What Does a Commercial Property Insurance Policy Cover?

10/8/2022 (Permalink)

What Is Covered by Commercial Property Insurance?

As you are starting your business and looking for a commercial property policy, there are many things to consider. You have to choose the amount of coverage you will need, as well as its features and price. You can get a policy that fits your needs and even offers a competitive price; however, here are some important things to know before buying one:

The Basics

If you have a business, whether it's just a part-time venture or a full-time moneymaker, there are some things that could happen that could cause you to lose money. For example, if your storefront was hit by a car, it may be damaged beyond repair and you'd need to rebuild it. Or maybe your entire property is flooded during an unexpected flood and all of the contents inside get ruined. In these cases—and many others—commercial property insurance can help protect your assets from disaster and keep them safe so they're available when they're needed most.

The first step in finding out if commercial property insurance will be right for you is determining what kind of business structure you have: sole proprietor or partnership. If there are multiple owners involved (like with a limited liability company or corporation), then the next step would be figuring out who owns what portion of the building and its contents so you can get an accurate quote based on their specific needs.

What is Commercial Property Insurance?

Commercial property insurance is a policy that covers losses to your business. It can cover everything from fire damage to theft, and it can be written for a single property or for an entire portfolio of properties.

The coverage options will vary from company to company, but generally speaking, you'll see the following options:

• Property damage and loss (property being damaged by natural disasters or other events)
• Business income (loss of revenue caused by an event like fire)

Choose the Amount of Coverage

You will have to choose the amount of coverage you’re going to need. The amount of coverage you choose should be based on the value of your property. It is important that you get an insurance policy that fits your needs and even offers a competitive price.

Building & Personal Property Coverage

The standard commercial property insurance policy includes both building and personal property coverage. The following is a breakdown of each:

• Building Coverage – This covers the cost to repair or replace your building, its contents, and any other structures located on your property (such as fences). However, it does not include land value or any improvements to your land.
• Personal Property Coverage – Covers electronic equipment and fixtures as well as things like furniture, clothing, and machinery that are used in the day-to-day operations of your business. This may also extend to tools that are used by employees while they’re working onsite.

In conclusion, commercial property insurance is very important. If you own a business or you have a property in Arlington that needs to be protected, this type of coverage will help you do it at an affordable price. This type of insurance can also offer peace of mind in knowing that if something does happen on your property then there are funds available should any damages need repairing.

What Is the Best Way to Clean Up My Business After a Water Spill?

7/28/2022 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO for any water cleanup your business property may need.

How Can I Be Certain My Shop Is Ready for Customers After My Water Heater Failed? 

Commercial water cleanup in an Arlington bakery requires additional precautions for recreating a healthy, safe environment for food preparation and serving customers. SERVPRO specialists train extensively to dry the structure and make each item inside customer-ready again. 

Where Do Your Specialists Begin? 

If the weather allows, they start by opening all doors and windows, and set-up exhaust fans in key positions. This increased airflow helps to increase natural evaporation and reduce the humidity level by drawing out the damp air inside. Where needed, specialists can install dehumidifiers to quickly draw down the humidity to prevent the formation of rust deposits and mold. 

As the fans go up, other team members use pumps and smaller water extractors to draw standing water off the floors. Depending on the type of equipment present, they may also use long-handled squeegees to push water out from under freezers and ovens. For very tight spaces, specialists direct warm air across the floor using an air mover to dry it completely. 

If there are any commercial carpets present, our specialists use vacuums with adjustable speed and heating options. Team members can dry the carpets without softening the glue and accidentally causing air pockets to form. 

What Else Can SERVPRO Do for The Health of My Employees and Customers?

In addition to these steps, SERVPRO now offers Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned. It is a program that targets viral pathogens and is designed specifically for restaurants and other food-service businesses. Personnel trained in the program strictly follow the decontamination protocols established by the CDC and county health agencies. 

To schedule one of our restoration teams to begin work at your business, call SERVPRO of Arlington / Jacksonville East at (904) 721-2230 today. We are here so you can serve your customers once again.

The 3 Elements To Protect Your Business Against Fire Disaster

5/16/2022 (Permalink)

Fire Preparation

As a business owner, you only want what is best for your company, employees, and consumers. A significant part of your job is ensuring you do everything possible to keep people and property safe. Fire preparation is an essential aspect of that obligation. Talking to fire mitigation services in Jacksonville University, FL, you may discover there are three elements to business, property, and people protection.

1. Disaster Preparation Response Plan
A fire disaster will likely involve significant fire damage. The goal of a business owner is likely to ensure that the physical property damage does not impede or interrupt business operations to a detrimental effect. Therefore, you should have a disaster response plan in place. The plan should cover all the essentials of your business, allowing you to maintain critical operations outside of your property.

2. Standby Remediation Specialists
A significant aspect of fire preparation is ensuring a recovery after the disaster. You can work with a fire remediation company to develop a response plan. With a plan in place, all that is needed after a fire is a single phone call to the mitigation service. When the company receives your call, they should review their records and respond precisely, as you previously discussed.

3. Safety Systems
One of the most effective ways to ensure the safety of employees and consumers and minimize potential damage to your property is by installing all appropriate safety systems and measures. At a minimum, you can install a sprinkler system, alarm system, emergency lighting, and fire extinguisher in all appropriate locations.
Fire preparation is about ensuring your business survives a disaster. However, it is primarily about ensuring the safety of yourself, employees, and consumers. Having an effective plan in place, a mitigation service on standby, and all essential safety systems installed helps ensure the best chance of survival.

The 3 Main Goals of Plumbing Maintenance

4/23/2022 (Permalink)

Commercial cleanup in Regency, FL.

The Three Most Important Plumbing Maintenance Objectives

You have enough to do with your company in Regency, FL, without having to worry about an expensive business claim. Your plumbing system provides many essential benefits. However, if it isn't working properly, you could face a business disruption as well as a host of other problems. Regular maintenance on your plumbing lines is probably the best way to avoid surprises and added expenses. When working with a licensed plumbing contractor, you can better plan your budget for the year. A plumbing maintenance program has three main goals.

1. Avoiding Water Damage. Broken pipes and water leaks can be major or minor. A small problem will be contained in one area and can be fixed in a matter of hours. A larger problem can spill between floors and rooms and damage equipment, walls and flooring and even computer systems.

2. Limiting a Business Claim. You have commercial insurance for a reason, but you still want to avoid using it if possible. Repeated claims can drive up your premiums. It can also be a process that takes a lot of your time. Professional plumbing maintenance makes it less likely that you will have to claim damages from a major water leak.

3. Keeping Your employees and Customers Safe. If a pipe breaks in your building, you are suddenly faced with a potentially dangerous situation. Wayward water can create electrical hazards as well as trip and fall perils. If sewage water is present, it is important to make sure the water is not touched by human skin to prevent infections and other health issues.

Even in the best circumstances, water disasters happen from time to time. For help dealing with water issues, a professional water mitigation franchise such as SERVPRO is always Here to Help. In addition to cleaning up your property quickly and safely, franchise workers, as a preferred vendor for many insurance companies nationwide, can help you process a business claim with a minimum of trouble.

How To Contain Mold Damage on Your Commercial Property

4/18/2022 (Permalink)

Commercial mold damage in Arlington, FL.

When you first notice evidence of black mold on your property, your gut response may be one of panic. After all, mold cleanup is a pretty big task to handle, and your concerns about damage to your property are valid. However, in Arlington, FL, mold remediation and restoration professionals can effectively and thoroughly address the issue.

Prevent the Spread of Spores

While you wait for professionals to arrive, there are several things you can do to prevent black mold spores from spreading to other rooms and spaces:

Understand that spores only require a little bit of airflow to float from one place to another. Additionally, anyone walking through affected areas could carry spores on their clothes or shoes into unaffected areas.
Turn off the heating and cooling systems. Although these systems provide ventilation, which is important when preventing mold growth, once mold has made an appearance, the fans could help spread the mold. Additionally, the HVAC system is often an area of contamination itself.
Look for sources of water. If you've found mold, it's probably because there's a leak or other source of humidity somewhere. Cut off any supply of water and dry up any obvious pools of water.

The appearance of mold could negatively impact business in your commercial property, so act quickly to get professionals on-site and prevent any spread of spores.

Prevent Mold Growth

If you haven't found mold yet, make sure you understand how to avoid it. Address any moisture problem immediately. If you spot condensation around the edges of windows, notice a dripping faucet or slow leak around toilets, or find that a stain is developing on the ceiling, contact mold cleanup and remediation professionals right away. That unwanted moisture is a common cause of mold, so tackle it aggressively.

Prevent Damage to Your Property

The best way to avoid damage from black mold is quick action. Contact professionals right away and then cut off access to the affected area, turn off the HVAC system, and shut off the water. Plan ahead to avoid mold growth and related damage.

4 Steps for Preparing a Business Interruption Claim

3/26/2022 (Permalink)

Commercial water cleanup and restoration in Regency, FL.

Preparing a Business Interruption Claim in Four Steps

If you have recently had to hire water remediation professionals to clean up the flooding in your business, you know the importance of filing a well-documented claim with a business interruption insurance company. Here are a few steps you can take to ensure your claims are thorough and don't get subject to extensive reviews and rejection.

1. Develop a Plan

The key to starting a sound claim is creating a team responsible for handling your flooding. You should then thoroughly review your insurance policy and determine if the event is covered, unlike a broken pipe due to freezing temperatures. If you have experienced a covered peril, you should contact your insurance adjuster and start the claim process.

2. Measure Your Income Loss

You need to measure your income loss in an objective and supported way. Also, ensure that you take any normal operating expenses out of your total income. Some areas that require thorough support include the relationship of the loss to a disaster, your ordinary income, your income history, any market conditions that could impact these numbers, and the sales you have used to offset your losses.

3. Identify Any Extra Expenses

In addition to lost income for your business in Regency, FL, you will likely be able to get funds to pay any extra expenses that are a direct result of a disaster. For instance, a flood will bring cleaning and disinfecting fees that you would normally not have to pay.

4. Execute a Mitigation Plan

Your insurance adjuster will focus on the efforts you took to mitigate your interruption after the flooding. This could include many different tactics, such as moving to a temporary location, finding alternative suppliers, or reaching out to customers through unusual methods. Make sure your loss mitigation plan is well documented so you can offer it to your insurance company.
Business interruption insurance is one source businesses rely on when they experience disasters, such as large water damage. To ensure their claim is accepted quickly, business owners should follow these critical steps to create a strong and well-supported case.

Is Black Mold Grounds To Sue a Commercial Landlord?

3/19/2022 (Permalink)

If a water issue is not treated correctly it can lead to mold damage.

As a commercial business owner, the last thing you want is black mold destroying your property. If you rent, your building landlord may be responsible for this costly issue. Find out if you have grounds to sue upon finding mold invading your commercial space.

First Steps When Mold Overgrowth Is Suspected

Black mold can often go undetected. Therefore, if you notice any signs at all, it's best to contact your landlord immediately. Ask to have professional mold remediation experts brought into the site. This will establish a paper trail, providing evidence that you have reported the issue. Landlords are legally required to remove the mold and provide compensation for any damages incurred. There are certain laws that protect tenants from improper building conditions. Look into garnering professional legal advice to find the specific building codes for commercial rentals in Glynlea, FL.

At this stage, you should familiarize yourself with contractual caveats in your lease agreement, including (but not limited to):

• Responsibility of tenant for property damage;
  
• Preventative measures required by tenant;
  
• Mold removal rules;
  
• And landlord responsibility for fixing plumbing and ventilation issues.
  
  

Remember that water damage, such as that from leaky plumbing, will likely cause mold overgrowth. Figure out whom your lease agreement holds responsible for fixing any defects in the commercial property. It is usually the responsibility of the landlord to promptly address any maintenance requests. However, there may be a separate mold addendum that outlines preventative measures or instances in which to contact property maintenance. Ensure that you have done everything mentioned to mitigate the possibility of fungus overgrowth in your rental. Then, and only then, do you have enough reason to move forward with a lawsuit.

Grounds To Sue
Once you've carefully considered the above steps, you may move on to exploring legal options. Just ask yourself:

• Did the landlord refuse to take action?
  
• Have damages to your property occurred?
  
• Have you lost income due to these damages?
  
  

Even if the landlord did take action, destruction of your property beforehand may still be enough to sue. If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you can start looking into filing a lawsuit against your landlord due to black mold.