When to Use Commercial Flood Insurance

8/20/2019 (Permalink)

Flood insurance will be needed if your building is flooded due to storm surges

Flood insurance is something that every business owner should consider purchasing for their Berkeley, IL  commercial property. An insurance plan that just focuses on restoring damage caused by a flood can literally save your business from having to close its doors after a devastating storm or other causes of floods.

Definition

As the name implies, flood insurance provides financial protection to your business if a flood occurs and damages your building. A flood is defined as an event that affects an extensive area, usually two acres or at least two buildings. Most often, flood insurance will be needed if your building is flooded due to one of the below causes:

• Storms and extreme weather: Heavy rains, snow melt, and storm surges
  
• Other acts of nature: Overflowing rivers and storm surges are often the result of a major storm, but regardless of the cause an overflowing natural body of water can cause devastating floods
  
• Man-made disasters: Broken levees and dams can also be devastating to nearby areas and have been known to strike without warning
  
  

Coverage

Remember that flood insurance will only cover your flood damage if the root cause is from an event outside of your particular building that affects more than just your space. If, for example, your building is flooded due to a burst pipe inside your own walls, you should turn to your general commercial insurance plan. Once it is determined that your building has been damaged by a flood, your insurance company will work with you to cover costs associated with the cleanup and restoration process. The overarching goal is to receive financial help that will get your business back to its previous operational state. A business is not required to purchase insurance specific to a flood unless it is located in a flood zone and is part of the mortgage requirements. However, a flooding catastrophe can happen anywhere at any time, so protecting your building against a flood can save your business from potential bankruptcy.