Identify the natural disasters that could threaten your small business, including:

• bushfires
• floods
• storms
• coastal erosion and landslides
• epidemics or pandemics
• earthquakes
• droughts
• heatwaves
• COVID-19

Analyse how these risks may impact your business including your physical assets, your online systems, your employees, your financial arrangements, and of course, yourself.

Other business owners can be a valuable source of advice and awareness based on their local experience.

Find out more information on how to manage and assess business risks.

Identify what your business can’t afford to lose and plan for how to prevent loss if a disaster occurs.

• Make sure your business insurance is up-to-date and that you are covered for the risks you identified in the first step.
• If you do not have insurance, be aware that it is an important way to reduce business risk and could make all the difference to the recovery of your business after a natural disaster.  
• If adequate insurance cover is not available, consider seeking the support of an insurance broker to better understand your risk profile, coverage required and to negotiate with insurers.
• Consider using an insurance broker to assist you in securing suitable cover. A broker can also be very helpful when you need to make a claim.
• Find out more information about the types of business insurance you may need.

• Some business records and data are irreplaceable or unable to be replaced easily (examples include business registration records, financial records, property deeds and customer data).
• Make sure your data and records are backed up and stored in a secure location (offsite or in cloud-based storage).
• Find out more information about backing up and restoring your data.

• Put together a list of important names and contact information (inside and outside the business) to use in the case of a disaster.
• List your emergency services numbers, including the local state emergency, police, fire, ambulance services and other relevant health professional information. You may also want to include your insurance company, bank, building society, employees, and suppliers.
• Think about those in your business network, professional associations and support agencies who may be helpful allies in any disaster response and recovery.

• You should have emergency plans and procedures set out as part of your work health and safety (WHS) obligations.
• Consider expanding this plan to make an emergency management plan for each of the risks identified earlier.

• Establish who is responsible for implementing the emergency management plan, this might be the owner in a small business.
• Clarify the roles of any other employees, so everyone knows what needs to be done and who is responsible.
• Find out more information, including a template for an emergency management plan.

• Create an emergency kit of items that you might need in the case of a natural disaster.
• This may include hard copies of key documents, a first aid kit, a torch, spare batteries, plastic bags, a portable radio, fresh water, and non-perishable food.
• Find out more information on preparing an emergency kit.

• Rehearse your emergency management plan regularly to help identify items that may not have been originally considered and will ensure everyone knows what their role is in an emergency.
• Review, revise and update the plan at least once per year.
• Recognise that in any emergency event, you may be wearing a number of ‘hats’; that is, business owner, employer, family member, community leader, volunteer etc.

• Think about what can be done now, to manage the identified risks that may impact your business in the future.
• Examples may include moving your business online in some circumstances, investing in a second website to manage online risks, or even consider moving your business to a less disaster-prone location.
• Build in time and tactics to make sure you are ok and you’re caring for your own wellness.

• Reach out to support or loved ones if need be (family, friends, local support groups).
• Read BeyondBlue’s advice about Natural disasters and your mental health.  

• Are your employees affected and do they know about the impacts on your business?
• See the Fair Work Ombudsman’s webpage about employment entitlements during natural disasters and emergencies.

• See the Insurance Council of Australia’s Frequently asked Questions about insurance after a disaster  
• Check with emergency services before inspecting damage to your business (taking photographs may help).
• Contact your insurance broker/provider to lodge a claim and seek guidance.

• Work out what records you can access and/or recover.
• Obtain replacement records or reconstruct those lost (for example, ask the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), accountants, banks and suppliers about past transactions).

Check what government assistance may be available in your area on the National Emergency Management Agency website or call the Australian Government Emergency Information Line (180 22 66).

• Investigate options for your business including temporary accommodation, working from home, leasing premises, or relocating.
• Keep records of repairs, clean-up costs or temporary storage costs (there may be insurance, government assistance and tax deduction implications).
• If you have a landlord, you could ask about rent relief and timeframes for repairs.

• Check your supplies and equipment to see what has been damaged/destroyed.
• Consider what implications this might have for any orders you have made.
• Engage your supplier to see if you can postpone outstanding orders (if need be), or if they will accept delayed payments terms and/or how quickly they can supply what you need to start business operations.

• Let your customers know if orders cannot be fulfilled and if possible, assist them to fill orders from other suppliers in the meantime.
• Keep customers updated about plans to restart your business and consider enlisting their support in spreading the word.

• Your accountant may know about tax adjustments for your next BAS and tax return.
• The Australian Securities and Investment Commission offer Natural Disaster relief for fees and/or lodging documents
• The ATO also offer a range of natural disaster support, depending on the situation.

There are ways your bank may be able to help customers impacted by natural disaster. See the Australian Banking Association’s (ABA) financial difficulty hub for more information.