Running a hotel means taking responsibility for your guests, your staff, and a property that earns revenue every day it is open – standard business insurance is rarely built for risks like these.

Hotels face risks that go far beyond a standard commercial policy. High guest numbers, food and drink operations, swimming pools, events and significant daily room revenue all combine to create exposures that a generalist insurer rarely understands.

Ellis David has access to over 100 UK-based insurers and over 50 years in business. Our team works with you to create hotel insurance that works for you.
A tailored insurance policy from Ellis David combines buildings insurance, contents insurance, business interruption cover, public and products liability, employers’ liability and legal expenses cover, alongside additional protection for the specific risks your business faces. As an FCA-regulated insurance broker, we work with over 100 insurers to help you find a policy that provides the right level of protection for your circumstances, rather than relying on a standard policy designed for a generic business.

Key features:

Hotel Buildings Insurance

Cover for your building against fire, storm, flood, escape of water, impact and other forms of property damage – including listed status, period features and specialist kitchens.

Hotel Contents Insurance

Cover for bedroom furnishings, kitchen and bar equipment, stock, money on the premises and guest property.

Your cover should accurately reflect the cost of replacing these items following an insured event.

Business Interruption

Protects your lost revenue and gross profit if an insured event stops you trading.

We can help you assess the right indemnity period – often two or three years for a complex hotel claim.

Public and Products Liability Cover

What if a guest slipped on a wet floor, was injured at an event, or became unwell after food or drink you served?

We offer comprehensive cover against claims made against your hotel.

What does Hotel Insurance cover?

A typical Hotel Insurance policy will include:

Employers’ Liability
A legal requirement if you employ permanent, part-time, seasonal, temporary or agency staff. Covers you if an employee is injured, or worse, as a result of working for you.

Public Liability
Protects you if a guest, visitor or other third party is injured or has property damaged as a result of your business activities, including weddings, conferences and events.
Buildings and Contents Cover
Hotels can hold large volumes of furniture, kitchen equipment and stock. If your building or its contents were damaged or destroyed, could you afford to replace everything at once? Cover can be arranged for listed and period features too.
Legal Expenses
Covers eligible legal costs arising from disputes, employment matters, contractual issues or regulatory investigations.
Loss of Licence, Terrorism, Cyber and Employee Dishonesty
Additional specialist cover can be arranged depending on your property and operations.

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We can tailor a policy to suit your needs so that you have all the correct cover in place.

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    Hotel Insurance FAQs

    What does hotel insurance cover?

    Hotel insurance can protect your building, contents, stock, income and liabilities against a range of insured risks. Depending on your business and policy, cover can include hotel buildings insurance, contents insurance, business interruption, public and products liability, employers’ liability, legal expenses, accidental damage and additional specialist covers.

    What types of accommodation businesses can you arrange hotel insurance for?

    We can arrange insurance for a wide range of accommodation businesses, including hotels, boutique hotels, country house hotels, guest houses, B&Bs and inns. Your policy can be tailored around the size of your property, number of guests, services provided, employees and individual risk profile.

    Do I need specialist hotel insurance?

    Specialist hotel insurance can be important because accommodation businesses face risks that may not be adequately addressed by a standard business insurance policy. Guests, food and drink operations, high property values, employees, events and reliance on daily room revenue can all create additional exposures that need to be considered.

    How much does hotel insurance cost?

    The cost of hotel insurance varies depending on factors such as the property’s rebuild value, contents, annual turnover, number of bedrooms, location, claims history, activities and level of insurance cover required. We can assess your circumstances and help you find the right level of cover rather than simply choosing a standard policy.

    Does hotel insurance cover the building?

    Yes, hotel buildings insurance can cover the structure of your property against insured events such as fire, flood, storm, escape of water and other forms of property damage. The building should be insured for its full reinstatement value, including professional fees, demolition and debris removal and specialist or period features where applicable.

    How do I calculate the rebuild value of my hotel?

    The rebuild value should represent the full cost of reinstating your hotel to its existing specification, rather than its market value. This should account for construction costs, professional fees and specialist features, with listed and period properties requiring particular care when establishing the correct buildings sum insured.

    What does hotel contents insurance cover?

    Hotel contents insurance can cover furniture, furnishings, kitchen equipment, bar equipment, stock, supplies, business equipment and other contents used to operate your property. Depending on the policy, cover may also be available for money on the premises, guest property and employees’ personal possessions.

    What is business interruption insurance for hotels?

    Business interruption insurance protects your hotel’s income following an insured event that prevents or restricts you from trading. It can cover lost revenue or gross profit and certain additional increased costs while your property is being repaired or rebuilt, helping you continue meeting expenses such as wages and finance costs.

    How long should my business interruption indemnity period be?

    There is no single period that is right for every hotel, but twelve months may not be sufficient for a complex property. Rebuilding, obtaining planning or listed building consent, sourcing specialist contractors and rebuilding occupancy can take considerably longer, so some hotels may require an indemnity period of two or three years.

    Does hotel insurance include public liability?

    Public liability insurance can be included to protect your business if a guest, visitor or other third party suffers injury or property damage as a result of your business activities. The appropriate level of cover will depend on factors such as your guest numbers, premises, activities and events.

    Do hotels need employers’ liability insurance?

    If you employ staff, employers’ liability insurance is generally a legal requirement. Hotel insurance can provide employers’ liability cover for your workforce, which may include permanent, part-time, seasonal, temporary and agency employees, subject to the policy terms.

    Does hotel insurance cover food poisoning?

    Products liability cover can provide protection against claims arising from products supplied by your hotel, including food and drink. This can be particularly important where a guest alleges they became ill or suffered an injury because of something served or supplied by the business.

    Can hotel insurance cover weddings and private events?

    Yes. If your hotel hosts weddings, corporate events, conferences or private functions, these activities should be disclosed when arranging your policy. Your public liability and other insurance cover can then be structured to reflect the additional risks associated with hosting events.

    Can you insure a listed or period hotel?

    Yes. Listed and period hotels can be insured, but they often require more specialist consideration because reinstatement may involve traditional materials, specialist trades, planning requirements and conservation restrictions. The building sum insured should reflect the true cost of reinstatement rather than its market value.

    Can hotel insurance cover loss of licence?

    Loss of licence cover may be available where your hotel relies on a premises licence for its bar, restaurant or events business. This can help protect against certain financial losses arising from the loss, suspension or restriction of a licence, subject to the terms and conditions of the policy.

    Can I add terrorism, cyber or employee dishonesty cover?

    Additional specialist insurance can often be arranged depending on your circumstances. Terrorism insurance, cyber cover and employee dishonesty cover can provide protection against risks that may otherwise leave a hotel exposed to significant property damage, financial losses or operational disruption.

    How do I get hotel insurance quotes?

    To arrange hotel insurance quotes, we will need to understand your property, operations, turnover, staff, activities and existing insurance arrangements. Our specialist team can then help identify the appropriate cover and level of protection for your hotel and circumstances. Fill out the form below, and our team will be in touch to discuss your options.