Travelers provides three steps to disaster preparation as National
Preparedness Month begins
HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The National Center for Disaster Preparedness reports that 51 percent1
of families do not have an emergency preparedness plan. Travelers has
also recently found that 48 percent of business owners surveyed2
do not have a written business continuity plan or disaster recovery
document that identifies and mitigates potential threats to their
business. As National Preparedness Month begins on September 1, Travelers
is urging home and business
owners to create plans now to help prevent damage when things go
wrong and prepare
for severe weather and other disasters that could impact their business
and family.
“Despite the fact that wildfires, tornadoes and severe thunderstorms
persist, and major storms continue to impact Coastal States, the numbers
indicate that many families and businesses have not taken the steps to
be prepared to handle a disaster,” said Marty Henry, Vice President,
Travelers Risk Control. “Now is the time to avoid being complacent and
take the necessary steps to get your home and business ready.”
Travelers recommends three steps to help families and business owners
prepare for disaster:
-
Make a survival
kit – Pack enough supplies to last between three and seven days
for your family and pet(s). For businesses, make sure you have copies
of important documents and contact lists that you can find and
reference after the storm.
-
Map out an evacuation plan – Have a plan for where your family will
evacuate. A solid business
continuity plan should include information to share with employees
about steps the business would take if it were impacted by a disaster.
-
Create an inventory – Be sure to have a copy of your home’s inventory
in a separate location. The Insurance Information Institute offers a home
inventory app, making it easy for families to create one. For
businesses, Travelers’ alliance with the Insurance Institute for
Business and Home Safety has Open for Business®, a
comprehensive toolkit to help plan ahead.
“While many may think the large-scale catastrophe may not happen to
them, even pop-up thunderstorms can cause significant property damage
and they occurred 28 times more frequently than hurricanes in the first
half of 20123,” added Henry. “This is just one example of how
vulnerable individuals and business owners may be if they are not
prepared.”
For additional information on ways to get prepared, visit the Prepare
& Prevent and Protect
Your Business pages on Travelers.com.
About Travelers
The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV)
is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto,
home
and business.
The company’s diverse business lines offer its global customers a wide
range of coverage sold primarily through independent agents and brokers.
A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Travelers has more than
30,000 employees and operations in the United States and selected
international markets. The company generated revenues of approximately
$25 billion in 2011. For more information, visit www.travelers.com.
1. National Center for Disaster Preparedness, The American
Preparedness Project: Where the U.S. Public Stands in 2011 on Terrorism,
Security and Disaster Preparedness, http://www.ncdp.mailman.columbia.edu/files/2011maristsurvey.pdf
2. The questionnaire was conducted on-site at the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce’s annual America’s Small Business Summit held in Washington,
D.C., from May 21-23, 2012, and is intended to represent the sentiments
of approximately 300 small business owner attendees who participated in
an in-person interview over three days.
3. Insurance Information Institute, Catastrophes: U.S.,http://www.iii.org/facts_statistics/catastrophes-us.html
Travelers
Matt Bordonaro
860-277-7014
Source: The Travelers Companies, Inc.