The flooding in December 2015 and January 2016 had a devastating effect on communites all around the UK.
Many businesses were affected and some are still recovering from the flooding and are struggling to operate efficiently, if at all. The Association of British Insurers have estimated the total cost of insurance claims reached a staggering £1.3 billion.
Business owners need to be better prepared so they can get up and running more quickly.
So how can Artemis Insurance help it's business customers?
- Identify which customers are most at risk by using geo-mapping technology. These programs assess the likelihood of a flood occurring in a particular geographical location enabling you to use data to assess the risk. Also refer to the Environment Agency website for local flood warnings and at-risk areas.
- Businesses should have an emergency response plan in place and that all the right people within the business are aware of it. A copy should be stored off site and should also be made available to staff electronically so the plan can be accessed from mobile devices. From laying sandbags to shutting down electricity, make sure your customers know exactly what to do if flooding is likely, especially if they are in an area with known exposure to flooding.
- Take pre-emptive measures to protect premises from flood damage. These range from the very simple – such as making sure customers clean their drains on a regular basis to installing sump pumps in basements at risk of flooding. Other advice includes placing valves on drainage systems as well as flood-gates and barriers, and ensuring sandbags are accessible. Flammable liquid tanks should be anchored to the ground, while underground tanks should be full to reduce buoyancy.
- Elevate or move stock and other items to another location. This simple measure could potentially save thousands of pounds in damaged stock as items left on the floor are most likely to be damaged as soon as a flood hits. In addition, consider placing items and equipment on pallets to protect them from shallow water ingress.
- Businesses need to be aware that the first 24 hours of a flood are critical to their recovery. In the event of a flood, you should immediately contact their Artemis Insurance. Consider recording a short video or take photographs of any damage. We can pass this onto the insurer, which should allow them to quickly instruct the right specialists to help limit the damage and recovery time.
Aviva has put together a new guide that sets out some of the steps businesses can take now to reduce any potential flood damage. The interactive guide explains what to put in an emergency flood plan and provides some tips on what to do to protect staff, property and stock if floods are imminent.
To download the guide click here.
RICHARD J. CLIFFE - Sales & Marketing Manager
