Innsitters and Insurance

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I would hope so..though I have never asked any of the ones I knew. We just closed and never used an innsitter.
 
Wow we are getting ready to start training an innsitter near us and I have not thought to ask my insurance company about that - thanks for the idea!
Riki
 
I believe they do...Sue Kalis is an Innsitter living in Michigan who has worked all over the country...I'm sure she would be willing to answer these questions. In fact, I think she may be a member of this forum already.
I would be happy to pass on her contact info if you need it.
 
Wow we are getting ready to start training an innsitter near us and I have not thought to ask my insurance company about that - thanks for the idea!
Riki.
I am not sure what kind of insurance they would need..but would suspect liability for sure.I assume they are hired as a sub contractor and not your employee. And yes, you should check with your own insurer to see if they would be covered by your policy if doing work for you.
 
Hmmm...bonded for the value of an inn...something seems odd about that. If you are an innsitter and are bonded for 1million does that mean you couldn't sit for an inn that was worth 3 million?
Just thinking aloud. What could they do that wouldn't be covered by your own insurance?
  • Start a grease fire? I don't think there is anything in any policy that says you are only covered for fire if you (as the owner) start the fire. ... it would apply to guests just as easily.
  • Flood the bathroom? Water damage liability on your home insurance may be worded as to the cause (plumbing vs mother nature) but probably not to the person by name (guest / owner / sitter)
  • Lost three reservations due to innsitters bad phone manners? How would you prove that to an insurance company? That would be a loss no matter what the insurance was.
This is an interesting topic ... I'd like to know more about.
 
Steve they could do anything at all...we all know the stories, unfortunately.
I might be inclined to be more leery of an innsitter than a guest, since the innsitter cooks, heats, controls all of that stuff. A professional, certainly, but in the "uncontroled environment" we provide for the guests.
I am not saying "they won't empty the lint trap" on the dryer, but what it they didn't. "Stuff happens" I also, would like to know where the liability issues are - I would think you need to add them to your own insurance?
LB if she can comment on the forum or email you to post, that would be great.
 
Steve they could do anything at all...we all know the stories, unfortunately.
I might be inclined to be more leery of an innsitter than a guest, since the innsitter cooks, heats, controls all of that stuff. A professional, certainly, but in the "uncontroled environment" we provide for the guests.
I am not saying "they won't empty the lint trap" on the dryer, but what it they didn't. "Stuff happens" I also, would like to know where the liability issues are - I would think you need to add them to your own insurance?
LB if she can comment on the forum or email you to post, that would be great..
Sue just answered my email, we should hear from her soon!
 
Steve they could do anything at all...we all know the stories, unfortunately.
I might be inclined to be more leery of an innsitter than a guest, since the innsitter cooks, heats, controls all of that stuff. A professional, certainly, but in the "uncontroled environment" we provide for the guests.
I am not saying "they won't empty the lint trap" on the dryer, but what it they didn't. "Stuff happens" I also, would like to know where the liability issues are - I would think you need to add them to your own insurance?
LB if she can comment on the forum or email you to post, that would be great..
Sue just answered my email, we should hear from her soon!
.
Well hello everyone! LB is right, I have been an Inn-sitter all around the country for the past 5 years and this is the 1st I have ever even heard of insurance for Inn-sitters! So, obviously the issue has never come up (for me). I have to agree with Swirt tho - I am thinking your homeowners insurance would cover anything we, as Inn-sitters, would do. I am willing to call on some other Inn-sitters that I know. Have any of you checked with anyone belonging to the Interim Innkeepers group?
 
Hmmm...bonded for the value of an inn...something seems odd about that. If you are an innsitter and are bonded for 1million does that mean you couldn't sit for an inn that was worth 3 million?
Just thinking aloud. What could they do that wouldn't be covered by your own insurance?
  • Start a grease fire? I don't think there is anything in any policy that says you are only covered for fire if you (as the owner) start the fire. ... it would apply to guests just as easily.
  • Flood the bathroom? Water damage liability on your home insurance may be worded as to the cause (plumbing vs mother nature) but probably not to the person by name (guest / owner / sitter)
  • Lost three reservations due to innsitters bad phone manners? How would you prove that to an insurance company? That would be a loss no matter what the insurance was.
This is an interesting topic ... I'd like to know more about..
Swirt,
I just got a website up and running and I notice that you are an "Inngenious B&B website design advice" person. Please check mine out and let me know if you could help me in anyway. I am not looking to spend a lot of $$ - this was just a replacement for me printing my own brochures and having to send them out via snail mail. www.twoheartsinnsitting.vpweb.com Thanks! Sue
 
Hmmm...bonded for the value of an inn...something seems odd about that. If you are an innsitter and are bonded for 1million does that mean you couldn't sit for an inn that was worth 3 million?
Just thinking aloud. What could they do that wouldn't be covered by your own insurance?
  • Start a grease fire? I don't think there is anything in any policy that says you are only covered for fire if you (as the owner) start the fire. ... it would apply to guests just as easily.
  • Flood the bathroom? Water damage liability on your home insurance may be worded as to the cause (plumbing vs mother nature) but probably not to the person by name (guest / owner / sitter)
  • Lost three reservations due to innsitters bad phone manners? How would you prove that to an insurance company? That would be a loss no matter what the insurance was.
This is an interesting topic ... I'd like to know more about..
Swirt,
I just got a website up and running and I notice that you are an "Inngenious B&B website design advice" person. Please check mine out and let me know if you could help me in anyway. I am not looking to spend a lot of $$ - this was just a replacement for me printing my own brochures and having to send them out via snail mail. www.twoheartsinnsitting.vpweb.com Thanks! Sue
.
Hi Sue,
Many of the suggestions I would make are probably out of your control because you are using a vistaprint website. The things that make it easy and cheap are also the ties that bind.
For $1 cheaper per month you could get a starter plan from 1and1 and have a lot more features and options. Including your own domain name and full email capability with that domain.
 
Hmmm...bonded for the value of an inn...something seems odd about that. If you are an innsitter and are bonded for 1million does that mean you couldn't sit for an inn that was worth 3 million?
Just thinking aloud. What could they do that wouldn't be covered by your own insurance?
  • Start a grease fire? I don't think there is anything in any policy that says you are only covered for fire if you (as the owner) start the fire. ... it would apply to guests just as easily.
  • Flood the bathroom? Water damage liability on your home insurance may be worded as to the cause (plumbing vs mother nature) but probably not to the person by name (guest / owner / sitter)
  • Lost three reservations due to innsitters bad phone manners? How would you prove that to an insurance company? That would be a loss no matter what the insurance was.
This is an interesting topic ... I'd like to know more about..
Swirt,
I just got a website up and running and I notice that you are an "Inngenious B&B website design advice" person. Please check mine out and let me know if you could help me in anyway. I am not looking to spend a lot of $$ - this was just a replacement for me printing my own brochures and having to send them out via snail mail. www.twoheartsinnsitting.vpweb.com Thanks! Sue
.
Hi Sue,
Many of the suggestions I would make are probably out of your control because you are using a vistaprint website. The things that make it easy and cheap are also the ties that bind.
For $1 cheaper per month you could get a starter plan from 1and1 and have a lot more features and options. Including your own domain name and full email capability with that domain.
.
Thanks! I will look into that link! Everyone is telling me we need our pictures on and I'd really love to have a real availability calendar that I can easily update. I didn't have our pics on my brochure mainly because 75% of the time I was meeting people face to face if they were really interested in hiring me. It has been fun building my business and this was just the next step.
 
Steve they could do anything at all...we all know the stories, unfortunately.
I might be inclined to be more leery of an innsitter than a guest, since the innsitter cooks, heats, controls all of that stuff. A professional, certainly, but in the "uncontroled environment" we provide for the guests.
I am not saying "they won't empty the lint trap" on the dryer, but what it they didn't. "Stuff happens" I also, would like to know where the liability issues are - I would think you need to add them to your own insurance?
LB if she can comment on the forum or email you to post, that would be great..
Joe Bloggs said:
I am not saying "they won't empty the lint trap" on the dryer, but what it they didn't. "Stuff happens" I also, would like to know where the liability issues are - I would think you need to add them to your own insurance?
ON your home/business insurance, do you currently have specific people listed as being "on" the insurance? I don't. It's not like car insurance where only certain drivers are covered.
Lets say they forgot to empty the lint trap....is there anything in your policy that suggests you and your partner are the only two people allowed to use the clothes dryer? I don't think the policy makes that distinction.
Its not like hiring a tree surgeon. You want that person to be bonded because if that person drops a tree on your house, you insurance will not cover it. (intentional act as opposed to an accident or act of nature)
 
i am going to 'hang out my shingle' as an interim innkeeper and will carry worker's comp on myself. this is so that if i get hurt while working, i have some coverage. when i ran the b&b, i hired some self-employed people to help with landscaping and housekeeping, and our insurance company required that they have their own coverage.
as for my causing damage to your property through negligence, it was recommend that i be bonded. not sure of the details about that.
 
Hmmm...bonded for the value of an inn...something seems odd about that. If you are an innsitter and are bonded for 1million does that mean you couldn't sit for an inn that was worth 3 million?
Just thinking aloud. What could they do that wouldn't be covered by your own insurance?
  • Start a grease fire? I don't think there is anything in any policy that says you are only covered for fire if you (as the owner) start the fire. ... it would apply to guests just as easily.
  • Flood the bathroom? Water damage liability on your home insurance may be worded as to the cause (plumbing vs mother nature) but probably not to the person by name (guest / owner / sitter)
  • Lost three reservations due to innsitters bad phone manners? How would you prove that to an insurance company? That would be a loss no matter what the insurance was.
This is an interesting topic ... I'd like to know more about..
Swirt,
I just got a website up and running and I notice that you are an "Inngenious B&B website design advice" person. Please check mine out and let me know if you could help me in anyway. I am not looking to spend a lot of $$ - this was just a replacement for me printing my own brochures and having to send them out via snail mail. www.twoheartsinnsitting.vpweb.com Thanks! Sue
.
I too had a vistaprint site, for a couple of weeks! Swirt has some very good advice. Read, apply, and read some more. You'll learn a lot just by reading past posts here, it will take some time to see the results. We went with Yahoo Sitebuilder. More versatile, with many of the features you'll find discussed here. Still tweaking the site whenever I get time!
-KathleenM
 
Hmmm...bonded for the value of an inn...something seems odd about that. If you are an innsitter and are bonded for 1million does that mean you couldn't sit for an inn that was worth 3 million?
Just thinking aloud. What could they do that wouldn't be covered by your own insurance?
  • Start a grease fire? I don't think there is anything in any policy that says you are only covered for fire if you (as the owner) start the fire. ... it would apply to guests just as easily.
  • Flood the bathroom? Water damage liability on your home insurance may be worded as to the cause (plumbing vs mother nature) but probably not to the person by name (guest / owner / sitter)
  • Lost three reservations due to innsitters bad phone manners? How would you prove that to an insurance company? That would be a loss no matter what the insurance was.
This is an interesting topic ... I'd like to know more about..
Swirt,
I just got a website up and running and I notice that you are an "Inngenious B&B website design advice" person. Please check mine out and let me know if you could help me in anyway. I am not looking to spend a lot of $$ - this was just a replacement for me printing my own brochures and having to send them out via snail mail. www.twoheartsinnsitting.vpweb.com Thanks! Sue
.
Hi Sue,
Many of the suggestions I would make are probably out of your control because you are using a vistaprint website. The things that make it easy and cheap are also the ties that bind.
For $1 cheaper per month you could get a starter plan from 1and1 and have a lot more features and options. Including your own domain name and full email capability with that domain.
.
Thanks! I will look into that link! Everyone is telling me we need our pictures on and I'd really love to have a real availability calendar that I can easily update. I didn't have our pics on my brochure mainly because 75% of the time I was meeting people face to face if they were really interested in hiring me. It has been fun building my business and this was just the next step.
.
I think if you are a member of the Interim Innkeepers they have a on line availability calendar their members use. My friends inn sit and they did their own site here. She said it was easy to do. I had to give her a bit of advice, but she basically did it on her own. You could easily use one of the free on line calendars ie: Bravenet. ANother friend uses this for hers.
 
Hi there, we are the Innkeepers for absente owners here. We carry our own insurance and also have wokers comp insurance on our company name. We have done this with our previous job too. We build the previous B&B business up by 35% and at that time the owners sold the business. That is why we are here now and are trying to do the same thing here. We are slowly turning the business around.
 
Sue tells me by email that a collegue of hers got insurance for $275.00 per year; $2,000,000 general liability including $1,000,000 for personal injury and damage to the premises. She said that while an Inn's business policy would cover damage to the Inn while in an interim keepers care, she thought it was worth the expense in case an innkeeper ever decided to sue HER.
 
Hello All,
This is a question that we, as professional Interim Innkeepers, have been struggling with for the past few years. There is one company I know of that will write Commercial General Liability for Interim Innkeepers (also known as Inn Sitters). There are many of us who belong to the Interim Innkeepers Network that use that company. We have felt that the small cost was worth our own peace of mind in case there was a problem at the B&B.
However, if the Interim Innkeeper or Inn Sitter that you use does not carry their own General Liability insurance, they may ask that you add them to your B&B insurance policy as an additional insured. This will not cost the B&B any additional money, but it will split the B&B's General Liability inssurance between the Interim Innkeeper and the B&B.
As to being bonded, this has more to do with fidelity issues. As of this date, we have not been able to find a market that is interested in bonding Interim Innkeepers.
Hope this helps clarify this question.
Lynda
 
Hello All,
This is a question that we, as professional Interim Innkeepers, have been struggling with for the past few years. There is one company I know of that will write Commercial General Liability for Interim Innkeepers (also known as Inn Sitters). There are many of us who belong to the Interim Innkeepers Network that use that company. We have felt that the small cost was worth our own peace of mind in case there was a problem at the B&B.
However, if the Interim Innkeeper or Inn Sitter that you use does not carry their own General Liability insurance, they may ask that you add them to your B&B insurance policy as an additional insured. This will not cost the B&B any additional money, but it will split the B&B's General Liability inssurance between the Interim Innkeeper and the B&B.
As to being bonded, this has more to do with fidelity issues. As of this date, we have not been able to find a market that is interested in bonding Interim Innkeepers.
Hope this helps clarify this question.
Lynda.
Hi Lynda
Thanks for your input....we like to hear from unique perspectives like yours!
 
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