Running a business in 2026 means you’re juggling more moving parts than ever—supply chains, staff, cyber risks, weather events, and shifting customer habits. Most owners focus on protecting buildings, equipment, and vehicles, but the real stress often starts when the income stops while the bills keep coming. 

1. Picture the ‘what if’

Starting with what a “pause” really looks like in real life means picturing your own shop, restaurant, or small manufacturing space after a covered event like a fire or severe storm. The lights are off, customers are going elsewhere, and yet rent, payroll, loan payments, and utility bills are still due. Business interruption insurance is designed to help replace lost income and cover certain ongoing expenses during the time it takes to get you up and running again, within the limits of your policy.

2. Understand your expenses

See how revenue, expenses, and recovery time connect by thinking about how your business actually makes money. If your bakery in Ohio can’t open for three months during repairs, the missing income affects every part of your plan—from supplier relationships to keeping your best staff. Coverage can help you keep paying key people so they don’t leave, and support regular expenses so your recovery isn’t starting from zero when the doors open again.

3. Understand different policies

Look at how different policies can work together across your business instead of seeing business interruption as a stand‑alone idea. Property insurance might help repair your building and replace equipment after a covered event, while business interruption coverage can help address the income side of the same incident. In some cases, extra expense coverage may help with the cost of operating from a temporary location, letting you serve customers sooner and possibly protect long‑term relationships.

4. Think beyond natural events 

Modern risks like cyber incidents, equipment breakdowns, and utility outages, which can shut down point‑of‑sale systems or production lines just as completely as a storm. For example, a small logistics company in Texas might face a major disruption if a cyber event locks its routing software. Talking with an insurance professional about how your current policies respond to these risks can help you understand what is, and is not, included.

5. Take time to map your own recovery timeline 

If your retail store in Arizona had to close for six weeks, where would cash come from, and which bills would matter most? Knowing your typical monthly income, key expenses, and how long it might take to reopen can guide decisions about coverage limits and waiting periods that feel realistic rather than theoretical.

Business interruption insurance is really about buying time—time to repair, regroup, and keep relationships intact when operations stop. As 2026 brings new tools, new risks, and new ways of doing business, thinking through how your cash flow would hold up under pressure can turn a stressful unknown into a more manageable plan, quietly supporting the idea behind this very topic.