Gym Insurance Guide to Hurricane Season

As late summer and early fall arrive, there's always the possibility of a tropical storm or a hurricane as hurricane season ramps up. A hurricane can bring wind gusts of up to 156 mph or more, depending on the category of the storm. Once the storm passes or if it stalls out over your area, you can have flooding. If you live in a coastal area or a little inland, you need to be prepared for violent weather conditions.

When you own a gym, a hurricane or tropical storm can damage everything that you've worked so hard to accomplish. This is why it's essential that you have the right insurance to take care of any damage, so you can rebuild if the worst happens. Is there special hurricane insurance? Not really, but there are gym insurance policies that can help you protect your business. Here are some things to consider:

Types of Insurance That Provide Coverage During Hurricane Season

While there aren't gym insurance policies specifically for hurricane and tropical storm damage, there are some policies that can help you cover the damage and other monetary losses. These are insurance policies that you might consider putting in place now, so you're ready if your gym is hit by a hurricane.

Equipment Protection for Gyms

Between the high winds and torrential gyms, you're almost guaranteed to find a mess when you return to your gym after a hurricane or tropical storm. An equipment protection policy for your gym will cover things, such as the plate glass window that got shattered or a tree branch was hurtled through it.

Special Event Insurance

Special event insurance provides liability coverage during the event.

Contingency insurance is usually needed to cover the cancellation of an event due to weather.

Steps to Take Before a Hurricane

You might think that dealing with an insurance company after a hurricane is going to be a pain. However, there are steps that you can take when you know a hurricane or tropical storm is coming your way to make life easier afterward. Here are a few steps to take before the storm hits:

1. Take photos. If you think you might need to file a claim after a hurricane or tropical storm, take photos of your gym, so you can show what it looked like before any damage from the storm. You can take photos of the window, floors, equipment, computers, and other items. You might consider taking photos of the boarded-up windows and other steps you take to protect your gym.
2. Write down serial numbers. If your policy replaces items, such as gym equipment or computers, write down the serial numbers and gather any paperwork that you have on them. Put this someplace safe or type into a Word doc and store it in the cloud.
3. Organize your phone numbers. After the storm passes, you might not have internet or electricity. It's a good idea to write down all the essential phone numbers, such as your insurance company, employees, and more. It'll make your life easier after the storm.
4. Send your employees and gym members home. At the end of the day, everything in your gym can be replaced except the lives of your employees and gym members. Close your gym for business well before the storm is supposed to hit.

With a little preparation, you can help to protect your assets and ensure that's easier to process your insurance claim after the storm passes. The sooner you can rebuild directly relates to how quickly you can reopen your gym and start making money again.

Steps to Take After a Hurricane

The worst has happened, and your area was hit by a hurricane or tropical storm. Your mind is going in a hundred different directions. Here are some steps to take after the storm.

1. Check on family, friends, and employees. You'll feel better and more able to focus after you know everyone is okay.
2. Take more photos. If your gym was hit hard, you want to take photos of the damage before you even start to clean up. These photos can help the claim's adjustor see the full scope of the damage. It can also make it faster to process your claim.
3. Organize all of your paperwork. If you had to cancel a special event and want to be compensated or need to replace equipment, reimbursement will run smoother if you have all of your receipts. Any proof of purchase and serial numbers makes it easier to fill out the insurance paperwork and get you a check faster.
4. Call your insurance company. After a hurricane or tropical storm, it's a sure bet that your insurance company is taking calls from home and business owners just like you trying to file a claim. Try to have patience, but get your information in as soon as possible. You don't want to wait a couple of weeks to start the claims process.
5. Do what you can to protect your gym from further damage. If you're missing part of the roof or some windows are shattered, you might need to put a tarp over the roof. You also need to take steps to remove any standing water and air out your gym if there's been water damage. You don't want to end up with a mold problem on top of everything else.

These steps can make dealing with the insurance company easier in the wake of a storm.

You can protect your gym during hurricane season with the right insurance. If you have any more questions, NEXO Fitness Solutions can help. Contact us when you need more help or have additional questions.