Lodges and resorts are in the business of creating memorable guest experiences, but every amenity, activity, and overnight stay introduces risk. From a hunting lodge deep in the Tennessee hills to a luxury mountain resort overlooking the Smokies, your operation faces a combination of property, liability, and hospitality exposures that standard commercial policies are generally not built to handle.
The John Bailey Company specializes in insurance for hospitality and outdoor recreation businesses. Since 1946, we have been a family-owned agency based in Knoxville, Tennessee, and we currently insure hospitality and recreation operations in 20+ states. Whether your lodge is a rustic fishing retreat or a full-service resort with dining, spa services, and guided excursions, we know how to build the right coverage around your operation.
Lodge and Resort Operations We Insure:
- Hunting lodges and outfitter lodges
- Fishing lodges and fly fishing retreats
- Mountain lodges and cabin resort properties
- Cabin rental management companies
- Destination resorts and boutique resort hotels
- Wellness and spa retreats
- Event and wedding venues with lodging
- Eco-lodges and nature retreats
- Corporate retreat and conference centers
- Seasonal and year-round operations
- Owner-occupied properties and manager-operated lodges
Why Standard Insurance Won’t Protect Your Lodge or Resort
A standard commercial policy or homeowners policy is generally not designed for the complexity of a hospitality operation. Once you begin accepting paying overnight guests, serving food and beverages, offering recreational activities, or employing staff to run your property, you may benefit from insurance designed specifically for lodging and resort businesses.
Lodges and resorts often face a wide range of risks, including but not limited to guest injuries during on-site activities, foodborne illness from kitchen operations, alcohol-related incidents, property damage from fire or severe weather, loss of income during seasonal closures, and liability claims from events held at the venue. Many lodge properties also have higher replacement values due to remote locations, custom construction, and specialized amenities. A comprehensive hospitality insurance package is generally an important part of risk management for these operations.
What Does Lodge and Resort Insurance Cover?
A comprehensive lodge and resort insurance program from the John Bailey Company can typically be customized to include a range of coverages designed for hospitality and outdoor recreation operations. Available options generally include, but are not limited to, the following:
Standard Coverage Options:
- General Liability: Generally responds to guest injury claims, third-party property damage, and personal injury claims arising from lodge operations, including slips, falls, and recreational activity incidents
- Commercial Property Insurance: Designed to help protect the main lodge, cabins, guest rooms, dining facilities, common areas, furnishings, appliances, and outdoor structures against perils such as fire, weather, theft, and vandalism
- Business Interruption / Loss of Income: Helps replace lost revenue and cover ongoing expenses such as mortgage, utilities, payroll, and seasonal operating costs when a covered event causes a temporary closure
- Food Service Liability: Generally responds to claims arising from foodborne illness, allergic reactions, or food safety incidents in dining operations
- Workers’ Compensation: Required in most states; helps cover medical costs and lost wages for work-related injuries to housekeeping, kitchen, maintenance, guide, and front desk staff
- Umbrella / Excess Liability: Provides additional liability limits above primary policy limits, often a key consideration for higher-value resort operations
Specialty Coverage Options:
- Liquor Liability: Often important when alcohol is served, sold, or consumed at lodges, bars, restaurants, or events. In many states, businesses that provide alcohol may be held liable for incidents involving intoxicated guests
- Recreational Activity Coverage: Designed to address exposures from guided fishing, hunting, hiking, boating, horseback riding, ATV tours, and other activities offered to guests. Activities are typically scheduled on the policy through underwriting; activities not disclosed to the carrier may not be covered
- Watercraft Liability: Generally responds to liability exposures involving boats, canoes, kayaks, and other watercraft provided for guest use
- Equipment Breakdown: Designed to respond to losses involving commercial kitchen equipment, HVAC, boilers, hot tubs, pools, and other mechanical systems
- Guest Property Coverage: Generally responds to claims for loss or damage to guests’ personal belongings while on your property
- Commercial Auto: Generally responds to liability and physical damage exposures involving vehicles used for guest shuttles, supply runs, and property maintenance
- Event Liability: Additional coverage option for weddings, corporate retreats, reunions, and other events hosted at your property
- Cyber Liability: Helps address exposures related to data breaches involving guest payment information and online reservation systems
- Firearms Liability: Coverage option for hunting lodges that provide or allow firearms on the property. Coverage availability for firearms-related exposures varies by carrier and is generally subject to specific underwriting requirements
- Personal Property Endorsement: If you live on-site, some hybrid policy options are designed to address both your personal home and your commercial operation under a single policy. Availability and terms vary by carrier
All coverages, limits, and availability are subject to policy terms, conditions, and exclusions, and may vary by carrier and state. A licensed agent can review your specific lodge or resort operation to recommend appropriate coverage.
Our Process
Our process is simple. Here is how we work:
1) We Learn About Your Business
First, we discuss your lodge or resort operation and craft a risk management solution tailored to your needs.
The following includes a few of the standard questions we typically ask during your initial consultation:
- What type of lodge or resort do you operate (hunting, fishing, mountain, cabin rental, destination resort)?
- How many guest rooms, cabins, or rental units do you have?
- What is the total property value, including main lodge, cabins, and outbuildings?
- Do you serve food and/or alcohol to guests?
- What recreational activities do you offer (fishing, hunting, boating, hiking, horseback riding, spa services)?
- Do you provide watercraft, firearms, or other equipment for guest use?
- Do you operate year-round or seasonally?
- How many full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees do you have?
- Do you host events such as weddings, corporate retreats, or reunions?
- Is the property your primary residence?
- Have you filed insurance claims in the past? If so, what risk management practices have you put in place to prevent future incidents?
2) We Shop the Insurance Companies
After learning more about your insurance needs, we shop the insurance companies for you and then present a menu of recommended plans for your review.
Once you pick the coverage options that align with your risk appetite, our team can deliver a certificate of insurance to you quickly to help ensure your business is protected.
Ready to get started? Schedule a free consultation or call us at (865) 524-0785.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lodge and Resort Insurance
How much does lodge and resort insurance cost?
Premiums vary based on property value, number of guest rooms or cabins, location, activities offered, food and alcohol service, claims history, and whether the operation is seasonal or year-round. Premium minimums vary by carrier and program, and depend on the size and complexity of your operation. Resort-scale operations often start in the five-figure range, while smaller lodge operations may have access to lower-cost options depending on risk profile. The best way to get an accurate estimate is to schedule a free consultation with our team.
Can one policy cover both my home and my lodge business?
In some cases, yes. Many lodge owners live on the property and need coverage for both personal and commercial exposures. Some hybrid commercial insurance programs are designed to address personal residence, belongings, and vehicles alongside the lodge business under a single policy, which can simplify coverage management. Whether this approach is right for your situation depends on your specific exposures and the policy form available, and a licensed agent can help you review the options.
Do I need separate insurance for each activity I offer guests?
Not necessarily separate policies, but each activity generally needs to be disclosed to the carrier and reflected on your policy. Activities like guided fishing, hunting, boating, horseback riding, and ATV tours each carry their own risk profile and may be underwritten differently. We work with you to identify the activities your lodge offers so they can be properly disclosed to carriers during the underwriting process. Activities added after binding should be reported promptly so coverage can be reviewed and updated as needed.
What if my lodge or resort is in a remote location?
Remote properties often present unique insurance considerations, including but not limited to limited fire department access, longer emergency response times, higher rebuilding costs due to access limitations, and increased exposure to wildfire or severe weather. Specialized lodge insurance programs are often designed to account for the unique characteristics of remote properties, though carrier appetite, valuation methodology, and coverage terms vary. We work with carriers familiar with remote and hard-to-access properties to identify policy options that fit these operations.
Does my cabin rental management company need insurance?
In most cases, yes. Cabin rental management companies often face liability exposure from guest injuries, property damage, and professional negligence claims. Commercial general liability and professional liability are commonly considered for these operations, and property owners you manage for may require you to carry coverage and list them as additional insureds.
Is my lodge covered if a guest is injured during a guided hunt or fishing trip?
Coverage for guided activities depends on how your policy is written. General liability policies may exclude firearms, watercraft, or other higher-risk recreational activities unless they are explicitly scheduled on the policy. Coverage for firearms-related and watercraft-related exposures is generally a key consideration for hunting and fishing lodges, but availability and terms vary by carrier and policy form. We work with you to review how each policy addresses these activities so you can make informed coverage decisions.