. We advocate for hurricane preparedness for businesses and help those affected by storm damage secure the compensation they need to reopen as soon as possible. 

Contact us today to learn more about us and how our team can help your business succeed.