Wisconsin weather can be unpredictable and severe – tornadoes, snowstorms, thunderstorms, hailstorms and even the occasional ice storm. When you live in a state like ours, you stop being surprised when unexpected weather hits.
If you’re a small business owner in the state of Wisconsin, the weather is yet another reason to make sure your insurance policy and coverage is up to date. However, as life usually goes, it’s easy to let these kinds of things slide to the back burner in place of other matters. But that is the last place it should go.
Imagine that a tornado were to strike your business. What would your first thought be? You would ensure that your employees are safe, followed promptly by a concern over the future of your business and the extent of the coverage your insurance policy provides.
In this scenario, 60 percent of the building is destroyed in the aftermath of the tornado. Local building codes require the building to be demolished if the building is 50 percent or more destroyed.
While your replacement cost coverage and limit of insurance is sufficient to cover your rebuilding costs, losses or increased costs from adhering to building ordinances are not covered. The claims settlement check will only cover the rebuilding costs associated with the damaged property, leaving you financially responsible for the parts of the building that weren’t directly damaged but need to be demolished and rebuilt entirely due to the enforcement of the building ordinance. The Ordinance or Law Coverage endorsement should have been added to the policy to provide coverage for the undamaged portion of the building that needed to be torn down and rebuilt.
We live in a state where unpredictable weather is expected and these types of situations are more common than not. It’s important to prepare for the inevitable and the unknown, no matter the situation. Mother Nature isn’t always kind, but that’s why insurance policies like these exist. Talk to your insurance agent today to review your policy and make sure your business is covered corner to corner and no matter the weather.
