Hospitality insurance, who will it protect?

Running a public business can come with a number of great responsibilities – whether you’re providing a service, leisure, food or drink, you legally have a duty of care to your customers on the basis that you could be held responsible for any accidents or illnesses that may incur on your premises as a result of your products or service.  Furthermore, it’s also important to remember that, while we don’t like the worst to happen, there is no sure fire way of protecting your business or your livelihood against incidents, accidents or even malicious attacks that could put you out of work for a considerable amount of time.

This is where hospitality insurance comes in. Think of it as a safety net against the elements – should your business need to close down for any period of time due to circumstances beyond your control, the right hospitality insurance policy will ensure that you don’t lose out on any potential earnings – providing, of course, you meet a certain set of criteria.  In addition to this, in the event of a legal challenge or loss of earnings or products, you can be assured of financial backing and support so that you aren’t left scraping the bottom of your bank balance for pennies to fund the absolute worst case scenario.  But this of course begs the question – is hospitality insurance right for you and your business, and how can I be sure that I am covered?

What is Hospitality?

‘Hospitality’ is an umbrella term that essentially covers a wide range of public services in the leisure industry – from restaurants and cafés to bars and hotels – essentially, if you are providing hospitality to customers – that is, if you are offering room, board or meals and drinks, you are liable for ensuring that their stay or experience is both satisfactory and certain to avoid bringing them harm.  Hospitality, in a word, requires you to be hospitable – to offer guests rooms, food and refreshment for a fee – based on prices you set and terms that you make clear to patrons as they enter your establishment.

Hotels, public houses, wine bars and even delis all hold this umbrella term in common – but as they are all, ultimately, very different forms of public hospitality, it is wise to look into buying the correct insurance package for your area of business.  After all, the coverage that may work for a bar or pub may not necessarily stretch so far for a hotel or restaurant.  Essentially, if you are providing a service to customers in the form of accommodation and/or food and refreshment, you are part of the hospitality industry – and hospitality insurance will make sure that you are protected financially at all times.

For more information on the different types of hospitality insurance available through Baslow Insurance, simply call us today on 01629 813897 or email us via our web form – and one of our team will be back in touch with you as soon as possible.