August's flooding across the Midwest, most notably in northern Ohio towns,  naturally makes many business owners think, "What would I do?" John Hodapp offers two words of advice: flood insurance.

Hodapp, a senior vice president at Hortica Insurance, says floral business owners are woefully unaware of the importance of flood insurance (as compared to basic insurance) -- and what it does and doesn't cover.

The basic insurance policies do not cover floods, rather they focus on things such as pipe leaks, as opposed to floods, which are specific to rising water, according to Hodapp.

"People think they only need to buy [flood insurance] because the lender requires it, and that's not the case," Hodapp says. "You need it even when you're not situated next to a river."

Those who have it, Hodapp says, often misunderstand what it covers. For instance, flood insurance for basements typically covers immobile equipment, like the furnace and water heater. "Anything that is mobile would not be covered," Hodapp says.

His advice: Anything in a basement, like merchandise, that can be moved should be transported to an area of higher elevation.

Hortica provides quotes nationally for both homes and businesses under the auspices of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). For more information visit the company's Web site, which features insurance quotes and numerous references for business owners.

--Cassandra P. Foster
cfoster@safnow.org

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