B&B insurance can provide you with the protection you require to preserve your investment and keep your dreams intact should unforeseen problems arise. The insurance you may wish to consider – or need legally – can include:

• Employers’ liability insurance (this is generally compulsory if you hire any staff to work in your bed and breakfast);
• plus it is essential that you consider insurance protection against public liability claims or property liability claims, as well as building and contents, loss of licences, business interruptions and any losses from theft.

If you have hired employees then you must ensure that your insurance policy includes employers’ liability cover. This should be high on your list of priorities, as it is a legal requirement in the UK (though there are some exceptions). Once you have ensured that this is covered, you should next look at public liability insurance. Public liability provides you with insurance if a member of the public (including guests) is injured while visiting your business premises and provides you with protection should a third party (such as a delivery driver) be visiting the property and be injured. Having this included in your bed and breakfast insurance will protect your home and livelihood if any unexpected accidents occur.

When operating a bed and breakfast, it’s likely that your place of business is also your home. If you live and work in the one location, you may wish to ensure that everything is as comprehensively insured as possible. Building and contents cover are therefore another important consideration for B&B insurance. Building cover can protect your home and business, while contents cover will typically cover loss or damage of items in the bed and breakfast, whether it is loss caused by you and your family or your visitors.

Further protection that you may wish to consider is money and assault protection and also employee cover. Employee cover should not be confused with employee liability. Employee cover is protection against an incidence where a staff member causes loss or theft. Money and assault cover protect businesses against theft of business proceeds held on the premises or if stolen when being taken to the bank. Should any robbery or theft occur in which an employee of the business is injured, then the assault cover will provide compensation to the injured party.

The final elements that should be covered in a B&B insurance policy are business interruption and loss of licence insurance. If your bed and breakfast has to temporarily close due to unforeseen circumstances, the losses could quickly add up and you could find it impossible to get back on track financially without support that business interruption insurance delivers. If your bed and breakfast also holds a licence that is needed for service of alcohol to your guests, then you may find you suffer losses if this licence is revoked. Loss of licence insurance can protect you in this situation.

Securing suitable B&B insurance is essential if you are running your own business from your home and want to protect the investment you have made in your enterprise. If you are feeling a bit lost as to where to start, then an insurance specialist with expertise in the field can help you secure the necessary protection you require. A specialist can support you to select the cover that best suits your individual needs, so that you can feel secure you have the coverage you require for your business.