Get the right insurance for your business.
Getting insurance plans is often overlooked by many entrepreneurs who would rather use their resources to start up and operate the business. These are the entrepreneurs who tread a fine line between spending for costs and maximizing available assets.
When disasters like floods and fire occur, such a delicately balanced business could wipe out the entrepreneur’s investments. This is where insurance comes in, says Irene Quillino of Pioneer Insurance. “Insurance helps entrepreneurs manage their risks so that they can restore their businesses to where they were before the occurrence of a loss,” says Quillino.
A lot of businesses suffered significant losses from the year-end typhoons because their insurance plans did not cover acts of God – natural phenomena like floods, typhoons, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.
Sometimes, business owners choose not to procure insurance covering acts of God because they entail a higher premium. To choose the right insurance policy, entrepreneurs must understand the risks their businesses face, says Quillino.
Some insurers have risk engineers who can assist business owners and determine their risk exposure. A word of caution though: Quillino stresses it is important to do business with an insurance company that has a reputation for settling claims in a fair and timely manner.
This protects the facilities used by the business, such as shops and factories. It also provides protection against most risks to property, such as fire, theft, some weather damage and machinery breakdown.