Hotel insurance.
Running an independent hotel? Specialist hotel insurance can help protect your building, contents, guests, staff and business income. We arrange cover for independent and owner-managed hotels across the UK, searching our panel of insurers for a policy suited to your hotel and the facilities you offer.
Last reviewed October 2026
Is this the right page for you?
The hotels we insure usually look like this:
- Your hotel is independent or owner-managed, not part of a chain.
- You have more rooms and a bigger team than a guest house.
- You may have a bar or restaurant open to the public.
- You may host weddings or events, or have a pool, spa or gym.
- Up to 6 paying guests, in your own home?See B&B insurance
- More than 6 guests, with food and drink for staying guests only?See guest house 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.
Hotel
This pageindependent 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.
B&B
up 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.
| B&B insuranceup to 6 paying guests | Guest house insuranceover 6 paying guests | You are hereHotel 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 hotel policy can cover
Every policy is different. These are the parts a hotel policy can cover, and the extras to tell your insurer about.
Buildings and contents
The hotel at its full rebuild cost, not the market value, plus the furniture and the kitchen and bar equipment, and stock such as frozen and chilled food.
Public and products liability
Can cover you if a guest, diner or visitor is hurt, or falls ill from food you served, and you are held responsible. With the public coming in for food and drink, ask about a higher limit.
Employers' liability
The law usually requires it as soon as you employ anyone. Insurers will ask how many staff you have, what they do and your yearly wage bill.
Loss of licence, and wines and spirits
Ask about cover for bar stock, which may have its own limit, and for loss of licence if it's withdrawn or not renewed for reasons beyond your control.
Money, glass and signs
Takings in tills and safes, plus plate glass, glass doors and outside signs. Some policies include these and some offer them as extras.
Business interruption
Can pay the income you lose, and the extra costs of keeping going, while the hotel is repaired after an insured event such as a fire. Ask how long it lasts: a big rebuild can take a long time.
Weddings, events and leisure
Tell your insurer about functions, live music, a pool, spa, gym or hot tub. Insurers can often cover them, sometimes with conditions such as supervision or safety checks.
Terrorism and legal expenses
Both are usually optional. Terrorism cover can pay for damage and lost income after an act of terrorism. Legal expenses cover can help with the cost of disputes, such as with staff or suppliers.
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 how many people you seat for food and drink.
- Who stays on site overnight: owners, a manager or staff.
- How many staff you employ, your yearly wage bill and your expected turnover.
- Whether food and drink are sold to the public, and whether you have a late licence.
- Events and live music: what you hold, how often and how many people come.
- Leisure: a pool, spa, gym or play area, and how each one is supervised.
- The building: its type, age, construction and any lifts, and whether it's listed.
- Security and fire safety: alarms, fire risk assessments and fire suppression in the kitchen.
- Any claims or incidents in the last 5 years, insured or not.
Get a free hotel 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 hotel insurance
Do you insure chain hotels?
No. We focus on independent and owner-managed hotels, where we get to know the people who run them.
If you own your hotel and run it yourself, or it's independent with its own manager, we'd like to hear from you. Ring us and we'll talk through how your hotel runs.
Last reviewed October 2026
Can you cover weddings and events?
Often, yes. Tell us first, because weddings, parties and functions bring a different risk from overnight guests, and insurers want the details.
They'll ask how often you hold events, how many people come, whether you use a marquee, and who does the food, music and entertainment. We gather all that and find insurers who will look at it.
Last reviewed October 2026
Do I need cover for my bar?
Usually, yes. Tell your insurer about the bar, who you serve and how late you open, and ask about cover for your stock and licence.
Bar stock such as wines and spirits often has its own limit. Loss of licence cover can help if your licence is withdrawn or not renewed for reasons beyond your control. Live music, a late licence or door staff are worth mentioning too.
Last reviewed October 2026
Do I need to tell my insurer about a pool or spa?
Yes. Tell your insurer about any pool, spa, gym, sauna or hot tub, because leaving it out could affect a claim if someone is hurt.
Insurers often ask whether a pool is indoor or outdoor, whether it's supervised, and who carries out any spa or beauty treatments. Some will cover them with extra conditions or at a higher price.
Last reviewed October 2026
We're planning building work. Do we need to tell our insurer?
Yes. Tell your insurer before any extension, renovation or structural work starts, because building work can change the risk and the cover.
Insurers usually ask what the work is, what it's worth, how long it will take and whether you'll stay open. Some add conditions, such as rules for work with heat or flames. When it's finished, check your rebuild figure still fits.
Underinsurance: why the rebuild figure matters
Last reviewed October 2026