Business Insurance Tacoma WA

A destructive storm swept through Lancaster, N.H., in early 2006, knocking the city’s power supply out cold. It was an unfriendly greeting for Jennifer and Daniel De Moras, who had just moved from Boston to buy Memos of New Hampshire, Inc., a 30,000-item office supply business.

Luckily, the De Moras had invested $20,000 in a system that insulated their home network from power failures, allowing them to run the business.

“We can’t afford to be down. The one time we’re down, our customers will see how easy it is to go to Staples.com,” Daniel De Moras says. “Our livelihood depends on it.”

Although small to midsized businesses are the backbone of the American economy, they are often the least prepared for catastrophe.

That’s beginning to change.

To Start Planning, a Free Toolkit

In 1998, the commercial insurance industry banded together to form the Institute for Business and Home Safety – a nonprofit designed to help their customers be better prepared for disaster and loss. The Institute has since developed a free toolkit to begin that planning.

“It’s a structured approach to look at your operation, to identify what can go wrong and then put plans in place to reduce that risk,” says Diana McClure, IBHS vice president. “Start by thinking about what you want to protect.”

The Better Business Bureau suggests keeping copies of all essential records off-site, and maintaining a list of assets so a damage inventory can be taken quickly. Common sense is the cornerstone ...

Author: Emily Schmall

Copyright 2009 StartupNation, LLC

Click here to read more from StartupNation