Distinguished Blog - Hospitality & Restaurants

Market insights and industry news.

The Beat Doesn’t Go On as Lawsuits Hit Hospitality Industry for Copyright Infringement

Walk into any hotel lobby, restaurant, or bar with music playing. Even when the music is background noise, it’s integral to the establishment’s ambiance and elevating the guest experience. Yet without proper licensing, establishments are taking a big risk of being hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit. Hotels, bars, and restaurants around the country are…

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A Boutique Cereal Restaurant Comes to Times Square

Times Square: The once seedy hub of adult entertainment in midtown is hardly recognizable as tourists make their way to a plethora of box chain clothing stores and restaurants. The newest addition: a niche self-branded restaurant to boost the sales of cereal for Kellogg’s — welcome, Kellogg’s NYC.

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Risk Management: Keeping Hotel Guests Safe

The Erin Andrews case made headline news when a jury awarded the ESPN sportscaster $55 million in a lawsuit filed against the hotel as a result of its failure to reasonably safeguard her privacy and safety. This and other events are reminders to hotel owners and operators of their obligation to ensure the safety, security…

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From the Claim Files: High Limit Excess and Umbrella Coverage for Hotels and Resorts

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Ensuring Your Balcony is Safe

In 2012, Dehavilland Baugh had a Memorial Day cookout in Southwest Atlanta. Midway through the party, a dozen people were eating and playing cards when the deck collapsed underneath their feet. Seven people were sent to the hospital. Last year, six people were killed when a fifth-story balcony in Berkeley, California fell to the ground…

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Managing Risk: Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

On March 25, police discovered four people dead inside Building G of the Evergreen Apartments in Wilmington, Delaware. Exhaust pipes designed to vent carbon monoxide from the gas boilers in the basement rusted and collapsed. The cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide kills. We know this. The gas produced when fuels like…

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Managing Risk: Preventing Child Abuse

Sometimes parents feel like they need a vacation when they’re on vacation. It’s true. The packed itineraries, disrupted routines, and lack of alone time can be exhausting. Which is why over 18 percent of U.S. hotels and resorts now offer classes, camps, and activities just for kids. It’s great. But these new offerings also introduce…

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Managing Risk: Employee Training

Earlier this year, sportscaster Erin Andrews was awarded $55 million in a civil suit filed after she was secretly videotaped in her hotel room by Michael Davis Barrett. Hotel staff told Barrett which room Andrews was staying in and gave him a room next to her, jeopardizing her privacy and safety. While the jury said…

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The Increasing Influence Millennials Have on the Hotel Industry

If you have read any English-speaking periodical in the past year, you’ve surely caught mention of millennials and how they are changing the way we do business. We had a thing or two to say on the matter ourselves. Beyond the implications for the world of insurance, however, we continue to be intrigued by the…

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Earth Month Spotlight: Restaurants

Last week we took a look at hotels that were making major sustainability efforts to reduce their environmental impact. This week we will visit another important hospitality industry that is making major improvements in how they do business. Restaurants are quickly learning the importance of sustainability, from using local and seasonal produce to prioritizing waste…

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Earth Month Spotlight: Hotels & Resorts

In celebration of Earth Day, we are dedicating the month of April to sustainability awareness in the industries we touch. Each week, we are going to take a look at how businesses are making a positive impact on the environment through both design and human behaviors, starting with the hotel and resort industry.

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