January isn’t a month known for pleasant weather. Many people find the post-Christmas period to be a miserable time, and a big part of that is down to the cold and wet climate, which convinces people to stay inside wishing for spring to arrive as fast as it can.
Sometimes, however, the winter weather can go beyond just being a little bit chilly and become downright dangerous. Over the last month in the UK we’ve seen storm Dylan, Eleanor, and Fionn. These named storms have caused power cuts and flooding, creating much disruption for people across the country. They are bad news for everyone, but businesses in particular can be hit hard. Without the right cover, business owners could see a huge loss of income.
Whenever large-scale storms such as these arrive, they are a great worry to businesses in coastal areas. For example, with its dangerously high winds, Storm Eleanor brought chaos and destruction to Cornwall. Several businesses in Newquay had their booking offices destroyed as they were hit by high winds and waves. One such business was Newquay Sea Safaris and Fishing. The co-owner, Annabelle Lowe, told Cornwall Live that she woke up early one morning to find that Eleanor had “totally demolished” her booking office. Unfortunately, her equipment wasn’t spared either.
“All the small punts were smashed up, including two of ours, and all our kit and the day-to-day running stock inside is gone,” Lowe mentioned. “It is yet another kick in the teeth for us; it’s just the worst time for us at the moment.”
The Willow Bistro in Perranporth became another victim of Eleanor when a deluge of water flooded the restaurant. A nightmare, for sure, but with the right bistro business insurance in place, it should hopefully not be too stressful for the owners.
Perhaps worst hit was the seaside town of St Ives, where water flooded the art gallery, potentially causing severe damage to thousands of pounds worth of art.
There were also workplaces across the country who, even though they may not have faced the brunt of the flooding, still experienced power cuts because of the storm. Power cuts can cause a great deal of disruption for all sorts of businesses, interrupting working hours and leading to financial loss.
While you can’t avoid the severity of the elements, there are ways you can help prepare yourself for such dire situations. It’s times like these that highlight how important it is to have the right form of insurance for your business.
For instance, one essential form of insurance for those operating in the construction industry is contract works cover. This is business insurance that is crucial for any work in progress. Storms can damage a building when you’re halfway through working on it and set you back, wasting valuable time and money. Contract works insurance will cover the cost of you and your workers having to redo the work that you’ve already completed.
When you purchase contract works insurance, you need to make sure that the product protects you against all the necessary risks that are specific to you and your work. Tredstone’s business and liability insurance specialists can help you find the right cover. It’s recommended that you get covered for damage from flooding, strong winds, storms, and fires. Contract works insurance can also offer protection for on-site theft and vandalism.
For other businesses who need to protect their valuable contents, there are other alternatives. If you think you’ll be unable to pay for the replacement of damaged equipment, stock, and/or tools, then another type of insurance that will help immensely when the weather turns against you is contents and equipment cover.
So, talk to Tredstone today. By letting our liability insurance specialists know of all the potential risks you’re concerned about, we’ll be able to advise you on all the best possible options so you can equip yourself with the most comprehensive cover. Come rain or shine, you can help prepare your business for anything.