Hurricane Ian Disaster Relief Options for Business Owners

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Hurricane Ian right this moment

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida on September 28, 2022, and once more in South Carolina on September 30, 2022. The storm traveled throughout the Southeastern United States leaving a path of destruction for owners, small enterprise homeowners, and vacationers. The whole impression of the storm continues to be being assessed, however as of Monday, October 3, 2022, there have been 68 deaths reported in Florida, North Carolina, and Cuba.

Throughout Florida, there are nonetheless about 620,000 properties and companies with no energy, which is just a fraction of the two.6 million energy outages reported late final week. There has been extreme flooding from heavy rainfall and harmful storm surges reported in components of all impacted states, and the flooding is anticipated to proceed as rivers and different waterways rise. Residents and enterprise homeowners are persevering with to be rescued by volunteers and Emergency response groups, and people which can be protected are looking for catastrophe aid choices.

Resources for small enterprise homeowners impacted by Hurricane Ian

If your small enterprise was affected by Hurricane Ian, you’re most likely questioning what to do subsequent. While there’s no straightforward option to navigate the rebuilding course of after a pure catastrophe, we’ve compiled an inventory of Hurricane Ian sources small enterprise homeowners can use to start out the catastrophe restoration course of.

Report injury

The state of Florida continues to watch the injury brought on by Hurricane Ian. In an effort to have the ability to present efficient help to small enterprise homeowners, the state is asking enterprise homeowners to finish the Business Damage Assessment Survey for Hurricane Ian. The survey permits authorities to evaluate the enterprise wants in every neighborhood. After finishing the survey, you’ll be contacted by federal, state, or native governments when you point out that you’d like extra info or request particular providers.

Insurance claims

Contact your small business insurance coverage service as quickly as potential to file a declare relating to any injury from Hurricane Ian. While most complete enterprise insurance coverage insurance policies wouldn’t have a separate coverage for pure disasters, injury from hurricanes is roofed by a mixture of flood insurance coverage, windstorm protection, and your business’s property insurance coverage. For small companies in Florida, you may additionally have a coverage or protection referred to as, “wind, hurricane, and hail,” which is able to cowl many of the injury from Hurricane Ian. Since hurricane injury, together with lack of revenues, could also be coated by a number of insurance policies, make sure you contact all of the insurance coverage carriers you’re employed with.

The insurance coverage declare course of could be lengthy and anxious, however observe these steps to assist expedite your insurance coverage reimbursement:

• Contact insurance coverage carriers immediately
• Take pictures or movies of all injury
• Create a listing record, that features any enterprise gear that was broken
• Keep an in depth declare log to maintain monitor of declare kinds and conversations
• Meet with the insurance coverage adjuster and call a public adjuster when you have issues
• Get three restore estimates, however watch out for fraudulent contractors

Tax aid

Small enterprise homeowners which can be attempting to recuperate from damages brought on by Hurricane Ian can also be involved about how they’re going to set up and pay their 2021 prolonged federal revenue taxes or their 2022 quarterly tax funds. However, the IRS has issued an extension for Florida enterprise homeowners affected by the storm. The press release from the IRS on September 29, 2022, said that “Individuals and households affected by Hurricane Ian that reside or have a enterprise wherever within the state of Florida qualify for tax aid.” While the tax deadline extension routinely applies to small companies in Florida, enterprise homeowners in different areas that have been affected by Hurricane Ian can name 866-562-5227 to request the identical extensions. 

The submitting and cost deadline was prolonged to February 15, 2023, for any funds or returns that have been due between September 23, 2022, and February 14, 2023. Small enterprise homeowners in Florida that had filed an extension to file their 2021 revenue tax returns now not must adjust to the October 17, 2022 deadline, however the 2021 tax funds due on April 18, 2022, aren’t included within the additional extension. The February 2023 prolonged deadline additionally applies to the quarterly estimated tax funds that might be due on January 17, 2023, and the payroll and excise tax returns that might must be accomplished on October 31, 2022, and January 31, 2023.

FEMA

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is a useful useful resource for companies recovering from Hurricane Ian. Their web site gives details about native sources and funding choices.  FEMA gives catastrophe help to each companies and people, which could be accessed by making use of at www.disasterassistance.gov. Registering with FEMA is a required step for small enterprise homeowners to entry the SBA catastrophe loans and different help packages. The FEMA web site and mobile app additionally include many hyperlinks for involved enterprise homeowners, Hurricane Ian FAQs, and brochures in a number of languages explaining methods to navigate the FEMA course of after the hurricane.

SBDC

The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network can be offering help to companies impacted by Hurricane Ian that need assistance making use of for monetary help or different hurricane aid choices. There is not any price to entrepreneurs that use the SBDC providers, like these obtainable by means of the Mobile Assistance Centers (MAC). The center’s cell help autos convey laptops, printers, web entry, and different sources into the communities severely impacted so enterprise homeowners can begin the method of making use of for aid efforts, like insurance coverage claims, FEMA help, and SBA loans on safe web sites. In addition to the Mobile Assistance Centers deployed by the SBDC, the middle additionally works with the U.S. Small Business Administration to arrange Business Recovery Centers in different affected communities.

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross catastrophe response workforce gives aid to these affected by Hurricane Ian. The group helps owners, renters, and enterprise homeowners get related to requirements like meals, water, shelter, and healthcare suppliers. Their website gives a number of recommendations on staying protected throughout and after a hurricane and particular sources for these with disabilities. Since Thursday, September 29, the Red Cross and their companions have been in a position to arrange 100 shelters all through Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

Other native sources

Government businesses, native communities, and enterprise growth entities are working onerous to supply all the vital sources to these most affected by Hurricane Ian. In addition to monetary help and federal help, there are a number of organizations obtainable for those who suffered losses.

Post-hurricane security

Cleaning up the property that your property or enterprise sits on could be an awesome job after a hurricane. While the worst of Ian is over, it can be crucial for owners and entrepreneurs to remain protected and observe tips for particles elimination, mills, and standing water.  Before starting any form of clean-up efforts, make sure you monitor the weather in your space.

Debris elimination

If the property surrounding your small business or the inside of the constructing, you lease or personal is cluttered with particles. Follow these security tips when starting clean-up.

• Check for electrical hazards and keep away from any water, instruments, or branches which can be touching a dwell energy line.
• Utility traces, like cable and web wires, could also be tangled in damaged branches. Assume all wires are dwell.
• Beware of uprooted or damaged branches when cleansing round and beneath them.
• Check for pick-up dates and accepted gadgets on this debris removal list, printed by Fox35 in Orlando on social media.

Generator Safety

Many small companies in Florida are nonetheless with out energy. Some of probably the most impacted areas embody Tallahassee, Sarasota, Puerto Rico, Naples, and Fort Meyers. Businesses, properties, and First Responders are counting on mills to maintain their perishable gadgets contemporary and supply energy throughout their restoration efforts. When working a transportable generator, be mindful the next ideas:

• Do not run a transportable generator indoors.
• Check the wattage of powered gadgets so the generator’s capability is just not exceeded.
• Don’t join a generator on to {the electrical} field.
• Don’t refuel your generator whereas it’s operating.

Standing water

Try to empty standing water inside or round your business’s property. Standing water offers a breeding floor for mosquitos and creates a hazard for mills and fallen energy traces. Standing water additionally presents a menace of harm as a result of there may be typically particles hiding within the water. Contact the native water and sewer corporations for help with extreme standing water.

Financing choices for small enterprise homeowners

Business homeowners which have suffered property injury or have been unable to open for enterprise are searching for monetary help to restore and rebuild their corporations. While lots of storm injury is roofed by insurance coverage, insurance coverage assessments and payouts can take months to be accepted and paid. If you might be involved in regards to the monetary impression of Hurricane Ian on your small business, take into account studying about these small enterprise mortgage choices.

SBA Business Physical Disaster Loan

Physical catastrophe loans give enterprise homeowners entry to funding to restore and substitute property that was broken throughout a significant catastrophe. Property could embody actual property, equipment, autos, and home equipment.

Residents and companies impacted by Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico are in a position to apply for a mortgage by means of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). They are accepting purposes for bodily catastrophe loans by means of November 21, 2022

Small enterprise homeowners in Florida that suffered losses throughout Hurricane Ian are additionally eligible to use for bodily catastrophe loans with the SBA. Currently, the deadline for Hurricane Ian mortgage purposes is November 28, 2022.

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)

EIDL are low-interest, long-term financing choices for small enterprise homeowners and nonprofit organizations which can be unable to fulfill their vital monetary obligations throughout the catastrophe restoration course of. The funds could also be used to make mortgage funds and pay working bills, like utility payments and payroll prices.

Small companies that incurred financial harm throughout Hurricane Fiona can apply for the SBA EIDL by means of June 21, 2023.

Businesses impacted by Hurricane Ian can apply for EIDL loans by means of June 29, 2023.

Bottom Line

Since President Joe Biden officially declared Florida a state of emergency on September 24, numerous information releases have tried to convey related info to small enterprise homeowners and owners within the affected areas. The quantity of knowledge following Hurricane Ian could be overwhelming, however small enterprise homeowners can use this record of sources as a reference. The finest place to start out restoration efforts for a enterprise proprietor is by registering for catastrophe help with FEMA. Your particular person enterprise wants can also embody exploring financing choices. Reach out to Biz2Credit right this moment when you have questions in regards to the SBA mortgage choices obtainable or different small enterprise loans.