Don't store anything in your basement that is important (files, etc.).
Make sure you maintain the sump pit. If it has any mud / debris in it, clean it out with a wet/dry vac. If the next hard rain brings in more than a trace amount of debris, have someone camera your drain tile, since part of it is letting the mud in. The mud will foul up the pump and / or switch, and the drainage system won't be working properly.
Make sure you have a cover on your sump pit to keep toys / etc. from rolling in and interfering with the switch. I've known several folks who have had their basement flood because either a stray toy kept the float switch from engaging the pump, or it kept the pump from turning off, and burned it out.
Don't overbuy a pump. If you need a 1/3 HP pump, don't buy a 3/4 HP thinking it is better. It will just short-cycle and burn out more quickly.
Personally, I have a spare full-size sump pump ready to swap out if the installed one fails, as well as a battery backup pump. I don't have high hopes of the battery backup keeping up with a torrential rain, but I figure it might buy me enough time to get important things in the basement out of harm's way. A plumber told me that by the time the water level would kick the backup pump on, chances are I'd already have water coming up through the basement floor. Luckily I haven't found out if he was correct.
Check with your insurance policy to see what level of stormwater backup coverage you have if the sump pump fails. The default is usually zero. If you have a finished basement, it costs a lot to have a service company come in and rip out the soggy carpet, do the flood cut of the drywall, and repair the damage. I've been in two neighbors flooded basements with water up to my knees from the same storm (both had sump pump failures). One had adequate insurance, the other had a really low limit. Want to guess which one considers the flood a non-issue?
