Bed & Breakfast Insurance
Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane & Canberra

A bed and breakfast may operate within the owner’s residence, in separate guest buildings or across several properties. Describe the accommodation layout, number of guest rooms and areas shared with the household. Explain whether breakfast is prepared on site and whether other meals, transport, tours or private functions are offered. Include pools, fireplaces, balconies, gardens and outbuildings accessible to guests. The broker needs to understand the commercial use and the division between guest and private areas. A domestic policy should not be assumed to address every activity simply because the owner also lives at the address.

Consider the guest journey from booking to departure. Explain how visitors arrive, obtain keys, use common facilities and contact someone after hours. Identify whether bookings are direct or made through platforms and whether the property is ever let without an on-site host. Describe contents and equipment owned by the business separately from personal belongings where appropriate. Ask how the proposed wording treats guest injuries, guest property, accidental damage, theft and loss of accommodation income. Any protection described by a booking platform should be reviewed on its own terms rather than assumed to replace the property’s insurance arrangements.

Bring representative booking conditions, platform agreements and any property lease or management arrangement to the review. Clarify responsibility for cancellations, guest damage, functions and services provided by third parties. If another person manages the property while you are away, document their authority and responsibilities. Keep accurate records of occupancy and seasonal income because a busy holiday period may have different financial significance from an ordinary week. Discuss how declared values and any interruption calculation should be prepared under the wording being considered. Revenue expectations should be supported by business information rather than an assumption that every vacant night would be compensated.

Maintain a record of building features, furnishings and significant improvements, supported by appropriate valuations or quotations where needed. Keep maintenance and inspection information for guest areas, including actions taken after a problem is reported. For supplied food, retain relevant supplier and operating records appropriate to the business. Emergency information should be understandable to someone unfamiliar with the property, and staff or relief hosts should know the response arrangements. For insurance purposes, describe what is actually in place and identify changes still planned. The records help present the operation accurately without substituting for specialist building, food or safety advice.

If a guest is injured or reports damaged belongings, attend to immediate needs and document the circumstances. Keep the booking details, relevant photographs and a factual account of the concern. Follow the insurer’s reporting process and seek guidance before promising compensation. If damage makes rooms unusable, record the affected areas and dates, together with cancelled bookings and any alternative accommodation arrangements. Keep urgent repair expenditure distinguishable from refunds and lost income. The evidence should show the impact of the event while leaving the coverage assessment to the applicable policy and the facts established.

At renewal, review occupancy patterns, property changes and additional services. A move from hosted stays to whole-property letting, an added room or the introduction of weddings can alter the discussion. Update values and consider the practical time needed for repairs, refurnishing and rebuilding bookings. Keep an alternative way to contact incoming guests if the primary booking system fails. Ask how the insurance program treats the home and business interests, seasonal revenue and periods when the property is unoccupied. A current description supports a more useful review than assuming that the original bed and breakfast arrangement remains unchanged.