had protocols in place

[Vector7]

Подскажите, пож-та, как понять выражение had protocols in place в следующем контексте:
To insulate itself from interest-rate fluctuations a decade ago Countrywide Financial Corp. began diversifying into business segments outside its core mortgage lending practice.

Now it's one of Countrywide's diversification steps, Balboa Insurance Group Inc., that makes the company susceptible to the destruction inflicted on the Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina.

The Calabasas-based company announced last week that Katrina's impact would "not be insignificant" and losses--mostly from its insurance division--could top the $70 million from the entire 2005 hurricane season. Countrywide's insurance operation, which started out offering homeowners' insurance, now offers a broad range of services. Katrina is expected to have its biggest impact on Countrywide's homeowners and reinsurance insurance operations.

Stanford L. Kurland, Countrywide's president and chief operating officer, said in a statement that the company had protocols in place to assess the damage but its inspectors were still unable to access areas to determine the extent of the toll.

"While the financial impact of Hurricane Katrina to Countrywide is not determinable at present, we believe it will not be insignificant," Kurland said. "Management believes, however, that the company is well-positioned to effectively manage the consequences of this natural disaster."

Estimates of what the private insurance sector could be facing from Katrina range from $40 to $60 billion--which would make it one of the worst natural disasters the country has ever faced.
Заранее спасибо.

[ksyusha123]

... отметил в своем заявлении, что Компания приступила к оценке ущерба в установленном порядке, однако инспектора, высланные на места для определения размеров ущерба, до сих пор не смогли туда добраться.