The concurrent session on creating a disaster plan was part of the three-day conference held in February. Wise and Joseph Kerkhoff, national property accounts claim manager for Zurich-American in San Francisco, discussed the ingredients needed to produce a Comprehensive Business Continuity Program that will help companies respond when any type of disaster strikes. Although the session was directed at risk managers, it applied equally well to independent agents who often serve in that capacity for many of their clients. Prevention is the first step. Insurance provides coverage for tangible losses.
Tangible losses are hard enough to recover, let alone intangible ones such as market share.
Kerkhoff outlined the planning process both internally and externally. Compile a list of phone numbers of key personnel. Familiarize all employees with the plan. Regularly update the disaster plan. Keep backups of all important papers at a second location.