In the US, especially on the East Coast, hurricanes and severe storms damage dozens, if not hundreds, of gymnasiums and sports halls every year. Damage from such disasters comes in all shapes and sizes. Hardwood gym floors are the most vulnerable and often require a complete revamp after these catastrophes.
What can you do if a hurricane, flood, or other natural disaster damages your gym floor? The best way to avoid costly out-of-pocket repairs is to get a good insurance policy and become familiar with how to file claims when the time comes. Continue reading to find out how to handle gym floor insurance claims when disaster strikes.
What is Gym Insurance?
There are many types of gym insurance. But in this instance, we’re most interested in building property insurance. It covers the space where the gym is located and is usually combined with business property insurance, which protects the entire building complex.
The most important thing to know is gym insurance can have a lot of exclusions. That’s why you should sift through your policy before signing it ans make sure it covers everything you need. Include all essential business contents in the policy, such as mats, training tools and equipment, and other surrounding units. If a natural disaster comes your way, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your policy will cover the biggest chunk of the repair costs.
How to Handle a Gym Floor Insurance Claim
Going through an insurance claim process can be a stressful and arduous journey. In some cases, getting a claim paid can be challenging, even if you meet all of the criteria in your coverage policy. Our step-by-step guide on how to handle gym floor insurance below will make the process a little less nerve wracking.
1. Prepare
When submitting an insurance claim, you should be ready to answer the many questions that come with it. The gym insurance provider will want to know details regarding the conditions of your gym, type of activities that you host in it, as well as any additional relevant information. The insurance company will most often want detailed visual evidence. So make sure to have before and after pictures. With this sort of information on hand, it’ll be much easier to get a favorable settlement with the insurance provider.
Aside from preparing as much documentation as possible, you should also prep your building if you know a disaster is imminent. If you suspect your gym is in the path of a major storm, hurricane, or tornado, move valuable items to higher ground. Take the necessary steps to protect your gym from the surge of water that’s heading toward it. It is likely that everything that gets submerged will become moldy. In many cases, a complete tear-out and replacement of all fixed elements will usually be required.
2. Hire a Reliable Contractor
Once the storm has passed, the next thing to do is remove all damaged materials and create safe access to the gym. This should be a top priority once you establish that it’s safe to go back to the facility. Having a proven gym floor company by your side during these first few steps will make this process much easier. It will also allow you to assess the damage done to your facility. This is mainly because insurance companies don’t understand the details of gym floor construction. Insurance companies also aren’t familiar with how water and other elements can damage the floor.
Some insurance companies may even try to salvage the floor and try to push a restoration instead of paying for a new floor. This is never a good option and can cost you tens of thousands of dollars in the future. A trustworthy contractor can make a world of difference when it comes to insurance claims. They’ll negotiate for you and make sure you get the amount you need to renovate your gym floor.
3. Get the Most Out of Your Insurance Claim
With enough evidence and a reliable gym floor company by your side, you won’t have as much trouble getting your claim approved. But the process still isn’t finished, even after the insurance provider accepts your claim. To save money, most insurance companies will try to replace your damaged floor with like-kind products.
In other words, you’ll still get a new hardwood floor, but the quality of the material won’t be the same that was used for the old floor. You shouldn’t settle for this. Instead, negotiate with the insurance company and press them to install the same quality floor that was there before.
Again, this is where a professional gym floor company can be of great use. They can mediate between the two parties. They can help both you and the insurance company accurately assess the damage to your floor and subflooring.
How to Handle Gym Floor Insurance Claims: A Takeaway
To sum it up, dealing with insurance companies is a hassle. But with enough preparation and a professional partner by your side, you can come out on top. We understand that getting your gym back in shape after a disaster is very important. That’s why our skilled and professional staff will work closely with insurance adjusters to ensure that you get the right pricing that will cover all repairs and replacements.
If you have any questions, want to schedule a consultation or request a proposal, call us today at (973) 801-7219. You can also fill out our quick online form, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.