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COVID-19 continues to present financial challenges for business owners. It is more important now than ever to make sure you are getting all the discounts you qualify for. Watch this short video to catch up on all of the discounts we currently offer. We continue to work hard to earn your business and are here to help. Give us a call on new and renewal business!

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.

At Hospitality Insurance Group (HIG), we are pleased to welcome back the many fine establishments throughout our region that are an integral part of our economy. We have been impressed by your professionalism and innovation as you have been asked to refashion your business to respond to this health crisis. In the face of tremendous adversity, you have answered the call to ensure the safety and health of both your patrons and staff.

Throughout this pandemic, HIG has been supporting our members by ensuring that their insurance coverage has adjusted to the changing times. Despite much uncertainty, we want you to know that the insurance coverage and service you have come to expect from HIG remains the same.

We created this video to formally wish all our restaurants well and to remind you that Hospitality will continue to be your trusted insurance partner and advocate no matter the season.

As businesses begin to reopen and promote themselves online, it is important to make sure that you are following the proper copyright laws and regulations. In the past couple of years, businesses have seen a rise in lawsuits over illegally used photos due to face recognition technology that enables people to search the entire web to see who is using their face or likeness. As President and CEO of Hospitality Insurance, Dick Welch, says, “as the owner of a bar or a restaurant, anything you put on your website, social media, or any of your promotional materials should be legally owned”.

If you hire an outside promoter or an outside social media expert, make sure that they are properly sourcing any materials that they may use, including: photographs, video clips, and any voice overs or music. It is also important to have a contract in place so that if your outside promoters or experts do not follow proper copyright laws, they will be held responsible instead of you or your business. Do not let anything be posted to your website or social media without approval.

Any business that has entertainment and promotes that entertainment through photos or videos could be at risk for copyright infringement. If you haven’t checked your promotional materials in the past, it is possible that you may be using illegal content on your website and social media pages. You should scan your content to make sure you have the ownership and if you don’t, remove it immediately. The last thing you want is a lawsuit over copyright infringement which can be both expensive, as well as time consuming.

If you are worried that your business could be using copyrighted material, the easiest way to deal with it is to contact an independent insurance agent from the 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.

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.