Throughout the Greater Kansas City area, we have seen some Icelandic weather conditions lately. We’ve had an ice storm, freezing rain and temperatures so low you’d think we lived on the North Pole. With this severe weather comes risks – to your health, to your home and to your business. While we can’t predict what Mother Nature has up her sleeve, the experts at Forerunner Signs & Graphics can help you in the event your exterior signs become damaged by her wrath.
What Causes a Sign to Get Damaged?
Sign damage can occur due to several reasons. Sometimes, a sign just gets too old. These signs see paint cracking, fading or chipping, and in severe instances, the structure of the sign itself will start to disintegrate.
And as we’re seeing all across the country – severe weather can cause damage. Strong winds can easily cause a sign to be torn apart or partially fall down, and heavy rain can wreck the best of paint jobs. Ice buildup can cause signs to be ripped off its anchors and freeze can cause back-lit lighting to malfunction.
Cabinet signs often get damaged by wind, while some monument signs, if they’re made of wood, are prone to insects chewing away at them. Channel letters can be damaged by a bad storm, and yard and post and panel signs can simply blow away or disintegrate in high winds or rain.
Essentially, the type of damage often depends on the type of sign.
When Your Sign Is Damaged
Sometimes harsh weather conditions don’t just result in a minor malfunction in your sign. Sometimes damage to an exterior sign results in a complete loss. You may think you can’t afford to replace it, but really, your business can’t afford NOT to.
When we speak with customers who need signage repair or replacement, we encourage them to look at their business insurance policies.
There ARE insurance options for your interior and exterior business signage. Sure, when you think about commercial property insurance, you likely think about desks, chairs, computers, buildings, etc. But there is far more than that to consider for comprehensive coverage. Storms, downed power lines, vandals and other external factors could cause damage to the property that is not contained within the walls of the building. Trees, bike racks, benches and landscaping are all objects that your business has spent money on, and therefore, should protect.
But most importantly, outdoor signage tells people who you are. It gives customers their first impressions of your retail store. It welcomes clients in for their consultation. Whatever your business, if you have outdoor signs, they are important aspects of what you do each day.
However, standard commercial property insurance policies do not come with coverage for outdoor signs, or any other outdoor objects that are owned by your business. But, many business policies, such as a business owner’s policy (BOP), are customizable and allow you to add on any extra coverages to suit the unique needs of your business. For a small addition to your premium, you can add coverage for your outdoor signs to protect them against damage, loss, theft and vandalism.
You never want to see the sign signifying the name of your business missing, damaged or destroyed by a winter storm. Such damage could affect your business’ profitability, particularly if you rely on a lot of foot traffic in your daily operations. Obtaining the proper outdoor sign rider to your commercial property insurance can cover the repair or replacement of your outdoor signs following damages resulting from a coverable incident.
If you don’t have insurance for your sign, it’s okay! We’ll work with you to design the right sign, for the right conditions within your budget. Has your business sign been damaged due to severe weather conditions, vandalism or other external factors? Contact the experts at Forerunner!
