| DAMAGE BY LIGHTENING LEADING CAUSE OF SYSTEM FAILURE AND COVERAGE BY YOUR BUSINESS INSURANCE POLICY
As the 2005 Spring and Summer season arrives, so does the potential of destructive irreparable damage to your telephone system. Please be aware that lightening, high winds, thunderstorms, brownouts, and blackouts create the ideal condition for damaging electrical surges. These surges of electricity can cause damage to the fragile, sensitive electronic components. Unlike a television set which can be disconnected during a storm, a telephone system is always connected to the outside telephone lines and ACpower source from the pole which are lightening magnets. Your phone system is especially at risk and the good news is there are ways of grounding these threatsreducing and perhaps eliminating your exposure to expensive, permanent damage.
In some cases lightening and associated electrical surges do find their way to damaging or weakening telephone systems necessitating complete replacement. Tell tale signs of
lightening or electrical surges already doing their damage are: static, intermittent/erratic operation, improper functionality and complete system failure. Most businesses have insurance coverage for "acts of god" which protects this investment and their business.
Your telephone and voicemail system is instrumental in conducting business, and is a priority to have working in top shape. If it is damaged it is comprising your ability to communicate and make money. Fortunately, insurance coverage provides the ability for a company to get their telephone and voice mail system replaced with a small deductable.
The first step to getting the telecommunication system back in working shape is to have atelephone equipment provider evaluate the condition of the phone system and components. For insurance claim purposes the chain of events leading to the failure of the phone system are very important. Recording the date of the ground to cloud lightening and thunderstorms are imperative, and this information is available on the web from the National Weather Service. In the case of water damage, pictures can be helpful.
Damage should be promptly reported to your insurance company, and a claim number must be provided. Time is of the essence to get your business communication up and running in the shortest period of time so that you do not lose opportunities, and this must be stressed to your insurance representatives and company. Your telephone company should be prepared to provide a detailed report, a proposal for a new phone system, offer advice, and be willing to communicate with your insurance company in processing this claim for you. In closing, know your rights as a business insurance policy holder, and file a claim if damage has occurred to restore vital telephone service.
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