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In these challenging times with the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent rioting, these tense times should have restaurant and bar owners strongly considering the levels of insurance coverage they have. It is important for businesses that sell and serve alcohol, employ bouncers, or have heavy foot traffic to have insurance coverage for assault and battery. As Mark Trombly, vice president of marketing for Hospitality Insurance, describes it, “Assault and battery coverage is a specialized insurance that covers physical harm that someone suffers when they are attacked by another person.”

Hospitality Insurance Group offers coverage as an endorsement with four other coverage limits because some businesses may not want it or some may not need as much coverage as others. This way, you know exactly what you are paying for in your policy. Assault and battery coverage will pay for medical costs, legal fees, and settlement costs when a claim occurs.

While the person who causes the injury is usually responsible for the claim, the bar or restaurant may be held responsible for a number of reasons. They may be responsible due to overservice of alcohol, for asking or forcing a patron to leave the restaurant or bar where injury can occur, or when a staff member sees an incident and does not interfere to stop it from happening. Assault and battery coverage can also cover areas outside of the business such as alleyways, parking lots, and sidewalks.

The best and easiest way to see if your business has the right coverage is to talk to an independent insurance agent who represents Hospitality Insurance Group.

The opinions expressed are the views of the author alone and should not be attributed to any other individual or entity and shall not constitute a legal opinion.

Protect Your Guests, Staff, and Business by Posting Your Policy

Learning that an intoxicated patron was involved in a car accident can be one of the most uneasy feelings a restaurant or bar owner could experience. Now that we are closer to the holidays, Hospitality Insurance Group urges business owners to have a Service of Alcohol policy in place to help prevent alcohol-related incidents.

Sandra Haley, Sr. Vice President of Underwriting and Marketing, explained that insurers understand that guests could get disorderly and suggests that having an alcohol serving policy in place can help diffuse some situations.

“Staff can avoid confrontations with patrons about overserving them if you have an alcohol serving policy posted in your establishment,” she said. “Not only does it support your employees, it also lets patrons know that you are watching them.”

The policy should also provide procedures on how to deal with people who have had too much to drink, Haley explained. It is important for business owners and bartenders to understand that following the policy is instrumental in preventing incidents that could lead to bodily injury, property damage, or death.

“The cost of overserving someone goes far beyond the extra dollars you’re going to collect,” Haley said, adding, “it is never worth the risk.”

Establishments, she says, could also face fines from the Alcohol Commission, risk losing their license, and damage their reputation because of overserving. Another cost to consider is the increase in the business owner’s insurance premium. “Insurance companies look at claims that occurred at the establishment and premiums are determined by the establishment’s experience,” Haley said.

Business owners that would like more guidance on creating their own Service of Alcohol policy should speak with their insurance agent. To make sure you are protecting your business from every threat this season, ask your insurance agent about a policy from Hospitality Insurance Group.

The opinions expressed are the views of the author alone and should not be attributed to any other individual or entity and shall not constitute a legal opinion.

Business owners who serve or sell alcohol might have heard about the Dram Shop Act. It is a law in more than three dozen states, including all of New England, that holds businesses liable if an intoxicated patron injures anyone inside or outside of the establishment. While laws may vary from state by state, Hospitality Insurance Group aims to shed light on what business owners should know about Dram Shop laws.

“The Draw Shop Act is going to indicate liability if someone is overserved, and what happens if an establishment serves a minor,” said Sandra Haley, Sr. Vice President of Underwriting and Marketing. “Any business that is underinsured takes the risk that if the insurance doesn’t pay for the claim, they will have to come up with that money.”

More than 40 states currently have Dram Shop laws, and the primary differences between states could be significant. In one state, Haley says, the statute of limitations could be six years. In those states, insurance experts recommend that restaurant owners hold on to evidence for longer. Other differences in state liquor laws could be limitations on the amount that could be claimed or whether courts will consider contributory negligence in legal defenses.

There are several reasons, Haley says, that restaurant owners will want to check in with their insurance agent. “Every year, something changes. Legal judgements have increased through the years, people are held more responsible today than they were years ago,” Haley said. “Businesses can stay up to date on their state’s liquor laws by either asking their insurance agent or by contacting their insurance company.”

Hospitality Insurance Group specializes in liquor liability coverage. Our underwriters are knowledgeable about the unique risks that businesses in the hospitality industry face. Make sure you have the right amount of protection, and ask your insurance agent about coverage through Hospitality Insurance Group.

The opinions expressed are the views of the author alone and should not be attributed to any other individual or entity and shall not constitute a legal opinion.

Liquor-related incidents have the potential to close any established restaurant or
bar, magnifying the significance of having a liquor liability insurance policy. While
this insurance policy covers a wide range of incidents, Hospitality Insurance Group
urges business owners to evaluate whether they need the added protection that is
offered by having the optional assault and battery coverage.

“A liquor liability policy is a policy that anybody who serves alcohol or sells alcohol
should have purchased,” said Sandra Haley, Senior Vice President of Underwriting
and Marketing at Hospitality Insurance Group. “Assault and battery is going to
provide coverage when there is a fight in your establishment.”

The standard liquor liability policy covers losses related to bodily injury or property
damage when it is caused by an individual who was served too much alcohol. In
other words, Haley says, this coverage would cover the losses resulting from
someone who accidentally injured themselves or others because they had too much
to drink.

Restaurant owners could face legal trouble if that is the only liquor-related coverage
they purchased, Haley added. She says assault and battery coverage would be
invaluable, for example, if your bouncer or doorman accidentally injures a patron
when they were asking them to leave. It would also cover losses if your guest
started a fight with another guest.

Assault and battery coverage is often overlooked, she says, because business
owners might assume that incidents involving ‘intended injury’ is covered under
general liability or liquor liability coverage. “Typically, the standard liquor liability
policy does not include assault and battery coverage. It is typically offered to
establishments as an optional coverage,” Haley said.

For businesses insured through Hospitality Insurance Group, Haley explained that
restaurant owners will now have options when their policy renews. “We always sold
it, however, it was very confusing because it wasn’t covered in one form,” Haley
said. “You will now be able to decide whether you want to purchase assault and
battery coverage, and if you do, at what limit you would like to purchase it.”

These updates reinforce the need for businesses to evaluate their insurance policy
every year, Haley added. If you are up for a renewal, consider asking your
insurance agent about switching to Hospitality Insurance Group for your liquor
liability insurance needs.

Contributed by Hospitality Insurance Group, Southboro, MA | www.hmic.com

The opinions expressed are the views of the author alone and should not be attributed to any other individual or entity and shall not constitute a legal opinion.

Restaurants and bars face a litany of general liability risks that are often overlooked. It could be the spiraling staircase or the featured dish of the week that increases a business’ risk for general liability claims. As part of an ongoing series to help business owners in the hospitality industry prevent losses, Hospitality Insurance Group is highlighting the common risks that could make businesses insolvent.

“Well run businesses with processes and procedures will always save money,” said Richard E. Welch Jr., President & CEO of Hospitality Insurance Group. Welch suggests working with an insurer that understands the risks a restaurant or bar might encounter to receive the proper general liability coverage needed.

“General liability coverage is designed to protect businesses from the liabilities that generally come up in the course of business for a bar or restaurant,” Welch said. “The level of risk associated with any business can vary based on a large number of factors.”

The most common type of liability comes from slip and falls, according to Welch. Other important risks to consider is the level of floors, the type of food being served, and injuries resulting from service accidents.

Having the proper general liability coverage is crucial for staying in business. If your restaurant or bar does not have adequate coverage, you risk losing everything you worked hard to acquire.

Ask your insurance agent if your coverage comes from Hospitality Insurance Group, and take immediate action today to help prevent significant losses.

The opinions expressed are the views of the author alone and should not be attributed to any other individual or entity and shall not constitute a legal opinion.

By: Richard E. Welch, Jr.

President & CEO, Hospitality Insurance Group

It wasn’t long ago when traditional, mass-produced beers were the only options patrons had when it came to ordering beer. Nowadays, craft brews can be found in nearly every restaurant and bar across Massachusetts. People have increasingly turned to craft beer for a variety of reasons, but these types of drinks could have damaging implications for business owners. In this blog, Hospitality Insurance Group addresses the higher alcohol content typically found in craft brews and shares strategies to help prevent overserving alcohol.

Craft brews can be appealing to guests for their taste, ingredients, variety of flavors, and alcohol content. While mass produced beer can contain between 4 and 5.5 percent of alcohol content, craft brews can be as high as 12 percent. Therefore, guests may end up drinking more alcohol than they had originally planned.

“The safety of someone’s customers should always be the top priority for any bar or restaurant,” said Richard E. Welch, President & CEO of Hospitality Insurance Group. He says there are several strategies that can help businesses keep their guests safe.

Since craft brews can contain as much as 2-3 times more alcohol than mass-produced beers, business owners should remain conscious of not overserving alcohol. One way businesses can prevent overserving alcohol is by varying the size of glasses when serving craft brews, so it is equivalent to traditional beers in terms of alcohol content.

Another strategy to prevent the overserving of alcohol, Welch says, involves having the right policies in place. Many businesses do not have procedures outlined when having to deal with an intoxicated guest. Restaurant and bar owners can mitigate potential losses if they understand how they will handle a scenario where someone who has had too much to drink.

Alcohol awareness training could be another solution to help prevent an incident of overserving alcohol, Welch added. Bartenders could learn useful information from these programs that can help keep guests safe. As an added measure, businesses could encourage bartenders to take a refresher course on a regular basis.

Restaurant and bar owners must remain vigilant to prevent overserving alcohol. As a specialist in liquor liability coverage, Hospitality Insurance Group understands the risks of overserving alcohol, and what that could mean to your business. Make sure your coverage is coming from Hospitality Insurance Group to make sure you have the right amount of coverage.

The opinions expressed are the views of the author alone and should not be attributed to any other individual or entity and shall not constitute a legal opinion.