Is your business prepared for flooding?

With flooding expected across the UK, it’s important to take precautions to keep your business, people and customers safe.

To help protect your commercial property and vehicles over this period, we’ve compiled proactive and emergency tips to consider when preparing for potential flooding.

Reducing the risk of flooding in advance

• Install demountable, purpose-made, flood barriers/boards to doors and other openings.
• Invest in anti-flood air bricks or specially designed air brick covers to prevent water ingress.
• Fit non-return valves or backflow valves to drainage systems.
• Raise electrical fuse boxes, sockets, controls and wiring above likely flood levels.
• Locate key stock and contents (including IT and Telecoms equipment) and move to a higher level – ensure data and software is backed up regularly.
• Anchor fuel and other liquid storage tanks.

Emergency management

It is important to make sure that your staff know your business continuity plan, and their role in it, should a flood happen. It is a good idea to periodically review your flood plan and keep a copy of the plan offsite at an out of risk location. Some things you may want to consider in an emergency include: 

• Closing the business to avoid people becoming trapped. Your location may be safe, but access roads may become submerged.
• If staff/customers become trapped in the premises, they will need food, drink, first aid, mobile phones, blankets or items to keep warm, and a battery powered radio so ensure you have a supply of these items.
• Move company vehicles to a safer location.
• Switch off gas/water/electricity terminals.
• Move valuable stock and contents that might be contaminated by flood water.
• Contact customers and suppliers to keep them informed as the situation progresses.
• Keep a note in your mobile phone of insurance claims helpline numbers, as well as other useful emergency phone numbers including local authorities, gas and electricity. 

Get prepared now

While we hope that it won’t be needed, it’s wise to get to terms with your insurance details when flooding strikes. Make sure you’re aware of what you need to do and who you need to contact when it comes to making a claim, from gathering evidence to reporting, as this will be key to ensuring a swift and simple claims process. If you want any information on this, just get in touch with your usual Towergate advisor.

How commercial property insurance can protect against flooding 

It’s important to have the right commercial property insurance in place so you’re protected if the worst happens. This will help to protect your property against a wide range of adverse weather risks and offers public liability cover in the event of someone being injured on your property.

At Towergate, we offer policies for a wide range of commercial properties, taking a tailored approach to ensure your policy fits your needs.

We can also review and mitigate your business risks, supporting you in getting prepared with claims defensibility where appropriate. Please ask your broker for support, our experts are here to help. For a no-obligation review of your existing cover, to talk to someone about arranging a new policy, or to discuss risk management, just get in touch with your local Towergate team.

About the author

Alison Wild BCom (Hons), FMAAT, MATT, Taxation Technician is a highly respected industry professional who has been working with and advising SMEs in areas including tax, pensions, insurance and marketing for over 25 years. She is a member of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) and Association of Tax Technicians (ATT) and also has over 20 years' experience as a residential landlord.

Consistent with our policy when giving comments and advice on a non-specific basis, we cannot assume legal responsibility for the accuracy of any particular statement. In the case of specific problems, we recommend that professional advice be sought.