Hospitality & Hotel Damage Claims in Florida

Florida’s hospitality industry operates year-round, serving millions of visitors annually. When property damage forces rooms offline, every lost night means lost revenue and reputation risk. Public Loss Adjusters, LLC specializes in representing hotels, resorts, and hospitality groups throughout Florida, helping them recover quickly and efficiently after hurricanes, fires, floods, or mechanical failures. Our claims are handled in strict compliance with §626.854 and §627.70131, Florida Statutes, ensuring that every step of the process is transparent, lawful, and timely.

Understanding Hospitality Property Coverage

Hotel and resort policies often include multiple components: building and contents, business interruption, extra expense, food spoilage, and guest relocation coverage. Each must be properly documented and presented to ensure full recovery. Our adjusters understand the specialized nature of hospitality operations, from housekeeping and maintenance records to occupancy data and franchise reporting obligations.

We prepare detailed claim files that satisfy both insurer and brand requirements — maintaining compliance while ensuring your property’s return to service as quickly as possible.

Common Types of Hospitality Losses

• Hurricane and wind damage to roofs, exteriors, and balconies.
• Water intrusion from plumbing failures, HVAC leaks, or sprinkler discharge.
• Fire and smoke damage from kitchen or laundry equipment malfunctions.
• Mold contamination following delayed mitigation in guest rooms or corridors.
• Power outages or system failures causing air conditioning loss or elevator shutdowns.

Key Challenges in Hotel Claims

• Multiple Structures and Units: Large resorts often have several insured locations under one policy — we separate and itemize each for proper coverage application.
• Guest Relocation: Relocation or refund costs are reimbursable under Extra Expense coverage. We compile guest accounting reports to document these losses.
• Brand Standards: Franchise-mandated upgrades or finishes must often be included in the repair scope. We ensure your claim reflects these requirements as part of the covered restoration cost.
• Loss of Attraction and Bookings: Business interruption coverage compensates for lost occupancy and event cancellations during closure or reduced capacity.
• Complex Vendor Coordination: We manage communication between contractors, engineers, and carrier adjusters to prevent conflicting scopes and pricing delays.

Our Step-by-Step Process

1. Emergency Documentation: We conduct an immediate inspection, capturing photographs, moisture readings, and incident reports to establish cause and extent of damage.
2. Policy Review: We identify applicable endorsements for Windstorm, Mold, Ordinance & Law, Business Interruption, and Extra Expense coverage.
3. Loss Valuation: Using Xactimate and industry-standard methods, we prepare detailed repair estimates and contents inventories for all affected areas.
4. Operational Impact Analysis: We calculate lost revenue based on occupancy reports, average daily rate (ADR), and historical financials.
5. Negotiation & Resolution: We present a complete claim file with photographs, invoices, and revenue data, ensuring carrier compliance with §627.70131 payment deadlines.

Business Interruption & Extra Expense Recovery

Business Interruption (BI) coverage reimburses lost revenue and continuing expenses when property damage interrupts operations. We document occupancy reports, group cancellations, payroll, and vendor invoices to substantiate every dollar claimed. Extra Expense coverage addresses the cost of mitigating the loss — such as relocating guests, renting portable equipment, or contracting off-site laundry or kitchen facilities. These are recoverable when linked to the covered loss event.

Ordinance & Law and Code Upgrades

Hotels often require code upgrades during restoration, especially in coastal zones. Ordinance & Law coverage reimburses additional construction costs required to meet new building or ADA standards. We coordinate with your contractors and engineers to include these expenses in the claim and verify they meet policy thresholds for reimbursement.

Mitigation Oversight

Water extraction, deodorization, and microbial treatment must be performed quickly and properly to avoid secondary damage or guest complaints. We ensure that mitigation invoices are detailed, verifiable, and compliant with industry standards. This proactive oversight prevents disputes and accelerates payment.

Statutory Deadlines and Carrier Accountability

Florida Statute §627.70131 requires insurers to acknowledge claims within 14 days, communicate progress every 30 days, and issue payment or denial within 90 days unless conditions beyond their control exist. We monitor all communication and maintain a full compliance log for potential Department of Financial Services (DFS) mediation or appraisal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does insurance cover guest relocation or refunds?

Yes. Guest relocation and refund costs tied directly to the covered loss are reimbursable under Extra Expense or Business Interruption coverage, depending on your policy structure.

Can brand-mandated finishes or upgrades be included in the claim?

Yes. Franchise or brand requirements for materials and finishes are covered if they are necessary to restore the property to pre-loss condition or maintain contractual standards.

Are employee wages recoverable during closure?

Yes. Continuing payroll for key employees is compensable under Business Interruption as a continuing expense during the restoration period.

What if my hotel is partially open?

Partial operations may still qualify for BI recovery. We calculate proportional loss based on occupancy and ADR reductions during the affected period.

Does Ordinance & Law apply to ADA upgrades?

Yes. If ADA compliance upgrades are required during repair, these costs are typically covered under Ordinance & Law provisions, subject to policy limits.

Notice: This page provides general information for Florida hotel and hospitality operators and does not constitute legal advice. Public Loss Adjusters, LLC, License A161638. Consistent with §626.854 and §627.70131, Florida Statutes. Supporting documentation and exhibits are provided under separate cover upon request. Please confirm receipt in writing.