B&B insurance.
Running a bed and breakfast from your own home? Specialist B&B insurance can help protect your property, guests and business. Standard home insurance may not cover you for paying guests, so we search our panel of insurers for cover suited to the way you run your B&B.
Last reviewed October 2026
Is this the right page for you?
A B&B usually looks like this:
- You take up to 6 paying guests at a time.
- Guests stay in your own home, and you live there too.
- You serve breakfast, but not usually evening meals.
- It's mostly you, perhaps with family or a cleaner helping.
- Taking more than 6 paying guests?See guest house insurance
- Running a hotel, or a bar open to the public?See hotel insurance
- Letting a room or annexe on Airbnb, without breakfast?See Airbnb and short-let insurance
- Not sure which fits?Call 01288 353999
B&B, guest house or hotel: what's the difference?
We use 6 paying guests as the dividing line between a B&B and a guest house. Everything else here is a rough guide, because no two businesses run the same way.
B&B
This pageup to 6 paying guests
- Typical size
- Up to 6 paying guests at a time.
- Who lives there
- Usually you, in your own home.
- Staff
- Often just you, perhaps with family or a cleaner helping.
- Food and drink
- Breakfast for staying guests.
- Extras insurers ask about
- A self-catering room or annexe, a hot tub, or closing for the winter.
- Typical cover
- Often one policy for your home and the B&B together.
Guest house
over 6 paying guests
- Typical size
- More than 6 paying guests at a time.
- Who lives there
- Often the owners, in their own rooms or a flat on site.
- Staff
- Often some paid help, such as a cleaner or a breakfast cook.
- Food and drink
- Breakfast, and perhaps evening meals or a licence to serve guests.
- Extras insurers ask about
- Self-catering rooms, a licence, a large fryer, or private parties.
- Typical cover
- A business package for the building and its contents, liability to guests and staff, and lost income.
Hotel
independent or owner-managed
- Typical size
- Usually more rooms than a guest house.
- Who lives there
- Often the owners or a manager, but not always.
- Staff
- Usually a team: reception, kitchen, housekeeping and bar.
- Food and drink
- Often a bar or restaurant that is open to the public too.
- Extras insurers ask about
- Weddings and events, live music, a pool, spa or gym.
- Typical cover
- A business package, often with higher liability limits and licence cover.
| You are hereB&B insuranceup to 6 paying guests | Guest house insuranceover 6 paying guests | Hotel insuranceindependent or owner-managed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical size | Up to 6 paying guests at a time. | More than 6 paying guests at a time. | Usually more rooms than a guest house. |
| Who lives there | Usually you, in your own home. | Often the owners, in their own rooms or a flat on site. | Often the owners or a manager, but not always. |
| Staff | Often just you, perhaps with family or a cleaner helping. | Often some paid help, such as a cleaner or a breakfast cook. | Usually a team: reception, kitchen, housekeeping and bar. |
| Food and drink | Breakfast for staying guests. | Breakfast, and perhaps evening meals or a licence to serve guests. | Often a bar or restaurant that is open to the public too. |
| Extras insurers ask about | A self-catering room or annexe, a hot tub, or closing for the winter. | Self-catering rooms, a licence, a large fryer, or private parties. | Weddings and events, live music, a pool, spa or gym. |
| Typical cover | Often one policy for your home and the B&B together. | A business package for the building and its contents, liability to guests and staff, and lost income. | A business package, often with higher liability limits and licence cover. |
What a B&B policy can cover
Every policy is different. These are the parts a B&B policy can cover, so you know what to ask about.
Buildings, at the full rebuild cost
Your home and outbuildings, insured for what it would cost to rebuild them from the ground up. That is not the same as the market value.
Your home and B&B contents together
The guest rooms, the breakfast kitchen and your own belongings. Some insurers put business and personal contents in one section, which saves working out which is which.
Public liability for guests
Can cover you if a guest or visitor is hurt, or their belongings are damaged, and you are held responsible. Ask about products liability too, for the breakfasts you serve.
Employers' liability, if anyone helps
If you employ anyone, even a cleaner for a few hours a week, the law usually requires it. Some policies include it and some add it as an extra.
Guests' belongings
Luggage and valuables your guests bring with them. Some policies include this and some offer it as an extra.
Loss of income
Can pay the income you lose if a fire, flood or other insured event stops you taking guests while repairs are done. Ask how long it would last.
Legal expenses
Can help with the cost of legal disputes, for example with a guest or a supplier, or a tax inquiry. Usually an optional extra.
Accidental damage
A guest knocks the TV off the wall, or red wine soaks into a carpet. Accidental damage is not part of every policy, so ask whether it's there.
What insurers will ask you
Insurers want the same facts whichever way you ask for a quote. Have these to hand and it all goes quicker.
- How many bedrooms you let, and the most guests you take at once.
- Whether you live there, and who sleeps there overnight.
- What food you serve, and whether you sell any alcohol.
- Who helps you, including family, and whether you pay them.
- The building: its type, age and construction, and whether it's listed or thatched.
- Security and fire safety: door and window locks, smoke alarms and fire extinguishers.
- Whether you trade all year or close for part of it.
- Any claims or incidents in the last 5 years, insured or not.
Get a free B&B insurance quote
Three ways, whichever suits you. Every quote is free and there's no obligation.
- Option 1
Complete full quote form
20 to 30 minutes
Complete the full form in your own time, answering all questions we require to obtain quotes from our panel. Once you submit the form, we confirm it's been received, double check any answers with you if required, then obtain quotes for you.
Start the full form - Option 2
Request a callback
1 to 2 minutes
Tell us a little about your guest house now and choose a convenient time for us to call. We'll phone you at your chosen time and complete the full fact-find together. Allow around 20-30 minutes for this call.
Request a Callback - Option 3
Speak to an adviser
20 to 30 minutes
Prefer to talk? Call our friendly team at our Bude office and we'll take you through the questions over the phone. We then approach providers to find suitable quotes for your guest house.
Office hours todayCall 01288 353999
Questions about B&B insurance
Does home insurance cover a B&B?
Usually not. Most home insurance policies don't cover paying guests, because taking guests counts as running a business from your home.
Check your home policy wording before you take your first booking, and tell your home insurer what you plan to do. A B&B policy is written for paying guests, and it can cover your home too.
Guest house insurance vs home insurance
Last reviewed October 2026
Do I need employers' liability insurance for my B&B?
If you employ anyone, usually yes. GOV.UK says you must have employers' liability insurance as soon as you become an employer.
That could be a cleaner for a few hours a week, or someone cooking breakfasts in the summer. GOV.UK lists some exceptions, such as when the only people you employ are family members. Tell us who helps you and we'll check it is on your quote.
GOV.UK: Employers' liability insurance
Last reviewed October 2026
Can one policy cover my home and the B&B?
Often, yes. Many B&B policies can cover your home and the business together, with the building, your own belongings and the guest rooms on one policy.
It can also stop gaps opening up between two separate policies. Not every insurer offers it, so ask us. Tell us about anything valuable you keep at home, such as jewellery or a collection, because policies often have a limit for any one item.
Last reviewed October 2026
What if I close my B&B for the winter?
Tell us before you close. Many insurers allow seasonal closing, though there are usually conditions, especially if the house will be left empty.
If you carry on living there while the B&B is closed, it's usually simpler. If you go away for weeks, some policies limit cover for things like theft or escape of water once the house has been empty for a set time. Check what your policy asks of you, such as keeping the heating on low or having someone check the house.
Last reviewed October 2026
I'm starting a B&B. When should I sort out insurance?
Before your first paying guest arrives. Ask for quotes a few weeks before you open, and tell your home insurer what you're planning.
That leaves time to answer insurers' questions about the building, fire safety and the food you'll serve. If you have a mortgage, your lender may need to agree before you take paying guests. If you rent, your landlord may need to agree too.
Questions to ask, with the cover checker
Last reviewed October 2026