Business & Tech

Disaster Recovery Tips for Small Business Owners

Hurricane Sandy caused severe damage to businesses up and down the East Coast, providing a stark reminder to Marin residents to be prepared for an emergency. Here's some helpful advice for how to recover from a disaster.

1) File insurance claims as soon as possible, if you haven't already done so. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners offers important advice and tips for filing your claim. The National Flood Insurance Program also provides information on filing a flood insurance claim.

2) The SBA offers several low-interest, long-term disaster loans to small businesses in declared disaster areas, including business physical disaster loans and economic injury disaster loans. You can apply for loans up to $2 million for both uninsured and underinsured damages.

You can apply directly online. Once submitted, the SBA will send an inspector to estimate the cost of damage.

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3) Apply for tax relief if needed, which will allow for expedited returns or delayed tax filings.

4) FEMA and the Red Cross also offer a number of services, including free legal services, crisis counseling and advice for financial recovery.

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