skip to main content
Travelers Logo
  • About
  • Careers
  • Agents
  • Investors
  • Sustainability
  • Contact Us

Register now
Problems logging in?
  • For Individuals
    • Overview
    • Products
      • Car
      • Home
      • Renters
      • Condo
      • Landlord
      • Boat & Yacht
      • Travel
      • Pet
      • Weddings
      • Umbrella
      • All Products
    • Prepare & Prevent
      • Insurance 101
      • Home Central
      • Travelers Garage
      • Managing Through COVID-19
    • Affinity Group Discount
    • Online Service
    • Pay Your Bill
      • Get a Quote
      • Find an Agent
      • Report a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
  • For Business
    • Overview
    • Products & Solutions
      • Overview
      • Boiler & Machinery
      • Commercial Auto & Trucking
      • Cyber
      • Environmental Liability
      • Excess Casualty & Umbrella
      • General Liability
      • Global Insurance
      • Inland Marine
      • Management & Professional Liability
      • National Programs
      • Ocean Marine
      • Property
      • Small Business Owner's Policy
      • Surety Bonds
      • Workers Compensation
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Industries
      • Overview
      • Agribusiness
      • Architects, Engineers & Surveyors
      • Auto & Truck Dealers
      • Business & Professional Services
      • Construction
      • Education
      • Energy & Renewable
      • Equipment Dealers
      • Financial Institutions
      • Food Services
      • Health & Related Services
      • Hospitality & Recreation
      • Manufacturing
      • Marine Industries
      • Museums & Fine Art
      • Non-Profit
      • Oil & Gas
      • Public Entities
      • Real Estate
      • Retail
      • Technology
      • Transportation
      • Wholesale & Distribution
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Services
      • Overview
      • Risk Control
      • Claim
      • Premium Audit
      • Online Customer Tools
      • Risk Management Information Services
      • Travelers Client Advantage
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Small Business
      • Overview
      • Automobile Insurance
      • Business Owner's Policy
      • Data Breach
      • Employment Practices Liability
      • Professional Insurance
      • Umbrella Insurance
      • Workers Compensation Inurance
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Large Business
      • Overview
      • Casualty
      • Cyber
      • Management & Professional Liability
      • Property
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Multinational Business
    • Prepare & Prevent
      • By Topic
      • By Industry
      • Navigating Your Business Through COVID-19
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
      • Find an Agent
      • Report a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
  • Claim Center
    • Claim Center
    • Should I File a Claim?
    • Report a Claim
    • Roadside Assistance
    • Find a Service Provider
    • Check Your Claim Status
    • Manage Your Claim Experience
      • Claim Reporting Next Steps
      • Claim Guide Library
      • Workers Compensation Resources
    • Claim Capabilities
      • Get a Quote
      • Find an Agent
      • Report a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
  • Prepare & Prevent
    • For Individuals
    • Home Central
      • Buying & Selling
      • Home Maintenance
      • Home Renovation
      • Home Safety
      • Moving
      • Smart Home
    • Travelers Garage
      • Buying & Selling
      • Car Maintenance
      • Distracted Driving
      • Safe Driving
      • Teen Driving
      • Boating
    • Insurance 101
    • Weather
    • For Business
    • Industries
      • Construction
      • Manufacturing
      • Nonprofit
      • Small Business
      • Technology
    • Topics
      • Business Continuity
      • Cyber
      • Driver and Fleet Safety
      • Facilities Management
      • Internet of Things
      • Product and Services Liability
      • Supply Chain Management
      • Workplace Safety
    • Travelers Risk Index
      • Get a Quote
      • Find an Agent
      • Report a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
  • About Travelers
    • Overview
      • Awards & Recognition
      • Careers
      • Community
      • Diversity & Inclusion
      • Sustainability
      • History
      • Investors
      • Media Resources
      • News
      • Travelers Championship
      • Travelers Institute
      • Get a Quote
      • Find an Agent
      • Report a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
    • Get a Quote
    • Find an Agent
    • Report a Claim
    • Pay Your Bill
Main Navigation
  • For Individuals
      • Insurance for Individuals
      • Products
        • Car
        • Home
        • Renters
        • Condo
        • Landlord
        • Boat & Yacht
        • Travel
        • Pet
        • Weddings & Events
        • Umbrella
        • More
      • Prepare & Prevent
        • Insurance 101
        • Home Central
        • Travelers Garage
      • Affinity Group Discount
      • Online Service
      • Pay Your Bill
    • Get a home quote now

      It's easy to get a free quote for home insurance from Travelers in just a few minutes.

       

      Get a home quote now
  • For Business
      • Products & Solutions
        • Commercial Auto & Trucking
        • Cyber
        • General Liability
        • Management & Professional Liability
        • Property
        • Small Business Owner's Policy
        • Surety Bonds
        • Workers Compensation
        • More
      • Industries
        • Construction
        • Energy & Renewable
        • Financial Institutions
        • Healthcare
        • Manufacturing
        • Real Estate
        • Technology
        • Transportation
        • More
      • Prepare & Prevent
      • Services
        • Risk Control
        • Claim
        • Premium Audit
        • More
      • Pay Your Bill
      • Small Business
      • Large Business
      • Multinational Business
      • For Business Overview
    • Tips for Managing Risks Related to a Remote Workforce

      Tips for Managing Risks Related to a Remote Workforce

      With the current reality of more employees working from home through the pandemic, is your business ready for all the implications?

      Learn more
  • Claim Center
      • Claim Center
      • Should I File a Claim?
      • Report a Claim
      • Roadside Assistance
      • Find a Service Provider
      • Check Your Claim Status
      • Manage Your Claim Experience
        • Claim Reporting Next Steps
        • Claim Guide Library
        • Workers Compensation Resources
      • Claim Capabilities
    • Send us your receipts, photos, invoices and more with just a push of a button.

      Securely share information with your Claim team.

      Send us your receipts, photos, invoices and more with just a push of a button.

      Upload a File
  • Prepare & Prevent
      • For Individuals
      • Home Central
        • Buying & Selling
        • Home Maintenance
        • Home Renovation
        • Home Safety
        • Moving
        • Smart Home
      • Travelers Garage
        • Buying & Selling
        • Car Maintenance
        • Distracted Driving
        • Safe Driving
        • Teen Driving
        • Boating
      • Insurance 101
      • Weather
      • For Business
      • Industries
        • Construction
        • Energy
        • Manufacturing
        • Nonprofit
        • Small Business
        • Technology
      • Topics
        • Business Continuity
        • Cyber
        • Driver and Fleet Safety
        • Facilities Management
        • Internet of Things
        • Product and Services Liability
        • Supply Chain Management
        • Workplace Safety
      • Travelers Risk Index
    • Managing Through COVID-19

      Managing Through COVID-19

      Resources to help you adapt to the realities of COVID-19.

      Learn more
  • Home
  • Prepare & Prevent
  • Topics
  • Protecting Your Business and Your Property

Protecting Your Business and Your Property

Travelers Risk Control professionals inspecting manufacturing property Travelers Risk Control professionals inspecting manufacturing property

Property risks continue to grow more complex. Extreme weather events can take properties offline for months, or more, and getting back in business can be more complicated than you think. Damage to today’s sophisticated technology can cause serious disruption if it goes offline. And faster turnaround times are changing customer expectations, meaning a temporary disruption could mean a permanently lost customer.

“We know the stakes are high, so our risk control consultants work with our customer’s risk management team, helping them to find solutions that make the most sense for their specific risks, and their business,” said Ken Katz, a Travelers Risk Control Property Director. “We’re not simply looking to be a code enforcer.”

That kind of holistic approach finds Travelers Risk Control professionals working alongside customers as they dive into the potential challenges of new materials, processes and products.

When a Plastic Spool Can Cost You $100,000

Katz recalls when a textile company that makes athletic gear switched from cardboard to plastic for the production of its spools of thread, as well as its packaging. The higher concentration of plastic in the storage area increased the fire risk. Another insurance company advised the textile company that it had to upgrade its fire sprinkler system, changes would cost more than $100,000 and provided no other alternatives.

A Travelers Risk Control consultant also identified the issue; however, the company was presented the option of returning to the original packaging, which would address the increased fire risk. After weighing the cost of the changes, the company decided to return to its original cardboard spools and packaging. “It was a simple solution that removed the new fire risk, without requiring an investment in a new fire sprinkler system,” Katz said. “Our focus is to help identify the variety of solutions available to address the risks facing our customers.”

The relationship with the individual customer is especially important, Katz says, because each company is unique, and a solution for one company might not be the best solution for another. Adding a broader perspective to the discussion can help customers understand and evaluate their options for protecting their property, and their business.

Spotting a Potential Production Bottleneck

A medical products company that makes gauze, leg braces and other medical supplies is required to sterilize nearly all of its products. The company performed a special, FDA-certified sterilization process at its facility. While there were other offsite sterilizers, the company had not researched alternative solutions if the process could not be completed at the facility. The lack of a “Plan B” set off alarm bells from a business continuity perspective.

“There was the potential for the company’s business to be significantly interrupted if this sterilization process could not be completed,” said Katz. After identifying this potential bottleneck, Travelers Risk Control consultants focused on evaluating exposures and controls due to its importance to the overall company operations. They also supported the customer’s decision to research and designate offsite certified sterilizers in the event of an interruption.

If a natural disaster or fire were to damage that customer’s facility, causing an interruption of the sterilization process and related business activities, getting back up and running will be easier with a backup plan in place. That kind of holistic planning does more than focus on clearly visible risks, and looks more closely at potential gaps that could lead to an interruption.

Seeing the Total Cost of Risk

“Sometimes it’s the business insights that can be most valuable to customers,” said Bob Gazdik, a Travelers Risk Control professional with more than 30 years of experience working with manufacturers. He recalls a wood cabinet manufacturer who bought a high number of 55-gallon drums of flammable varnish because they considered the discount bulk rate to be a cost savings.

“In reality, it was seriously jeopardizing their production facility,” said Gazdik, who said that the fire risks of storing the product more than offset the savings. Gazdik discussed alternatives, including increasing deliveries of smaller quantities of varnish to avoid the risks related to storing large quantities, moving the supply to an offsite or outdoor storage facility, or building a flammable liquids storage room.

“Providing a variety of customized recommendations to help address a specific potential for loss gave our customer alternative options to make an informed business decision,” Gazdik said. “Sometimes it can take a broader perspective to help analyze a business practice a customer thought was worth the risk.”

Changing Processes Call for Changing Protection

For Nacia Lipton, a Travelers Risk Control Property Director, the difference in Travelers approach is about being able to help educate the customer about the options to address the risks. Having a breadth of specialties across disciplines often means that Travelers can come to the table with a different and unexpected solution for a customer.

“A risk control consultant who can discuss a variety of approaches to potential problems can also help you understand the overall impact of a decision on your business,” explained Lipton.

Some insurance companies can be laser-focused on addressing potential risks, she adds, without understanding their overall impact on the business. This black-and-white approach can feel one-sided. Having a conversation about the implications of different solutions to potential problems can do more than save a company time and money – it can help them make better decisions about the specific risks facing their business.

Learn More About National Property Insurance

More Prepare & Prevent

Team creating a business continuity plan

Why Is Business Continuity Important?

Learn why a comprehensive business continuity plan is a critical part of any comprehensive disaster recovery strategy.

employees reviewing property loss prevention plan

Property Loss Prevention Plan

Property loss can hurt your business. Learn about property loss prevention and get tips on property preservation programs and plans.

Man creating a business continuity plan on a board

Business Continuity Planning in 4 Steps

Business continuity planning can help protect you from long-term risks. Build a business continuity plan with these 4 steps.

Top Stories
Extreme Weather and Your Business Video

Extreme Weather and Your Business [Video]

Disaster events can affect any business, and getting back up and running may take longer than you think.

  • Learn more

Related Content

  • Fire Hazards in the Workplace
  • Supply Chain Management Tips [Video]
  • Is Your Manufacturing Supply Chain Vulnerable to Disruption?

skyscrapers

Property Insurance for Today's Unique Risks


Find an Agent

Need an Agent?

Get the personal service and attention that an agent provides.

Find a local agent in your area:


For Agents

  • Agent Website
  • Become an Agent

See All Business Topics Content


Travelers logo

Travelers and The Travelers Umbrella are registered trademarks of The Travelers Indemnity Company in the U.S. and other countries.
© 2021 The Travelers Indemnity Company. All rights reserved.

  • Travelers on Facebook
  • Travelers on YouTube
  • Travelers on Twitter
  • Travelers on LinkedIn
  • Travelers on Instagram

Products & Services

  • For Individuals
  • For Businesses
  • Claim Services
  • Prepare & Prevent

Our Company

  • About Travelers
  • Careers
  • Investors
  • Sustainability

Connect

  • Customer Support
  • MyTravelers®
  • For Agents
  • Find an Agent

Legal & Compliance

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy & Security
  • Accessibility
  • Producer Compensation Disclosure