Smaller businesses in the US have a higher risk of failing because of natural disasters such as hurricanes and are more likely to be without insurance , according to an expert in risk management . Mr. Collier: There are a couple different ways I think we could think about this issue, but let me focus on one or two points here. Professor John Collier of Temple University in Philadelphia argues that small and medium - sized enterprises ( businesses ) , particularly those in their early years of trading , are more vulnerable to business failure or damage caused by hurricane damage than larger businesses . Many do not see insurance as a priority and , of the SMEs affected by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 , nearly 60 % of those that were less than five years old had no insurance .
Smaller businesses in the US have a higher risk of failing because of natural disasters such as hurricanes and are more likely to be without insurance , according to an expert in risk management . Professor John Collier of Temple University in Philadelphia argues that small and medium - sized enterprises ( businesses ) , particularly those in their early years of trading , are more vulnerable to business failure or damage caused by hurricane damage than larger businesses . Many do not see insurance as a priority and , of the SMEs affected by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 , nearly 60 % of those that were less than five years old had no insurance .