When Disaster Strikes
Posted in Environmental on August 11th, 2011 by JulioBusiness –interruption insurance guarantees payment of lost income when any debacle strikes. It compensates you for continuing expenses, damage to your supplies or customer’s property, lost rental income, extra expenses as a result of the interruption to your business, or lost valuable papers.
The basic interruption cover protects you against fire, lightning, riots, worker strikes, explosions, and natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons and floods. Business-interruption insurance covers the fixed costs, additional costs, and reduction in net profit during the interruption period. Fixed costs are expenses that do not automatically go down in direct proportion to any reduction in sales, and these include your rent, power bill and payroll. Additional costs are the expenses you incur when your business is interrupted, and these include your rent for temporary accommodations and payment to sub-contractors.
Business-interruption coverage may not be sold separately, but may be added to your property insurance policy or included in your package policy. If you think you require it, look for a reliable insurance agent, and then write down what you expect of him. Never withhold important information, and make sure your policies do not overlap to avoid paying for insurance you do not need. Invite bids from brokers and agents and then decide whether or not the amount insured is enough to compensate you until you have recovered from the interruption. You must choose a reputable insurance firm with enough resources to cover your claims.
Once insured, it is important that you get your coverage reassessed annually because your needs and liabilities grow as your company expands. Keep complete records of your insurance policies, premiums paid, itemized losses, and loss recoveries. The information will guide you in securing better coverage at lower costs in the future. Indeed, business-interruption insurance really does protect you against lost income when an accident stops your company from operating normally.