CR 04 11–GUESTS’ PROPERTY

(February 2026)

INTRODUCTION

This endorsement is designed for hotels, motels, and other lodging facilities. It covers the named insured’s legal liability for loss of or damage to guests’ property held in safe deposit boxes or inside the facility’s premises.

This analysis is of the 06 22 edition with changes in bold print. It does not address changes in format that do not affect coverage.

ELIGIBILITY

This endorsement can be added to the Insurance Services Office (ISO) Commercial Crime Coverage Form or Policy.

SCHEDULE

The endorsement schedule provides fields for two separate coverages. One or both may be selected.

·         Guests’ Property–In Safe Deposit Boxes

There are fields to input the Premises Address, Limit of Insurance per Occurrence, and Deductible Amount per Occurrence.  

·         Guests’ Property–Inside the Premises

There are fields to enter the Premises Address, Limit of Insurance per Guest, Limit of Insurance per Occurrence, and Deductible Amount per Occurrence.

ANALYSIS

This is an endorsement to the ISO Commercial Crime Coverage Form or Policy and is subject to their conditions, definitions, and exclusions. The only changes are those within this endorsement.

INSURING AGREEMENT

The following are added to Insuring Agreement A.–Fidelity:

·         Guests’ Property–In Safe Deposit Boxes

This coverage covers loss or damage to guests’ property stored inside a safe deposit box on the insured’s premises. The insured must be legally liable for the loss or damage.

Example: A guest on vacation deposits cash and traveler’s checks into the named insured’s safe deposit box. When they try to retrieve them, the box is found empty. This loss is covered.

·         Guests’ Property–Inside the Premises

This coverage covers loss or damage to guests’ property inside the insured’s premises or in their possession. The insured must be legally liable for the loss or damage.

Examples:

  • The maid forgets to lock a guest’s hotel room door after cleaning. Thieves enter the room and steal the guest’s clothing and laptop. This loss is covered.
  • The bellhop takes a guest’s suitcases after checkout and stores them for a few hours. When the guest returns, the suitcases are gone. This loss is covered.
  • A guest leaves a bracelet on her book by the indoor pool before swimming. When she returns, the bracelet is missing. Coverage does not apply because the insured is not legally liable for the loss under local law, as the bracelet was not in the insured’s possession or control.

The named insured can be sued if they refuse to cover loss or damage to guests’ property. If the insured has the insurance company’s written approval to defend, the company will cover reasonable defense expenses incurred and paid by the insured. These payments are in addition to the coverage limit.

Example: The maid forgets to lock a guest’s hotel room door after cleaning. The guest finds the door unlocked and reports that a laptop, phone, and jewelry worth thousands of dollars were stolen. The hotel declines the claim, citing lack of proof of the loss. The guest files a lawsuit. Before denying the claim, the hotel informed its insurance company of its suspicions and obtained permission to defend, leading the insurance to cover the hotel's defense expenses.

LIMIT OF INSURANCE

This insuring agreement uses a schedule to list the limits instead of entering them on the Declarations. Each part of the Insuring Agreement has its own separate limit.

·         Guests' Property–In Safe Deposit Boxes

Coverage has a limit for each occurrence at each address listed on the schedule.

·         Guests' Property–Inside the Premises

Coverage has a per-guest limit subject to the premises per-occurrence limit listed on the schedule. 

Example: A gang of thieves targets the Villa Hotel. They steal hotel property, remove $100,000 worth of guests’ belongings from safe deposit boxes, and steal $100,000 from two guests. The hotel’s policy caps liability at $100,000 per incident for guest property in safe deposit boxes. This loss is fully covered.

The coverage limit for guests' property inside the premises is $10,000 per guest and $100,000 per occurrence. The hotel receives $10,000 per guest for losses inside the premises, totaling $20,000. Since the per-guest limit is $10,000, even with a $100,000 limit per occurrence, the hotel has a total uncovered loss of $80,000.

DEDUCTIBLE

Payment is only made if the loss exceeds the deductible amount per occurrence shown on the schedule. Even in that case, the payout will not exceed the insurance limit per occurrence specified on the endorsement schedule.   

EXCLUSIONS

1.      Applicable to All Insuring Agreements:

This insuring agreement does not cover Acts Committed By Your Employees, ERISA Plan Officials, Managers, Directors, Trustees, or Representatives, or Legal Fees, Costs, and Expenses.

2.      Applicable to Specific Insuring Agreements: 

Eight exclusions are added by this endorsement as follows:

a.      Assumption of Liability

Loss that results from liability the insured assumes under any written agreement is excluded.

However, this exclusion does not apply to written agreements made with a guest before any loss or damage occurs, if the amount does not exceed $1,000 or a lesser amount for which you could be liable under any law.

Example: A local law states that hotels are liable for guest property losses up to $5,000. The insured’s contract with guests states liability up to $6,000, so coverage applies since the difference is not more than $1,000. However, if the contract states liability up to $10,000, then coverage is limited to the $5,000 statutory limit.

b.      Fire

Loss or damage to property from any fire.

c.      Food or Liquid

Loss of or damage to property caused by spilled, upset, or leaking liquids or food. This exclusion is applicable only to Guests’ Property inside the premises.

d.      Inherent Vice

Loss of or damage to property from wear and tear, inherent vice, deterioration, insects, or animals.

e.      Laundry or Dry Cleaning

Loss of or damage to property in the insured’s care and custody for cleaning or laundering. This exclusion applies only to Guests’ Property–Inside the Premises.

f.        Legal Liability

Loss occurring when the named insured releases an organization or person from legal liability.

g.      Samples or Articles for Sale

Loss of or damage to articles or samples carried or held for sale or delivery after they are sold. This exclusion applies only to Guests’ Property–Inside the Premises.

h.      Motor Vehicles or Equipment and Accessories

Loss of or damage to any vehicle, including accessories, equipment, and property inside it. This exclusion applies only to Guests’ Property–Inside the Premises.

CONDITIONS

1.      Applicable to All Insuring Agreements:

a.      Records

The Records Condition in the Coverage Form or Policy does not apply to these insuring agreements.

b.      Ownership of Property: Interests Covered

The following condition completely replaces the Ownership of Property: Interests Covered Condition in the Coverage Form or Policy.

The insuring agreements cover property belonging to the named insured’s guests. Coverage applies only when the property is in a safe deposit box, inside the premises, or in the insured’s possession.

This insurance benefits only the named insured. It grants no benefits or rights to other organizations or individuals, including guests. Any claims for covered losses must be submitted by the named insured to the insurance company.

NOTE: This coverage is first-party and benefits the named insured. It does not include third-party liability. Only the named insured, who must meet all conditions of the coverage form or policy, can submit the claim.

2.      Applicable to Specific Insuring Agreements:   

Bankruptcy

This additional condition specifies that the insurance company is not relieved of its obligations under these insuring agreements even if the named insured or its estate becomes insolvent or bankrupt.

DEFINITIONS

The following definition is added to F. Definitions in the Coverage Form or Policy.

·         Guests’ property

This is money, securities, and other property that belongs to the insured’s guests.

The following definition replaces the same definition in F. Definitions in the Coverage Form or Policy.

·         Premises

The part of the building's interior located at the address specified on the endorsement schedule, which the named insured uses for its operations.