Before Disaster Strikes: An Insurance Professionals Advice on Repairing vs Replacing Flooring
For most businesses, flooring is easy to take for granted; install it and forget it. But what do you do when there is damage or disaster? How can you navigate a costly repair while trying to return to “normal” as soon as possible? We turned to a few insurance professionals who had some advice about how you can prepare when it comes to repairing or replacing your floors after disaster strikes.
Before Disaster Strikes…
First and foremost, every insurance professional we spoke to urged us to “make sure you thoroughly read and understand your commercial insurance policy” to understand it and your coverage limits. There is nothing worse than facing a considerable restoration or repair and being surprised by your coverage limits or restrictions on vendors.
When you’re facing a costly repair, you might not be able to shop for vendors as much as you’d like—developing these relationships now will be beneficial when and if you’re facing a time-sensitive repair. Also, commercial insurance advisors recommend spending some time BEFORE anything happens to investigate some vendors you will be able to count on when you’re in a pinch.
What Kind of Vendors Should You Look For?
The vetting process for your vendors should include looking over online reviews on Google, Facebook, etc. Don’t simply look at a company’s website for assurance. Also, make sure you check in with the Better Business Bureau. You might even consider visiting their store and asking questions. At Sloane’s, we’ve had many business owners ask questions and look around our warehouse – even though they are not in the market just now. Even if you’re not shopping for flooring now, it might be time well spent to have some to learn who can best help you.
Who Can Help You Now?
Each insurance advisor we spoke to noted that you want to make sure you have a licensed, certified team that can respond to your needs quickly. This is not the time for DIY. Your insurance company might require you to use a licensed team. And, even if you can go the DIY route and there are mistakes or problems, your insurance likely won’t cover that.
Also, as you are working on efficiently getting your business (or home) back up and running, you’ll want to be able to turn to a vendor with a stock of what you need on hand. Waiting for items to be delivered will only add stress and worry. “When you’re hoping to get back to business as usual, you won’t want to be held up waiting for the product to arrive or for installers to become available.”
While you can’t predict when an unforeseen event might impact your business, you can prepare yourself. Find vendors and professionals you can trust, and you’ll be much better able to face adversity. Sloane’s has worked hard over the years to make sure we offer the best solutions for businesses when they need it most with a caring, professional staff and millions of square feet of flooring. If your business is looking for a trusted flooring partner, we would be happy to tell you more.