Protecting Your Facility Against Winter Weather

By David Wilhite

Are you ready for winter? Freezing temperatures, blustery winds, ice, sleet and snowcan all cause severe damage to your self-storage facility and property, especially if youare not prepared for them. Winter conditions can present severe exposures to yourbuildings and the systems necessary to keep your facility running. Wet and icy conditionscan also increase your liability risk by presenting greater potential for your tenant toslip or fall.

To give you some idea of just how damaging cold temperatures and heavy snow can be,consider the blizzard of 1993, which was the fifth most costly, insured catastrophe in thehistory of the United States, causing an estimated $1.75 billion in damage. Much of thedamage attributed to this storm was from frozen pipes, collapsed roofs due to the weightof snow and interior water seepage from blocked roof drains, and could have been reducedor eliminated if business owners had been properly prepared. Unfortunately, because of thelate date of the storm (mid-March) and its unusually wide geographic coverage, manyunsuspecting business owners found themselves either unprepared or uninsured and,therefore suffered major losses.

When considering the risk that winter weather poses to your self-storage facility, keepin mind that significant property damage may not necessarily occur only in those statesthat experience the harshest winters. Regions in which cold weather is the exception maysuffer even greater losses. For example, an Arctic cold wave hit the Deep South inDecember 1996, plunging temperatures to record lows. At that time, below-freezingconditions extended from the citrus country in Florida, all along the Mexican border andreaching far into Texas, causing major losses. (Of course, Northern locations are mostlikely to be hard-hit on a regular basis. That same year, Minnesota and Iowa experiencedrecord blizzard conditions, with wind-chill temperatures reaching 55 degrees below zero;and many residents of the Dakotas were stranded after two days of heavy snowstorms leftdrifts at rooftop levels).

Don't wait until disaster strikes: Now is the time to take preventive action tominimize your risk exposures and reduce your damage claims. The following checklist canhelp you get started on a safe, loss-free winter:

Winter Weather Precaution Checklist for Storage-Facility Owners

Buildings:

Roofs and Gutters:

Heating Systems:

Water Lines:

Fire-Protection Equipment:

If you do have a loss, take steps to control the damage. Move property out of harm'sway and protect it from the elements. Contact your insurance agent or broker as soon aspossible. Remember, no matter how large or small your self-storage facility may be,securing adequate coverage is essential for protecting your business and your peace ofmind.

David Wilhite is the marketing manager of Universal Insurance Facilities Inc.Universal offers a complete package of coverages specifically designed to meet the needsof the self-storage industry, including loss of income, employee dishonesty, comprehensivebusiness liability, hazardous-contents removal and customer storage. For more information,contact Universal at Box 40079, Phoenix, AZ 85067-0079; phone (800) 844-2101; fax (602)970-6240; Web: www.vpico.com/universal.