Nationwide is pleased to announce A Disaster Planning Guide for Small Business Owners to help small business owners prepare themselves and their businesses for fire, weather and other potential disasters. This guide was created in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The ten-page guide provides information small business owners need to develop an effective plan to protect customers and employees in the event of a disaster. Identifying hazards, creating plans to remain in operation if the office is unusable, making backup copies of critical records and storing them offsite, and understanding limitations of the company's insurance coverage are some key disaster preparedness strategies covered in the guide.

"Planning for a disaster can be one of the most important steps a small business owner can take to protect their business," said Bill Windsor, associate vice president for safety at Nationwide Insurance. "The guide offers practical advice so businesses can be prepared for a disaster and have piece of mind that they have taken advance action to protect their employees, customers and business."

An electronic version the guide is available online at www.nationwide.com/disaster-planning-recovery.jsp and hard copies of the guide can also be found at any Nationwide agent's office.

The SBA is also distributing the guide at SBA field offices, its resource partners around the country, and disaster field offices, as well as an electronic version at www.sba.gov/idc/groups/public/documents/sba_homepage/serv_disprep_planningguide.pdf

Nationwide, based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the world, with more than $160 billion in assets. Nationwide ranks #104 on the Fortune 500 list. The company provides a full range of insurance and financial services, including auto, motorcycle, boat, homeowners, life, farm, commercial insurance, administrative services, annuities, mortgages, mutual funds, pensions, long-term savings plans and health and productivity services. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com