Hostel Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a hostel business may carry — core, prevalent, and situational — why each matters, and the gap most often missed.
Pull out your current policy and check the box next to any coverage you can confirm is already in place — anything unchecked is worth a quick conversation with your advisor. Coverage checklist for hostels with shared dormitories. Priorities reflect typical exposure; confirm against bars, events, and staffing.
Tick each coverage you can confirm you carry — anything left unticked is a good question for your next policy review.
| Have it? | Coverage | Why this business needs it | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial General Liability | Covers guest injuries — confirm dormitory lodging isn't excluded. | Core | |
| Assault & Battery | Covers guest-on-guest assault claims — often excluded. | Core | |
| Innkeepers / Guest Property | Covers guests' belongings, including locker theft. | Prevalent | |
| Liquor Liability | Needed if the hostel sells alcohol or runs pub crawls. | Situational | |
| Commercial Property & Business Income | Covers the building and lost bed revenue. | Core |
The coverage gap most often missed
The most commonly missed gap for this class is assault coverage for shared sleeping rooms. Strangers share dorms, and guest-on-guest theft and assault are recurring claims that many GL policies exclude. Fire in buildings divided into many sleeping rooms is the severe risk. Hostels should confirm assault coverage, provide lockers and key-card access, staff the building around the clock, and keep sprinklers and exits to code.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your hostel coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Hostel Insurance · Hostel Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a hostel business need?
The core coverages for a hostel business are Commercial General Liability, Assault & Battery, Commercial Property & Business Income. This checklist also lists the prevalent and situational coverages worth considering, with a plain-English note on why each matters.
Is this checklist insurance advice?
No. It is a free educational tool to help you have a more informed conversation with a licensed professional. It affords no coverage and is not insurance, legal, or financial advice — only your actual policy language governs what is and isn't covered.
Can Cory Washington & Co. review my hostel coverage?
Yes. Share your checklist and we'll review your program line by line, market your account across multiple carriers, and explain the trade-offs in plain English. Cory Washington & Co. LLC is licensed in all 50 states.
This checklist is a free educational tool from Cory Washington & Co. to help you review your own coverage and have a more informed conversation with a licensed insurance professional. It is general information only — not insurance, legal, or financial advice, and not a recommendation to buy, change, or cancel any policy. Coverage terms, availability, limits, and requirements vary by policy, carrier, and state, and only the language in your actual policy governs what is and isn’t covered. Checking or leaving blank any item above does not indicate that you are adequately insured or under-insured. Using this checklist does not create a client, agency, or fiduciary relationship. Always consult a licensed professional about your specific situation.