Picture this eerie scene. It’s a dark and stormy night, the winds are howling and tree branches scratch the office windows. Suddenly, the lights flicker, then go out, computer screens turn pitch black, and the hum of the servers goes silent. Then the harsh reality creeps in—your data is gone and your business is now dead in the water.

Every year, businesses continue to go unprotected when it comes to disaster recovery. Small businesses are the least likely to have a disaster recovery plan yet they are the most affected by disasters. According to a Nationwide Insurance survey, more than 75 percent of small businesses don’t have a disaster plan. However, since January 2013, Nationwide has processed more than $417 million in catastrophe claims related to small businesses. It’s human nature to assume nothing bad could happen to you, but data loss isn’t a question of if, but when, so you need to be prepared.

Disasters come in many forms. While most of us associate disaster with hurricanes, fires and tornados, there are other culprits that are more prevalent—but just as damaging—in causing data loss.

• Hardware or software failures
• Human error
• Power outages
• Security breaches and malware
• Loss or theft of devices
• Power outages
• Natural disasters
• Monsters under the bed (just added that one to see if you’re still reading)

The harsh reality is that data loss will occur unless you take the necessary precautions. Hardware fails, people make mistakes, natural disasters happen—it’s inevitable, but data loss doesn’t have to be.

Don’t be left in the dark when it comes to disaster recovery. The best way to mitigate interruptions and keep your data safe is to have a well-crafted disaster recovery plan—and we’re here to help. Now through October 31, 2016, you can get a free, no obligation disaster recovery assessment. Let’s take dealing with disasters out of the shadows!