Avionics News August 2018 - 22

IS YOUR SHOP BIG-STORM READY?
Continued from page 21

In fact, Gualandri said that Sarasota Avionics hangars at
Venice Airport were built sometime in the late 1940s and have
stood the test of many storms.
"Over the years, there have been some improvements made
to the structures, but nothing that I know of was particular
to hurricane protection," she said. "The hangars are all up to
current building code and have protected us well."
While preparing their structures and customers' aircraft from
the storm is a big part of hurricane preparation, both companies
also put an emphasis on taking care of their respective
employees before, during and after the storm.
"If we're lucky enough to get though without much damage,
rejoice and begin the real work," Gualandri said. "After making
sure all our employees are fine, we begin bringing the airplanes
back from wherever we sent them. Once power is restored and
everything is in place, we start back where we left off and work
twice as hard to catch up again and meet our deadlines."
"All of our employees remain in contact via a group text to
share what current conditions are, that we are OK and to let us
know if they need anything," Redondo said. "Then we come
back to the airport to check on the facility and resume normal
operations once the power is back on. Last time, it was about a
day and a half to get it restored."
Hangarkeepers, losers' weepers
The unfortunate fact of it all is that sooner or later, you're
going to have to deal with storm-related damage, which means a
call to your insurance carrier. Hopefully, you've worked closely
with your agent to make sure your facility and your customers'
aircraft are adequately covered.
Nobody likes to report a claim, but having an agency with a
claims department to work on your behalf with the insurance
carrier pre-and post-claim is something that can save you a lot
of post-storm stress.
"A shop should have coverage on the building - if they own
it - and all of its contents," explained Brian Averill, aviation
insurance broker for AirSure Limited. "This would come in
the form of a property policy. If the building is leased, then the
company needs to have an adequate contents-only policy."
Obviously, one of the biggest value items your insurance
is covering is the cost of the airplanes in your shop.
According to Averill, this is a pitfall that too many shop
owners fall into when it comes to misunderstanding the
scope of their insurance coverage.
"Your hangarkeeper policy is what is going to cover those
aircraft located inside your hanger," he said. "Your property
policy may help a little, but the hangarkeeper policy is the
primary source for coverage.
"Shop owners need to work closely with their broker to
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avionics news

august

2018

keep them informed as to how their business is changing. It's
not an umbrella type policy. The underwriter has to take into
consideration what types of aircraft you are currently working
on, so you want to make sure that the policy covers the mostexpensive type of aircraft in your hangar.
"You don't want to have an aircraft in your hanger that's
worth a million dollars when you only have hangarkeeper
coverage for $250,000. You have to make sure your broker is
aware of any changes to the types of aircraft you are working
on. It's on the broker to make sure you have the proper levels of
coverage to stay protected."
Gualandri said that because of the way their business has
evolved over the years, the team at Sarasota Avionics works
closely with their broker to stay ahead of the coverage game.
"It's just being a responsible business owner," she said.
"We're always looking at how our business is changing and how
that impacts what we need to do. Certainly, the hull values of the
airplanes in our hangar have gone up a lot over the years as our
business has expanded to larger aircraft. We need to protect both
ourselves and our customers who trust us with their aircraft."
Water, water everywhere
While damage from winds is what major storms are famous
and feared for, heavy rains and flooding often cause the most
catastrophic damage. Considering that in the majority of
insurance policies that flood damages are excluded, Averill
stressed the need for shop owners to verify they are covered or
add the coverage to their current policy if they can get it.
"It really depends on what flood zone they are located, and I
suggest they work with their agent/broker to verify the zone," he
said. "It can be very confusing, so the best action is for the shop
owner to discuss their needs with their agent or broker.
"Insurance for some flood zones is very expensive. Of
course, it's not as expensive as losing everything in a flood.
Again, I suggest the business owner talk to their carrier to see
what is available in their area."
The air-tight case for stronger hangar doors
While there are a lot of ways to raise your insurance rates,
thankfully, there are a few steps you can take to lower your
premiums.
"Typically, a good fire-suppressing sprinkler system
can save you from 5 to 15 percent," Averill said. "When
it comes to hangar doors, the sturdier the door, the better
off your facility is going to be in a storm. If you show
your carrier that you have a particular door type, they can
probably get you a lower premium."
In fact, if your shop is housed in an older hangar, you may
want to have the door examined by an expert. After all, that
hanger door is your first line of defense from strong winds.
It's also good to know that not all hangar doors are equal in
the eyes of Mother Nature.

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