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How Roof Maintenance Protects Your Business

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Simple answer: it saves you money. A small roof problem can easily turn into a disaster. When it gets to the point of disaster, you usually have other problems than simply replacing the roof. This could affect your business staying open, discourage customers, and even increase your insurance premiums.

What are some major threats to your roof? 

A commercial roof’s lifespan, when properly built, should last up to 40 years. Fully replacing it before its time can be costly. Luckily this is easy to manage! For instance, regular inspections keep you aware of potential issues. If you catch a problem early, it can save a lot of money and headache before it becomes more serious. You should also be inspecting the roof before and after major weather events. Wind, rain or hail damage is unavoidable from a storm, but if you have everything up to date it will save costs on potentially bigger repairs. Here are a few things that you can look out for that will help your roof and business in the long run:

  • Mold/Moss Build-up – tends to grow out of sunlight, and if roots are left too long they can tear up the roof layers
  • Water Pooling – leads to faster deterioration and has the potential to worsen the integrity
  • Dirt & Debris – clogging the drain pipes leads to water build-up
  • Wildlife/Pest Entrance – if there is enough deterioration, wildlife can find a way in leading to sanitation issues and can hurt your business’ image

Prevention Before Disaster

Keeping these threats in mind, you can be more prepared to keep your business running. Small costs here and there to fix issues can be the difference between keeping your doors open and shutting down completely. Take a moment and think about what the worst case scenario would be. It’s shutting down your business so you can spend more money to fully replace your roof, isn’t it? We know it can seem pointless to spend money on small repairs, but it will be worth it! Just a little time and effort keeps your roof up to date. For example, it’s a great idea to take regular pictures, keep drains clean and make sure all cracks are sealed. That doesn’t seem so hard!

Who doesn’t want lower insurance premiums?

That’s right, a nicely maintained roof can even help you save on insurance. One of the first things a carrier will look at is the condition of the roof. For one thing, they see higher wear and tear as a higher risk. If your roof looks like it can blow away in the next storm, they’re not too happy about taking on that risk. However if you continue to improve the appearance and safety of your roof, this can provide discounts and lower premiums. If you’re looking for lower premiums, let us help you with a quote from one of our very knowledgeable agents. 

How have you kept up with roof repair? Leave a comment below to let us know all you’ve done to keep your business covered.

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Save money on Business Insurance

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Is it possible to save money on Business Insurance?

 

Yes! Following these 3 steps can help make your Business Insurance more affordable so you can save money.

  1. Compare quotes from multiple carriers
  2. Look into bundling insurance policies
  3. Actively manage risk

Compare quotes

You could contact multiple insurance companies directly to get a quote, but requires multiple applications and lot of time. An easier method is to use Kevin Lee Company’s quick, no-obligation application to get quotes from multiple reputable carriers.

We will go over coverage terms and prices to find the policy that brings most value to your business. Relying on value is important, because the cheapest is not always the best option. Consider the following items when comparing quotes:

  • Policy Exclusions – a common method carriers use to reduce premiums is to exclude coverage for various events. For example, Assault and Battery Liability Exclusion could be placed in the policy, which means you have no coverage in an assault-related lawsuit.
  • Deductibles – another common method to reduce premiums is to have high deductibles. In hail prone areas, such as Dallas, Texas, a seperate deductible may apply to Wind or Hail related claims. High deductibles means you will be responsible for more of damaged property.
  • Policy Limits – low policy limits will result in lower premiums, but it means less coverage. It is important to consider Co-insurance Clauses when considering policy limits.
  • Carrier Rating – a carrier with lower financial strength may mean more headaches when dealing with claims.

 

Multi-policy discounts by bundling

As you have probably heard already, you can save money by bundling your Home and Auto policies with the same company. Did you know many business insurance carriers also offer the same discount?

Business Owners insurance is one of the most common business policies and many carriers offer discounts on. You can bundle it with a Business Auto, Workers Compensation, or Umbrella policy and get more coverage for your dollar.

 

Actively manage risk

It should be no secret that businesses that are considered “high-risk” may end up with higher insurance premiums. Luckily, you can keep costs down by focusing on managing and reducing potential claims scenarios.

According to Travelers, the second most common workplace related injury are slips, trips and falls. They result is roughly 25,000 incidents daily in the United States. Theft is another common incident that may result in a claim.

A number of insurance carriers offer discounts to help reduce potential claims. For example, investing in a central station burglar alarm qualifies you business for a discount on your Business Owners insurance.

Other areas to consider when drafting your risk management strategy:

  • Regularly inspect and clean exhaust hoods in restaurants
  • Keep floors dry at all times and consider non-slip mats in areas prone to spills
  • Keep walkways clear to prevent trips
  • Inspect and tag all fire extinguishers as scheduled
  • Install security camera system
  • Consider investing in a central station fire alarm (may be eligible for discounts)
  • Ensure smoke detectors all function properly

 

You can save money on Business Insurance by taking these three steps to keep your insurance costs down. Contact us today for more details or to geting started.

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