Hotels and Accommodation Establishments – Risk and Loss Prevention

Risk drivers

Guests at an accommodation establishment are unfamiliar with both the building layout and its escape routes and spend a substantial part of their stay asleep, meaning that in the event of fire they depend on a functioning audible alarm and clearly marked, unobstructed escape routes. The combination of guest rooms, catering kitchen areas with open flame or deep fryers, and often historic or heterogeneous building fabric further increases the fire risk compared with comparable office buildings.

Protection measures

Key measures include a building-wide fire detection system with in-room smoke detectors and audible alarm, a sufficient number of independent, fire-separated escape stairwells, functioning emergency lighting, and a designated safety officer who carries out regular checks and staff training. Kitchen areas additionally require dedicated grease-fire suppression systems and strict separation of guest and back-of-house areas.

Insurance relevance

Beyond property damage, liability exposure toward guests in the event of inadequate escape-route organisation or a failed alarm system is of central importance for accommodation establishments, since resulting injuries can trigger substantial liability claims. Insurers reviewing the risk regularly require evidence of a current fire protection concept and an appointed safety officer with documented checks.