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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The Changing Face of the Hotel Umbrella Market

The tight insurance market without question has hit the hospitality industry, including the Excess/Umbrella space. In addition, COVID-19 has brought significant challenges for the hotel industry as it struggles to gain traction after being upended by the pandemic. We spoke with Sean Young, VP, Distinguished Hospitality Umbrella Product Manager, for some insight into the challenges…

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Why Hotels Should Have High Umbrella Limits

The massive verdicts making headline news during the last several years have been a wake-up call for many hotel clients to ensure they carry enough Excess/Umbrella Liability coverage to protect against catastrophic losses. But the reality is that most large hotel liability losses are not the result of headline-making events or incidents, like the mass…

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Safety Guide: Holiday Travel during Covid

This holiday season, travel safety comes with a long list of pandemic-related restrictions, advisories, and recommendations by airlines and states as COVID-19 cases continue to surge. Before making plans – whether you’re getting on a plane or in a car to see family and friends or taking a vacation – be sure you are well…

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Distinguished Rebrands Hospitality Umbrella Program to Reflect Different Niche Markets

Distinguished Programs has been insuring the hospitality industry for more than 25 years, providing high-limit Excess/Umbrella Liability coverage to protect against catastrophic losses. To better serve our agency partners looking for an Umbrella home for their accounts, we’ve rebranded our programs to reflect each market within the hospitality sector.

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Specialty Insurance and Why Your Restaurant Clients Need It

Do your commercial clients really need specialty insurance? If it’s available, the answer is YES. The beauty of a specialty program is that insurance liability professionals with in-depth domain expertise have already put together coverage that is designed specifically for your type of client. 

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Restaurant Winterization Amid COVID

With months of shut down, public anxiety over dining out, and capacity limitations, the restaurant industry has been among those most affected by COVID-19. This year has undoubtedly been challenging, but luckily the industry has been able to get creative and continue operating — from expanding patios into nearby streets or pivoting to an entirely…

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Water Conservation Tips for Buildings

It’s a no-brainer: Water=Life. We need it, we use it, but we have to conserve it better. Commercial and residential buildings can have a huge impact on water conservation with just a handful of low-cost or no-cost water solutions.

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Resilience of Restaurant Industry Continues Amid COVID, Tough Insurance Market

The restaurant industry no doubt has been among the hardest hit amid the coronavirus as a result of mandatory lockdowns during the initial phase of the pandemic and subsequent ongoing capacity restrictions and other requirements that have significantly impacted operations. Yet during these challenging and unprecedented times, we’ve seen the industry put its creativity to…

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NYC Restaurants Getting the Support of Local Government Amid COVID

According to the National Restaurant Association, some 100,000 of the one million restaurants and bars operating in the U.S. before the pandemic are expected to permanently close by the end of this year as a result of the economic upheaval caused by the coronavirus. But municipalities around the country, including in New York City, are…

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Fire Safety Maintenance and Prevention Tips

While deaths from fires have steadily decreased over the past several decades, thousands of Americans die by fire every year, and thousands more are injured. According to FEMA estimates,  the damage from fires cost over $25.6 billion in 2018 alone. Following a summer of record-breaking wildfires, comes the peak time for fire-related deaths: the winter…

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