How to protect your business from floods

As winter is upon us and the weather takes an unfortunate turn for the worse, it might be a good time to think about your property and how it could be affected by storms. Flooding can cause severe damage to buildings, machinery, equipment and even fixtures and furniture within your premises, so it makes sense to assess your business and take preventative measures to protect it.  Here are some things to consider:

1. Be aware of the risk. Certain areas are more prone to flooding than others. If you’re familiar with your environment, you’ll probably know if your property is located in a high-risk part of the country. If you’re not familiar with the area it’s important to do your research. Ask local businesspeople if there have ever been floods in the areas surrounding your business.

2. Keep an eye out for weather warnings. Don’t be taken by surprise. Keep up to date with local weather forecasts. The earlier you find out about potentially adverse weather conditions, the sooner you can take steps to safeguard your property.

3. Have a plan. If you think your business might be at risk, at any stage in the future, it’s very important to put a plan in place. This should include details regarding what needs to be done before, during and after the flood. If you live in an area that’s prone to flooding, you should consider opting for tiles ahead of carpet, raising sockets and fuse boxes etc. to well above ground level and keeping all appliances safely off the floor.

4. Train your employees. Employees should be well-versed in flood procedure. There’s no point having a plan in place if the people on your property don’t know how to carry it out.

5. Make sure you’re covered. The financial costs involved in repairing and replacing property and equipment damaged during a flood could be catastrophic for your business. Talk to us today to find out about different types of cover that could save you a fortune if the unthinkable happens.

Give us a call to find out more. We’ll be delighted to help.

All the best,

The Team at GMIB.ie