There are many types of coverage available, including building insurance, directors' and officers' liability, personal injury liability, fine arts, records replacement insurance and many others tailored for particular purposes. Schedule an appointment with a representative from your insurance company. It will pay to take the time to find out what kind of coverage your institution has.

If your library, archive or museum is part of a larger institution your coverage will be under the parent institution's policy and you may need to deal with the proper member of the administration rather than directly with the insurance company. This may also apply for institutions that are partly or wholly owned by a governmental agency. It may take some time to untangle the red tape but at least you will have a better idea of what to expect.

Determine what is covered and whether it is enough for your operation. The policy should pay to rebuild, repair or clean the structure as needed and to repair or replace the mechanical equipment. This last includes cleaning ducts in case of mold outbreaks. In cases of water damage, it should pay to dry the structure, including walls, floors, ceilings.

The contents of the building include equipment, furniture, shelving and other storage units, carpeting, etc. Computers and other electronic equipment might require their own rider. All of these items should be covered for replacement cost.

You may be able to have a clause to cover business interruption costs. This will pay for renting space, telephones, furniture, computers and other equipment and may also cover the expense of hiring temporary staff. Some policies will cover the reconstruction of business records.

The books, archives, microfilm, art and other materials that make up the collections are usually insured separately from the building and contents. Some institutions choose to self-insure in this area. Others carry coverage sufficient to replace at least a portion of the collection. Special collections or rare books can be insured under a separate clause. Generally, a dollar value will have to be assigned to these collections, based on past sales of the same or similar items. Insurance for special collections should allow for conservation treatment, such as drying and rebinding wet books, cleaning documents, relining paintings and so on.

Find out also if the insurance company will recommend salvage companies and other vendors. If it will be your responsibility to find these services, will you need several bids? How quickly can you expect a check so you can pay the bills?