Remembering an earthquake, preparing for disaster

A decade ago, the one-story, earthquake-proof building occupied by Santa Cruz (Calif.) Travel was destroyed in an earthquake -- because the building next door fell on it. Then it rained.

Jeanne Epping, the agency's owner, said she had not had a disaster plan for her business. "It had never occurred to me. And I had no earthquake insurance as that was so costly and I figured there would not be a big risk of bad destruction."

She is a believer now. Epping recalls slipping into the agency, contravening efforts to keep people out of buildings, to get will-call tickets, after which she and her son delivered them by looking for clients on the streets. But the National Guard kept her from securing the blank ticket stock for a nerve-wracking period of time.

She then moved the Santa Cruz staff into a branch office in Aptos, Calif. and "knocked on doors looking for a space to rent."

She contracted for a storage space from the Seventh Day Adventist Church and stayed there five years. Although her agency was rebuilt in a year, Epping rented it to others for four years because the entire area was too much of a construction site for comfort.

After her disaster, Epping -- a former ASTA president -- helped ASTA create materials for members on what to do to prepare for a disaster, lists of names to call, how to deal with ARC rules, how to protect data and so forth.

Be alert: Keep your agency's policies current

Don't wait for disaster to strike to discover that newly acquired assets or a change-in-coverage request slipped through the cracks. Every time a change occurs in your business, be mindful of what is and is not covered in your insurance policies.

Any equipment costing more than $1,000 that is bought, sold or traded should be reported to your insurance broker.

When changes are made to your policy, you need to read the confirmation documents carefully. Call your insurance agent to confirm that the new policy or attachment correctly reflects the change you requested.

Be prepared: Consider specialized insurance policies

To be fully covered in the event some kind of disaster strikes your agency, you will need to purchase a few specialized policies in addition to the standard business policy discussed above.

Here are some specialized types of insurance coverage you may wish to discuss with your agent:

Make sure it also includes glass protection if you have display windows.

Workers' compensation is required by law. Check with your state for regulations or consult your insurance agent.

covers your commercial vehicle(s). Even your personal car, if used for business purposes, should be covered for business use.(Note: Be aware that sometimes your personal car insurance carrier will insure your car at lower rates even if it's used in the business.)