by | June 21, 2011 · 5:50 am

Hospitality Industry Information Security: "Cyberinsurance" Has Evolved Into A "Must-Have" Insurance Policy For Hotel Management As Coverage Includes "Forensics"

“…some insureds get charged $1,000 an hour by a forensics firm. It’s paying the individual walking by your house burning down with a bucket of water…” 

“…used to really focus our underwriting attention on how well they could prevent the breach, but we’ve added another phase to it,” says Whetstone. “Not only can you prevent it, but if it happens, how quickly can you respond? Do you have a plan in place? Kind of like a disaster recovery plan or a business continuity plan. It’s the same with this incident response plan.”

“…cyberinsurance is a “must-have” for most firms today…”

Demand for cyberinsurance was rising even before the most recent highly-publicized parade of breaches at major corporations and organizations. After the news of the first major Sony hack but before the subsequent reports involving Sony, Citicorp, the International Monetary Fund and others, Insurance Journal spoke with an expert to gauge how the insurance market for this coverage is doing.

James Whetstone, senior vice president and U.S. technology and privacy manager for insurer Hiscox Specialty, is a former technology geek and broker turned underwriter.

Hiscox is one of the original underwriters of the coverage. Whetstone says there are almost 30 carriers now offering cyber liability coverage, some more seriously than others. He says these times of claims are when an insurer’s commitment to a market can be tested, citing what he calls the “naive” capacity that exists.

The coverage has evolved quickly– Whetstone compares the product’s acceptance to that of employment practices liability (EPL) coverage– to where cyberinsurance is a “must-have” for most firms today.

The underwriting has also changed. “We used to really focus our underwriting attention on how well they could prevent the breach, but we’ve added another phase to it,” says Whetstone. “Not only can you prevent it, but if it happens, how quickly can you respond? Do you have a plan in place? Kind of like a disaster recovery plan or a business continuity plan. It’s the same with this incident response plan.”

For more:  http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2011/06/20/203166.htm

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by | June 20, 2011 · 7:44 am

Hospitality Industry Information Security Risks: New "Informative Fraud Databases" Explain And Expose The Latest Scams Designed To Steal Credit Card Data

“…what about when the hotel desk calls your room because of a problem processing your credit card? Would you know better than to give the “receptionist” your number?…”

That’s just one of the 350-plus scams exposed and explained in Scam Detector for iOS, an informative fraud database that can help you avoid getting ripped off.

The app doesn’t “detect” scams so much as educate you about them. The data is divided into five categories: Auto, Face to Face, Internet, Telephone, and Travel. Within Internet you’ll find five sub-categories: Social Networking, Financials, Employment Online, Houses & Properties, and Online Auctions & Tech.

In other words, it covers all the bases–and reveals a lot of scams I guarantee you’ve never heard of. For example, you know the guy standing in line behind you at the register, the one who looks like he’s texting on his phone? He might actually be snapping photos, trying to get a readable shot of your credit card as it passes back and forth between you and the cashier.

Read more: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20071984-233/scam-detector-app-saves-you-from-getting-ripped-off/#ixzz1Ppb87YjR

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by | June 19, 2011 · 7:16 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Safety Risks: Child Dies From Fall From 5th Floor Balcony Of A Florida Hotel; Balcony Had 4-Foot High Railing With Tightly-Spaced Bars

“…Family members said the girl was on the balcony with two adult relatives and was playing with an inflatable toy, Bernstein said. The toy became wedged in the railing and she slipped through and fell…”

“…detectives were trying to determine how the child could have fallen from the balcony, which is secured by a 4-foot-high railing with tightly spaced bars that extend to the floor…”

A toddler who fell from a fifth-floor balcony at an Oceanfront hotel Friday night died Saturday. The girl fell from a balcony at the Sandcastle Oceanfront Resort Hotel and landed on a patio of the Ammos Authentic Greek Cuisine restaurant, said Officer Adam Bernstein, a police spokesman.

The names of the toddler and other family members are being withheld to give the family time to inform relatives and friends, Bernstein said. The girl’s family lives in Staunton.

“Everything right now is pointing toward horrific accident,” Bernstein said. “At this point, there’s no indication of any foul play or neglect.”

For more:  http://hamptonroads.com/2011/06/child-dies-after-falling-oceanfront-balcony

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by | June 17, 2011 · 7:00 am

Hotel Industry Guest Safety: Texas Hotel Guests Injured When "Glass Panels" Fall From 24th Floor To Pool Deck Recalling Fatal "Window Accident" In Atlanta

“….two glass panels fell from balcony railings of two unoccupied condominium units on the 24th and 25th floors and landed in the pool area…”

The hotel’s general manager, Drew McQuade, told the newspaper that four people were treated for cuts and other injuries.

“It was not packed, but there were a fair amount of guests at the pool,” McQuade said. “We feel fortunate that there were not more people injured.”

The incident, which occurred June 10, recalls the May 28 tragedy at the W Hotel in Midtown in which two women fell through a glass window in their 10th floor hotel room. LaShawna Threatt, 30, was killed in that incident and Cierra Williams, 28, was critically injured. Witnesses said the two women were engaged in “horseplay” when they crashed through the window.

McQuade said engineering experts were investigating the incident.

For more:  http://www.ajc.com/news/glass-panels-fall-from-979520.html

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by | June 16, 2011 · 5:42 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Surveillance Video Shows Man Stealing Flat Screen TV From Washington Hotel Conference Room

“…Surveillance video from the waterfront Homewood Suites by Hilton hotel in Vancouver, Wash., shows a man last week carting out a 42-inch TV set – at 6 p.m. in the evening, according to The Colombian…”

“…The stolen TVs are valued at about $1,000 each. TVs stolen from guest rooms won’t work outside the hotel, but the TV from the conference room will, the story says…”

And the same man is believed to have stolen TV sets from a Staybridge Suites hotel and a Country Inn and Suites hotel near the Portland, Oregon, airport. It’s not clear whether others are involved in the scam.

This particular thief can be seen in the Homewood Suites hotel’s video using a hand truck to haul the TV wrapped in yellow hotel linens into a green Ford Escort wagon, the Colombian reports. He then returned the hand truck to the hotel and drove away.

The items came from the hotel’s conference room, where a meeting was held earlier that day, hotel general manager Kari Jonassen told the Colombian.

“This just makes me so mad that somebody has the gall to do this,” Jonassen told the paper.

For more:  http://travel.usatoday.com/hotels/post/2011/06/vancouver-washington-thief-steals-tv-sets-from-hotels-homewood-suites/174274/1?csp=34travel&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+hotelcheckincommunityfeed+%28Hotel+Check-in%3A+A+road+warrior%27s+guide+to+the+lodging+landscape+-+USATODAY.com%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail

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by | June 15, 2011 · 7:35 am

Hospitality Industry Employee Theft Risks: Delaware Hotel Sales Manager Arrested For "Creating Fictitious Hotel Rewards Program Accounts" And Purchasing Goods Later Resold For Cash

“…McNeill worked at the Renaissance Hotel, part of the Marriott chain, in Tinicum Township as a sales manager until Nov. 24, according to court papers. According to court documents, McNeill allegedly created six fictitious accounts in Marriott’s rewards program and logged points into the system. Purchases using those accounts were made between October and December of last year…”

A former Delaware County hotel employee has been arrested after she allegedly used more than $103,000 worth of fraudulent “hotel points” to buy items on Skymall, the online shopping catalog.

Tia L. McNeill, 34, formerly of King of Prussia, was taken into custody on Tuesday at a Sheraton Hotel in Towson, Md., where she now works. She has been charged with theft, criminal conspiracy, receiving stolen property, and related offenses, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Also arrested was Christopher Jordan Jr., assistant director of basketball operations at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Jordan told police he would use accounts created by McNeill to order merchandise and then resell the items for cash. He would then send half the proceeds to McNeill.

In addition, McNeill allegedly illegally obtained $26,775 worth of Marriott Visa cards, which can be used only at the hotels

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by | June 14, 2011 · 6:46 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Hotel Owners Can Now Obtain "Bed Bug" Insurance Policies That Combine Insurance For Pest Control And "Lost Revenue"

“…In the past, the cost of treating bedbugs was seen as an unplanned expense that had to be paid out of pocket by the landlord…”

“…Treatment of bedbug problems and replacement of any property was excluded from property insurance policies. In recent months, some hotels have obtained loss of attraction coverage that covers losses if rooms have to be taken out of service because of bed-bug infestations…”

Aon Risk Solutions, the risk management arm of giant insurance broker Aon Corp., has teamed with Global Excess Partners, a Manhattan-based commercial property insurance company, and Terminix, the nation’s largest pest-control company, to offer the first-ever bedbug-specific insurance policy for hotels, landlords and corporations.

The new insurance plan, announced Monday, will not only cover the cost of bedbug termination, but also covers lost revenue during the time the creatures are still running riot before succumbing to pest eradication techniques that range from a new non-toxic treatment that can clean a room in five days or less, to mattress encasements.

In an effort to quell a chance of an outbreak, many companies have been hiring exterminators like M&M to conduct monthly preventive visits, which cost anywhere from $100 to several thousand dollars. Mr. Wong said his company recently conducted a $25,000 job that came as a result of bedbug infestation.

For more:  http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20110613/REAL_ESTATE/110619964

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by | June 13, 2011 · 7:40 am

Hospitality Industry Insurance Risks: Florida Hotel Water Pipe Bursts Causing Lobby Ceiling To Collapse And Guest Evacuation

Guests at a Miami Beach hotel were evacuated after a water pipe in the building burst, causing the ceiling to collapse into the hotel lobby.

“…Gushing water spread into the hotel lobby and part of the ceiling collapsed, said Adonis Garcia, spokesman for Miami Beach Fire Rescue.…”

A water pipe located between the first and second floor of the Claremont Hotel on the 1700 block of Collins Avenue burst Sunday evening. Guests at the Claremont were evacuated and relocated to another hotel.

“The fire department said where the roof came down, it was actually leaking from inside and then it just blew out the ceiling,” said Ros Guttso, hotel general manager. No one was injured.

For more:  http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/06/13/2264379/miami-beach-hotel-evacuated-after.html

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by | June 12, 2011 · 6:24 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Security: Texas Hotel Management Faces Questions On How A Man Stole A "Master Key" And Entered A Guest Room Before Assaulting Guests

“What shocks me most … This guy had a master key and just walked right into the kids’ room high and started swinging at them,” Hernandez said. “Thankfully the kids were screaming and (coach Joseph) Rosendo was nearby to help.”

Attempts to contact Clarion management for a comment on how they lost a master key and the attack itself were unsuccessful Saturday. Hernandez said at least it wasn’t the hotel room with his female athletes.

The coach of the Lubbock Warriors spoke out, voicing many concerns about the hotel’s security and the legal system after his squad was attacked early Friday morning, hours before a boxing competition.

Nicodemus Alvarado, 18, allegedly attacked members of the team while he was drunk and high on cocaine after using a stolen master key to gain entry into their hotel room at the Clarion on the 4300 block of West Wall Street about 12:20 a.m. Friday, police said.

Besides issues with the hotel’s security, Hernandez also raised questions about the legal system in general after he learned of Alvarado’s past.

Alvarado was arrested less than three months ago during an unrelated incident on the exact same charges: First-degree felony for burglary of habitat with intent to commit another felony and for possession of a controlled substance.

He was arrested for the first set of felonies following a March attack on a woman. He allegedly pushed his way into her residence and began assaulting her after he disconnected her emergency call to police, according to the March arrest affidavits.

Despite his $56,000 bond, Alvarado eventually was released from the county lockup. According to clerk of court records, Alvarado was only adjudicated for the misdemeanor charge of interfering with an emergency call during the March 6 incident. It was not known, as of press time Saturday evening, under what circumstances the felony charges were dropped or dismissed

Read more: Coach criticizes hotel, legal system after attack – Mywesttexas.com: Top Stories http://www.mywesttexas.com/top_stories/article_90772213-c4f4-5716-994b-a4279a012afb.html#ixzz1P4TArI00

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by | June 10, 2011 · 9:14 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Arkansas Hotel Evacuated After High Levels Of "Carbon Monoxide" Sickens Family Of Four; Traced To A Faulty Swimming Pool Heater

“…Fire Department officials say a North Little Rock hotel was evacuated after a family of four was hospitalized with carbon monoxide poisoning…traced to a faulty swimming pool heater…”

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported Friday that Fire Department Capt. J.R. Pflasterer said the carbon monoxide was found at unsafe levels throughout the hotel Thursday He said it was traced to a faulty swimming pool heater.  Pflasterer said 64 people were forced to leave the Comfort Inn and Suites after the family went to a hospital about 8 a.m. He said about 10 of those evacuated reported headaches or dizziness.

Pflasterer said carbon monoxide levels returned to normal Thursday afternoon. The hotel’s telephone number was continually busy Friday morning, so it could not be learned when it would reopen.

For more:  http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/852f6fb07d9149cb9238e0adf171f81b/AR–Carbon-Monoxide-Ark-Hotel/

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