Running a hotel or guest house can present many challenges and risks that can be lessened by effective insurance cover. You need cover that will protect your customers and guests, your staff and your business which can include liability cover, personal effects and business interruption. There are a variety of insurance providers that offer hotel and guest house insurance, which we have outlined below.
The table below gives a quick comparison of the top UK providers for hotels and guesthouses insurance.
| Company | Minimum cover | Maximum cover |
|---|---|---|
| RSA | £2 million | Not stated |
| AXA | Not stated | £10 million |
| Direct Line Group | Not stated | Not stated |
| Zurich | Not stated | £5 million |
| Lloyds Bank | Not stated | Not stated |
| Liberty Mutual | Not stated | Not stated |
| Chubb | Not stated | Not stated |
| NIG | Not stated | Not stated |
| ARO Insurance | £2 million | £10 million |
| Touchstone Underwriting Limited | Not stated | £10 million |
* The facts and figures included here come from each company’s website and were accurate at the time of writing but may have since changed. Also, please keep in mind these may not be apples to apples comparisons as each provider offers different solutions. This guide should be used as a starting off point for more research on your part.
Below we profile each of the companies’ services and features in a bit more detail.
Note companies are ranked in no particular order and this no way indicates one solution is better than another.
Topics
1. RSA
Some of the features and benefits of RSA’s hotels and guest houses insurance.
- Pub, Restaurants and Hotels Insurance
- Designed for small hotels with less than 6 rooms
- Competitive package
- Contents and stock cover
- Public, product and employer’s liability cover
- Cover for frozen and chilled food
- Guests’ personal effects
- Business interruption cover
- Includes outside furniture
- 24-hour helpline
RSA is an insurance provider that offers a range of business insurance products that cater for a variety of specific professions and trades with tailored cover. Their product range includes hospitality insurance such as Pubs, Restaurants and Hotels Insurance.
RSA’s Pubs, Restaurants and Hotels Insurance is designed specifically for small hotels with under 6 rooms. Their cover includes liability cover of £2 million as standard, contents, stock, guests’ personal effects, all risks for goods in transit, frozen and chilled food, loss of licence and business interruption. Optional extra cover includes buildings cover, proprietors’ personal effects, personal accident and legal expenses.
2. AXA
Some of the features and benefits of AXA’s hotels and guest houses insurance.
- Commercial property insurance
- Includes cover for hotels
- Buildings, fixtures and fittings
- All risks cover
- Business interruption
- Stock and cash on premises
- Guests’ personal effects
- Liability protection
- Legal expenses
- 24-hour legal helpline
AXA is an insurance provider that offers a variety of business insurance products which includes a range of commercial property insurance that is designed to protect shops, offices, surgeries, hotels and people working from home.
AXA’s commercial property insurance for hotels offers cover for buildings, fixtures and fittings, all risks cover, business interruption, stock and cash on premises, guests’ personal effects, public and product liability up to £5 million, employer’s liability up to £10 million, and legal expenses. Their cover also includes your gardens and car parks, seasonal fluctuations in stock, and protects your business from an income shortfall resulting from a fire, flood or forced entry.
3. Direct Line Group
Some of the features and benefits of Direct Line Group’s hotels and guest houses insurance.
- Bed and Breakfast and Guest House Insurance
- Hotel Insurance
- Covers accommodation with up to 12 rooms
- Public and products liability
- Business contents and stock cover
- Business interruption insurance
- Employer’s liability
- Buildings insurance
- Guests’ personal effects
- Legal expenses
Direct Line offers a range of business insurance products that are designed to meet the needs of a variety of SME businesses with products are tailored to their requirements. Their hospitality insurance range includes Bed and Breakfast and Guest House Insurance and Hotel Insurance.
Direct Line’s B&B and Guest House Insurance and Hotel Insurance provides cover for up to 12 rooms with their standard cover providing protection for business contents and stock as well as guests’ personal effects. They also offer a range of optional cover which includes public, products and employer’s liability, business interruption, buildings insurance, theft of takings and legal expenses.
4. Zurich
Some of the features and benefits of Zurich’s hotels and guest houses insurance.
- Sport, Leisure and Entertainment Insurance
- Suitable for hotels and accommodation providers
- Material damage all risks
- Business interruption
- Public and product liability
- Employer’s liability
- Money cover
- Goods in transit
- Cyber protection
- Available through a broker
Zurich is an insurance provider that offers a variety of business insurance products which are tailored to meet the needs of specific industries or insurance needs that they provide through brokers. Their insurance products include an insurance package tailored for Sport, Leisure and Entertainment Insurance which provides cover for hotels and accommodation businesses amongst other businesses.
Zurich’s Sport, Leisure and Entertainment Insurance offers a variety of protection for accommodation providers which includes material damage for property, contents and stock, business interruption, public and product liability up to £5 million, employer’s liability up to £5 million, money cover, goods in transit and cyber protection cover.
5. Lloyds Bank
Some of the features and benefits of Lloyds Bank’s hotels and guest houses insurance.
- Hotel and Guest House Insurance
- Tailored cover
- Buildings and contents
- Stock deterioration
- Business interruption
- Public liability
- Employer’s liability
- Competitive cover
- Apply online or over the phone
- Provided in partnership with Arthur J Gallagher
Lloyds Bank is a financial provider that offers a range of business insurance products in partnership with Arthur J Gallagher. Their range of insurance products are designed to meet the needs of a variety of trades and professions from small businesses to large corporations. Their products include hospitality insurance such as Hotel and Guest House Insurance.
Lloyds Bank’s Hotel and Guest House Insurance offers a variety of tailored cover including buildings, glass cover, contents, stock, stock deterioration, business interruption, public liability and employer’s liability. It can also include guests’ personal effects, and loss of licence amongst other covers.
6. Liberty Mutual
Some of the features and benefits of Liberty Mutual’s hotels and guest houses insurance.
- Hospitality Insurance
- Designed of accommodation businesses
- Protects your guests, staff and property
- Tailored policies
- Property cover
- Commercial auto cover
- Workers compensation
- Also offer Innkeepers’ Insurance and Liquor Liability Insurance
- Offers risk control resources to help reduce risk
- Available through an independent agent or broker
Liberty Mutual is an insurance provider that offers a range of business insurance products which help protect businesses from a variety of risks and claims. Their product range includes Hospitality Insurance which is designed to meet the needs of boutique hotels, company-owned or franchised hotels, conference centres, destination resorts and private-label properties.
Liberty Mutual’s Hospitality Insurance provides a variety of business protection cover with their tailored policies which cover your guest, staff and property. Their cover offers property cover, commercial auto cover and workers compensation. They can also provide Innkeepers’ Insurance and Liquor Liability Insurance. They offer to support your business in reducing risk through their risk control resources.
7. Chubb
Some of the features and benefits of Chubb’s hotels and guest houses insurance.
- Dedicated hotel cover
- Flexible cover
- Caters for mid to larger corporate hoteliers
- Property cover
- Business interruption
- Employer’s liability
- Public liability
- Alternative accommodation for guests
- Individually assess risk
- Experienced underwriters
Chubb is an insurance provider and underwriter who offers a variety of business insurance products covering a broad spectrum of industries. They provide hotel insurance that is designed for mid to larger corporate hoteliers.
Chubb’s hotel insurance provides standard cover which includes property, business interruption, public and employer’s liability. They also provide industry-specific cover which includes alternative accommodation for guests, customers’ personal effects, theft, treatment risk, Legionella, manslaughter defence costs, notifiable disease cover and environmental liability. They also provide worldwide jurisdiction cover. Their expert underwriters will individually assess your risks and create a policy that meets your needs.
8. NIG
Some of the features and benefits of NIG’s hotels and guest houses insurance.
- Hotel and Leisure Combined Insurance
- Tailored cover
- Material damage
- Personal effects
- Outside catering
- Business interruption
- Public and product liability
- Employer’s liability
- Legal expenses
- Alternative accommodation costs
NIG is an insurance provider that offers a broad range of business insurance products which includes products that are designed specifically for certain trades and professions. Their commercial combined product range includes Hotel and Leisure Combined Insurance.
NIG’s Hotel and Leisure Combined Insurance is a tailored policy that provides cover for guests, staff and the business. They cover material damage which includes third party storage sites, loss of rent, personal effects for customers, guests and employees up to £10,000, and outside catering cover for stock and contents. They also include public, products and employer’s liability, business interruption and legal expenses.
9. ARO Insurance
Some of the features and benefits of ARO Insurance’s hotels and guest houses insurance.
- Retail Package insurance
- Suitable for hotels
- Material damage
- Contents, fixtures and fittings
- Business interruption
- Glass breakage
- Employer’s liability up to £10 million
- Public and products liability up to £5 million
- Property in transit
- Offers a range of optional cover
ARO Insurance is an insurance provider that specialises in covering businesses that are in the property or retail sectors. Their retail insurance package covers a variety of businesses including hotels, catering, public houses, retail, hair and beauty.
ARO Insurance’s Retail Package covers stock, material damage, contents, fixtures and fittings, business interruption, glass breakage, property in transit, money and frozen foods. It also covers liability insurance with products and public liability of £2 million extendable to £5 million and employer’s liability at £10 million. Their optional cover includes buildings and tenants, loss of licence, theft by employee, business machinery all risks and terrorism.
10. Touchstone Underwriting Limited
Some of the features and benefits of Touchstone Underwriting Limited’s hotels and guest houses insurance.
- Hospitality and Leisure Insurance
- Hotel cover
- Restaurants, Takeaways, Pubs and Guest Houses cover
- Caters for individual or multi-location businesses
- Employer’s liability of £10 million
- Public and products liability of £2 million
- Goods in transit
- Business interruption
- Money cover
- Offers a range of additional cover
Touchstone Underwriting is an insurance underwriter who offers a range of business insurance products through a network of brokers. Their products range includes hospitality and leisure insurance such as Hotel cover and Restaurants, Takeaways, Pubs and Guest Houses cover.
Touchstone Underwriting’s Restaurants, Takeaways, Pubs and Guest Houses cover is designed for individual or multi-locations and offers liability cover, goods in transit, business interruption, money, stock deterioration and loss of licence which also offers extended cover. Their Hotel insurance provides a wide range of cover including kitchen related cover, outside catering, theft, professional indemnity, disease and infestations, loss of income, loss of attraction, crisis management and legal expenses.