Hotel and Motel Property Damage Attorney
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Hotel and Motel Property Damage Attorney
Hotels and motels are business ventures intended to yield profits for their owners. To maximize profits and reduce expenses caused by property damage, hotel or motel business owners may take out a commercial property insurance policy to protect their premises.
Damage to hotels or motels is often a result of uncontrollable circumstances such as floods and storms. But insurance companies are sometimes unwilling to make a fair payment, even in deserving cases, perhaps to increase their profit margins. Additionally, your hotel property damage claim may take a long time to resolve, causing substantial losses and interruptions to your business operations.
In such an instance, you might benefit from the help of an experienced property damage attorney in Missouri. Your hotel and motel property damage attorney can help you get the necessary compensation from the insurance company and help you get back on your feet.
How to Protect Your Hotel/Motel From Damage
Since hotels and motels are immovable, protecting the premises from dangers such as fire or natural disasters would be challenging. The good news is that hotel and motel owners are allowed to take steps to protect their premises, including ejecting any person who poses a danger to the property.
Sources of Hotel Damage
To protect your property, it is essential to first identify the likely sources of damage or liability that could pause your business operations. These could include:
- Water damage that can result from overflowing sinks, and broken pipes
- Damage from guests such as food and drink spills and vandalism
- Fire or smoke damage
- Natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes
Since Missouri is prone to severe storms and flooding, it is important to anticipate risk and prepare for losses in the future. Hotel owners rely on insurance coverage to mitigate the effects of such damage and ensure that their business activities are not affected any more than is necessary.
Hotel/Motel Insurance Policies
Taking out insurance on your lodging establishment means you receive compensation for damages sustained and provides funds to effect any repairs.
Hotel insurance policies cover:
Business income loss: If your business is closed or interrupted due to damage, your insurance policy could provide business income coverage for financial losses sustained within that period.
Third-party liability claims: The nature of the hospitality industry exposes hotels to lawsuits from guests who may claim damages for injuries sustained on the premises and damage or loss of property.
Generally, hotels and motels in Missouri are not liable for the loss or damage of guests’ property exceeding $200 in value. If a hotel or staff member voluntarily offered to take responsibility for the guest’s property, and the guest delivered the property, this rule would not apply. These types of liability claims are common, so a hotel or motel owner might benefit from taking out liability insurance.
Property protection: Property insurance can protect hotels and the property within them from damage due to fire, failed plumbing systems, or open taps.
Natural disasters: Some areas in Missouri, such as Kansas City, are prone to tornadoes and floods. Most insurance companies offer coverage for such incidents. If your hotel doesn’t already have natural disaster insurance, the time to update your insurance policy is now.
Getting Compensation From Your Insurance Company
If your property has been damaged, you would need to contact your insurance company as soon as possible.
Many insurance companies require some proof of damage before approving compensation. The extent of damage often determines the amount that is paid. So if you’ve suffered damage and intend to claim compensation, it is crucial to provide the insurance company’s adjuster with the necessary evidence.
To make things easier, you could utilize footage from your surveillance cameras. The cameras may have captured all the events that led to property damage. The footage can serve as photo and video evidence of what occurred. Make sure you have a sound backup system for adequate record keeping.
You could also create incident reports, especially when events are fresh. Be sure to capture all the necessary details and present this with any other evidence you have to the insurance company.
After assessing the damage and deducting their percentage, the insurance company would compensate you depending on the terms of your insurance policy.
How to Handle Underpayments From Your Insurance Company
Many hotel insurance companies do not handle repairs directly. Instead, they prefer to provide the funds for you to undertake the necessary repairs. However, if the company’s adjuster underestimates the severity of your loss, the insurance carrier will underpay you.
In a show of bad faith, some insurance companies deliberately undervalue the extent of property damage to limit the amount of money they have to pay. If you’re in a position where your insurance company’s adjuster underestimates your loss, all hope is not lost. You can secure the services of asset protection lawyers to fight for you and help you get the compensation you deserve.
Get Help With Your Hotel and Motel Insurance Damage Attorney at Bower Law Firm.
At Bower Law Firm, we are invested in protecting your assets. If your property has been damaged, we have several strategies that we have developed over the years to ensure your insurance company provides adequate compensation for you. This way, you can get back to business within a short time.
We go the extra mile to resolve your hotel damage insurance claims and pursue each case to a suitable conclusion for you.
So, if you are experiencing trouble getting adequate compensation for hotel or motel property damage, contact us immediately for a free consultation. You will not regret it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Will It Take the Insurance Company to Settle My Claim?
Your insurance company has 30 days to settle your claim. The 30-day period starts to count from when the company receives proof of your losses. This is why you need to file your claim immediately after your property gets damaged. This will enable you to obtain compensation quickly and put your business premises back in order.
Do I Have to Go to Court to Resolve My Insurance Claim Dispute?
Your hotel and property damage lawyer can help you negotiate with the insurance company and resolve any dispute without litigation. If the negotiations fail, then yes. You might need to approach the court with the help of your lawyer to receive your entitlements.
