During periods of severe weather we see a rise in the amount of insurance claims made by businesses, and according to meteorologists El Nino is back on the radar in the UK for the first time since the Big Freeze of 2009/10.

There are several steps you can take to get your business, employees and customers through the winter unscathed. Ensuring that you have the right insurance and that you are aware of all the exclusions is a good place to start.

Frost can cost

Sometimes amongst all of the biblical weather conditions that can lay siege to the UK in the winter months, the frost can get overlooked. If you’re not careful it can affect your business in a much more serious way than all the wind and rain.

A burst pipe or a boiler breakdown could derail your business just as you’re looking to take advantage of the seasonal retail boom. By simply ensuring that your heating system is equipped with a frost sensor or is at least turned to a low setting overnight, you can rest easy.

If during working hours you and your workforce find the chill too much to cope with, you may think that investing in a temporary heater is the answer. If you do this make sure that you check the exclusions of your buildings insurance policy first as the use of some heaters can invalidate your cover should they cause a fire.

Don’t get caught out at Christmas

Many SMEs enjoy a boom at Christmas time, but taking more cash and storing more stock could leave you exposed if your insurance offers an inadequate level of cover. You’ve probably got nothing to worry about as most policies have built in seasonal increases, however it is certainly worth speaking to your insurance provider or broker just in case.

It is also important that you don’t rely solely on your standard buildings and contents policies to protect you against flooding, fire or even damage caused by a break-in. While buildings and contents policies will usually put the initial damage right, they make no allowance for the consequential financial losses your business will sustain in what can often be a long term interruption in your trading.

Again, it’s worth talking to your broker to ensure you have Business Interruption and Loss of Profit cover included in your policy. That way you can feel confident that all your hard work won’t go unrewarded because of an incident outside your control.

Give your property a health check

If your property sustains weather damage you will no doubt look to your insurance to cover the cost of repair, especially if it runs to thousands of pounds. However, the majority of insurers require adequate maintenance to have been carried out before they will settle the claim.

It is important that before the winter conditions hit, you check the vital signs of your building, from the roofing right down to security and even the central heating. If you are a tenant, ask your landlord to accompany you as it is your business that will be affected.

‘Tis the season to be careful

For any business owner, protecting yourself, your employees and members of the public is of paramount importance. If you don’t want to slip up this winter, be sure to check the level of cover offered by your public liability policy. Adding extra protection can cost just a few pounds and with the increase in claims for slips, trips and falls as the wet and icy conditions arrive, it could be well worth it.

As the population becomes more litigious and claims for injury and loss continue to rise, undertaking a risk management review is increasingly necessary. Staying on top of health and safety policy best practice and understanding any changes to legislation is tricky, but there are a number of services that can help you. From self-service guidance to support and even full risk management.

For more information on any of the products mentioned, visit www.jelfgroup.com.

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