Do You Have A Disaster Plan In Place?

“Small businesses are least likely to have disaster recovery insurance,” says Mark Pizzi, president and chief operating officer of Nationwide Direct and Member Solutions. “And yet they are the ones most affected by a disaster. That’s why it’s essential for small businesses to have a disaster plan.”

Since there hasn’t been a major national disaster in years, America’s small business owners may be feeling overconfident — even as they head into the summer storm season and National Preparedness Month (September).

According to the survey, one in four believe the likelihood of a natural disaster occurring in their area is slim (26 percent). Just over one-third (37 percent) say climate change and the weather phenomenon El Nino have decreased the likelihood of a natural disaster impacting their business.

Still, the gravity of the recovery from a natural disaster is not lost on small business owners — as an estimated 25 percent of businesses do not reopen following a major disaster.¹

The survey also revealed some other facts:

• While more than a third (38 percent) of small business owners say it is not important for their business to have a disaster plan, over two-thirds (69 percent) have an evacuation plan at home.
• For many without a plan for their business, a disaster plan is simply a low priority (34 percent). Time (11 percent) or cost (15 percent) play little roles in the decision not to have a written disaster recovery plan in place.
• For companies with fewer than 50 employees, only one in five (18 percent) have a disaster plan.

Unfortunately, if a disaster were to occur, 44 percent of small business owners say they don’t have access to generators — and 66 percent don’t even have business interruption insurance.

Nationwide has processed more than $417 million in catastrophe claims related to small businesses since January 2013.

For more facts, tips and information on creating a disaster recovery plan, small business owners can visit the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety or Nationwide’s Disaster Planning and Recovery site.