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Transparency and Industry Specialization: Keys to Securing Insurance for Hotel Operators

By Josh Cavallin Principal, Oakbridge Insurance | December 2024

As the hospitality industry evolves, securing comprehensive and cost-effective insurance for hotel operators has become increasingly complex. The dynamic nature of risks associated with hotels, from liability and property damage to data breaches, makes insurance a critical operating component. An increasingly litigious society only exacerbates matters. Additionally, with this growing need comes a challenging landscape in which standard insurance solutions often fall short. To effectively navigate this market, two essential factors emerge as fundamental: transparency and industry specialization.

Understanding the Insurance Landscape for Hotels

In the complex landscape of the hospitality industry, securing adequate insurance coverage is paramount for hotel operators. Hotels face a variety of risks that set them apart from other businesses. Insurance is not a one-size-fits-all solution; it requires a specific understanding of the unique challenges faced by hotel operators. Hotels operate around the clock, host a large number of guests and employees, and must maintain stringent standards for safety and security. Here are some common risks the hospitality sector is faced with:

Liability Risks: With a high volume of guests, hotels are at risk of liability claims arising from accidents or injuries on the premises. Hotels are legally responsible for guest injuries, property damage and ensuring guest safety within their premises.
Property Risks: Hotels are high-value properties, which can suffer from fire, water damage, theft, vandalism or natural disasters. Damage repair can be expensive as can loss of use.
Cybersecurity Risks: As hotels increasingly rely on technology for bookings and guest services, they become targets for cyberattacks. With the vast amount of sensitive guest information stored electronically, hotels are highly vulnerable to data breaches and cyberattacks.
Regulatory/Operational Risks: Compliance with local laws and regulations can expose hotels to fines and penalties. Any unexpected disruption to normal operations, such as mechanical failure, pandemic, labor strikes or local government closures can lead to severe loss of income.

The complex nature of these risks means that hotel operators must secure adequate insurance protection to protect their assets and continue operations in case of an unforeseen event. Given this multifaceted risk environment, hotel operators must collaborate closely with insurance professionals who understand these intricacies. To bridge the gaps that traditional insurance packages fail to cover, transparency and industry specialization are crucial.

Transparency: Building Trust and Reducing Costs

Transparency is critical in the insurance process, allowing hotel operators, insurance brokers and insurers to build trusting relationships through open communication. By fostering transparency, hotel operators can help brokers and insurers better understand the unique risks and management strategies specific to their properties. This, in turn, allows insurers to accurately assess the risk, potentially lowering premiums and broadening the scope of coverage. The key components of a transparent approach include:

1. Open Communication

Hotel operators must be transparent about their operations, including:

Occupancy Rates: Understanding how full a hotel is can provide a better understanding of the likelihood of claims. Also, insight into how empty a hotel is can demonstrate how the hotel may be in financial trouble.
Safety Measures: Hotels should disclose the safety protocols in place, such as fire safety systems, security measures and employee training programs.
Loss History: Disclosing all past claims allows insurers to assess risk more accurately and offer appropriate coverage. It can also reveal problem areas in operations or the physical plant that can be more quickly addressed to reduce future risk.

By maintaining open lines of communication, hotel operators can ensure that brokers and insurers have a complete understanding of their operations, leading to better-tailored insurance solutions.

2. Risk Assessment and Disclosure

Transparency begins with a thorough and honest risk assessment. Hotel operators must provide detailed information on their operations, safety protocols and risk management practices. For example, if a hotel has implemented rigorous fire safety measures, such as sprinkler systems, smoke detectors and regular fire drills, disclosing this information can lead to a favorable underwriting outcome.

Transparency also extends to prior claims history. Many hotel operators hesitate to disclose past claims, fearing higher premiums. However, withholding such information can backfire, as brokers and insurers rely on accurate data to assess risk. By providing a complete picture of their risk profile, hotel operators can build credibility with brokers and insurers, making it easier to negotiate favorable terms.

3. Data Sharing and Technological Advancements

In a digital age, data is crucial for accurate underwriting. Hotels generate a vast amount of data from guest bookings, loyalty programs, safety protocols and maintenance logs. By sharing this data with brokers and insurers, hotels can demonstrate their commitment to risk management. For instance, data on the frequency of inspections for kitchen appliances, roofing, HVAC systems and elevators can provide brokers and insurers with insights into operational risks, potentially leading to lower premiums.

Some hotels have adopted smart technologies, such as IoT sensors, to monitor potential risks and casualties in real-time. For example, sensors can detect water leaks before they cause significant damage. Sharing this proactive approach to risk management with brokers and insurers can highlight a hotel’s commitment to minimizing loss, thereby strengthening its negotiating position.

4. Customized Policies Through Transparency

Transparency also enables tailored insurance policies. By communicating the specific risk a hotel faces, operators can work with brokers and insurers to tailor policies that meet their needs. For example, a beachside resort may require more comprehensive natural disaster coverage than a hotel in a rural setting in middle Georgia. Hotels with large conference centers or event halls may need specialized coverage for event liability. Similarly, properties with recreational amenities such as pools, waterslides and gyms will need to assess the risk they introduce and report accordingly.

Underwriters are often willing to accommodate unique needs when hotel operators are transparent about their risks and requirements. This can lead to insurers offering or bundling a package that could eliminate the need for additional policies, thus reducing overall costs. Importantly, risk transparency establishes educates all parties and establishes trust between the operator and their insurance team.

The Role of Industry Specialization

In addition to transparency, industry specialization is a critical factor in securing insurance for hotel operators. Brokers that specialize in hospitality are more equipped to understand the unique challenges and risks faced by hotels.

1. Specialized Knowledge of Hotel-Specific Risks

Specialized brokers understand that hotels face unique risks compared to other businesses. They are more likely to recognize the nuances of guest safety, food and beverage liability as well as event liability. A broker with hospitality experience will also understand the importance of brand reputation, allowing for a more direct carrier path.

2. Customized Policy Offerings

Industry-specialized insurers offer products designed specifically for hotels. These policies often contain the following:

Pollution Liability
Innkeeper Liability
Loss of Attraction Coverage
Event Cancellation Coverage
Cyber insurance
Employment Practices Liability Insurance
Liquor Liability
Business Interruption Coverage

These customized policies allow hotel operators to access comprehensive coverage, ensuring they are protected against the full spectrum of risks.

3. Access to a Network of Hospitality Experts and Risk Management Resources

Niche brokers often have a network of experts who can assist with risk management. They might know or partner with security consultants, cyber risk experts, roofers, mitigation companies or legal advisors who understand the hotel industry’s specific challenges. This type of network can often provide hotel operators with access to preventative resources that reduce the likelihood of a claim, ultimately lowering insurance costs.

In addition, many industry-specialized policies and/or programs offer risk assessment services as part of their policy. By conducting on-site inspections post or pre-binding, brokers and insurers can help hotel operators identify any potential hazards and implement measures to reduce risk. This proactive behavior enhances safety and fosters a stronger relationship between the hotel operator, broker and insurer.

4. Navigating Regulatory Compliance

Hotel operators face various regulatory requirements, from health and safety rules, franchise standards to data protection regulations. A specialized broker is more familiar with these regulations and can help ensure that the policies are compliant with local laws and franchise requirements.

5. Claims Handling

Brokers and insurers familiar with the hospitality sector understand the urgency and complexity of hotel operations. They understand the operators’ ongoing need to fill rooms and provide adequate, safe lodging for guests. This can result in expedited claims processes, ensuring that hotel operators receive timely support when they need it most.

A Collaborative Path to Optimal Coverage

As hotel operators navigate the complexities of modern insurance coverage, transparency and industry specialization are invaluable. Through open communication with brokers and insurers, hotel operators can secure comprehensive coverage that addresses their specific risks.

This collaborative approach will improve both the scope and quality of coverage while improving cost-efficiency. Transparency and industry specialization form the foundation for a superior insurance strategy that allows hotel operators to focus on their primary goal: delivering superior guest experiences while safeguarding their businesses against unforeseen challenges.

For hotel operators seeking to secure optimal insurance solutions, embracing these principles can be the key to staying competitive and protected in a complex and challenging risk environment.

Mr. Cavallin

Josh Cavallin leads Oakbridge's hospitality sales efforts where he provides clients with an exceptional level of service as well as insurance and risk management solutions designed to reduce premium costs. Over the years, he has built a significant book of business in a challenging and dynamic market with a focus on risk management solutions for clients which enable them to operate profitably. An industry leader, Mr. Cavallin is well-regarded for his insight and knowledge of hospitality's most pressing issues and, due to his and his team's insistence on outstanding customer service and best-in-class solutions, he has one of the company's highest client retention rates. He began his career in 2002 and has grown his book of hospitality business to one of the largest in the nation. Mr. Cavallin is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He and his family live in the Atlanta area and he supports his community through several church-based outreach programs.

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The following is the Privacy Policy for HotelExecutive

We can be reached via telephone, email, or online at our contact page. When you visit our site we do not log any information regarding your domain or email address. Information Sharing: We do not share user information with any third parties other than via press release distribution as described below.

Hotel Newswire is a newswire service that distributes press releases on behalf of our users. If you decide to submit a press release for distribution through our system we will transmit your entire press release including any personal information therein contained to our media contacts and online distribution points including search engines. This is the only redistribution of your information that we engage in. Your submission of press releases through our system indicates consent with this policy. The information we collect during your registration process is used to notify users about updates to our service and inform users of any special events hosted by Hotel Newswire. This information is not shared with other organizations for commercial or non-commercial purposes.

Cookies: Our system requires the use of cookies to enable the user to log back into our website to access information from the newswire, without having to log in each time using the required username and password.

If you do not want to receive email from us in the future, please let us know by following instructions included in our communication with you. Users who supply us with telephone numbers online may receive telephone contact from us regarding their account, or informing them of new products and services available on the HotelExecutive website. If you do not wish to receive such telephone calls, please edit your account and remove your phone number from your account profile. This can be done from your user account menu.

Ad Servers: We do not partner with or have any relationship with any ad server companies. From time to time, we may use customer information for new uses not previously disclosed in our privacy notice. If our information practices change at any time, we will post the policy changes to our website to notify you of these changes and provide you with the ability to opt out of these new uses. If you are concerned about how your information is used, you should check back at our website periodically.

Upon request we provide site visitors with access to all information (including proprietary information) that we maintain about them. Users can access this information by logging in to their account.

Security: We always use industry-standard encryption technologies while transferring and receiving user data exchanged with our site. We have appropriate security measures in place in our physical facilities to protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of information that we have collected from you on our site. We do not store credit card information in our systems.

If you feel that this site is not following its stated information policy, you may contact us.