Severe Weather Tips for Businesses

Severe weather can disrupt your company’s operations. Each type of event poses its own threats. While you may not be able to avoid the threats when they arise, you can minimize the damage and risks. The following severe weather tips will help you be as prepared as possible.

5 Tips for Preparing Your Business for Dangerous Weather

Unexpected severe weather increases the risk of property damage, injury, and even death. Being prepared for bad weather can protect your business and save you money in recovery costs.

No matter where you live or work, severe weather events can happen anytime and are on the rise.

• Tornadoes—According to NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory, tornadoes can occur any time of year. However, they mostly occur in spring and summer, depending on the region. And tornadoes have been reported in all 50 states. Tornados range from EF2 up to EF5, which is the most damaging with winds of more than 200 miles per hour.
• Thunderstorms—Thunderstorms can be difficult to predict, which can lead to short warning times. Thunderstorms inherently involve lighting and often produce hail, strong damaging winds, and flash floods. They can also produce tornadoes, and lightning strikes can cause fires or electrical damage within buildings.
• Floods—Melting snow and ice and rain can cause flooding over a period of time, such as when a river gradually overflows its banks due to many days of rain. Flash floods, on the other hand, happen when there is so much rain in a short period that the water levels rise. NOAA reports that flash floods are the top weather-related killer in the U.S.
• Winter storms—Heavy snow, freezing rain, and ice can cause power outages, property damage, and hazardous road conditions for days. And even if buildings don’t sustain direct damage, winter storms can also force businesses to shut down.
• Excessive heat—Higher temperatures in the spring, summer, and even fall can lead to heat-related disorders or illnesses if employees work in outdoor environments. The heat can also result in higher demand for electricity and water. 

The trusted pros at Cell Brokerage understand your concerns about damage from severe weather. We are a personal and commercial insurance company that puts people first.

Tips for Minimizing Severe Weather Damage Risks

Even though severe weather can be unpredictable, companies can reduce risks for property, staff, and clients by being prepared. The following severe weather tips and precautions can help you prepare:

1. Create a preparedness plan—Just like a fire preparedness plan, a severe weather plan helps keep everyone safe during a weather emergency. Your plan should clearly outline what staff should do during different extreme weather circumstances. Also, include a communication protocol for each scenario, so no one is left in the dark. And just like fire drills, run severe weather simulations. That way, the plan is second nature when implemented during a real-life scenario.
2. Stock an emergency kit and keep it on hand—Your emergency kit should hold all the necessary emergency supplies. Some items include water, flashlights, a first-aid kit, extra batteries, blankets, a toolset, and up-to-date contact information for local and state entities.
3. Secure the property and outdoor assets—During severe weather, dead trees, unsecured materials, and more can become airborne and pose hazards. Consequently, buildings, vehicles, and external systems can be damaged. Before severe weather ever hits the radar, perform preventative maintenance to prevent property damage.
4. Schedule regular data backups—Power outages are common during severe weather and can cause damage to equipment or loss of information. Schedule regular backups of critical data so nothing is lost. This practice can also help rebuild systems if necessary.
5. Obtain proper insurance coverage—Expert insurance brokers, like Cell Brokerage, can help company leadership plan for, and understand the impacts of catastrophic weather. How is your insurance coverage? Are you fully covered, or do you have gaps in coverage? Contact us for a coverage review. This exercise can help ensure that you won’t be hit with surprises that may result in an uncovered loss.

Be Better Prepared When Severe Weather Strikes

Even though severe weather poses threats, businesses can be better prepared to minimize property damage risk and risks to employee, client, and customer wellbeing. The first step is working with an experienced broker to ensure the appropriate insurance coverage is in place.

For more information, contact us today at 844-440-4222.