Tag Archives: Hotel Safes

by | March 21, 2012 · 11:52 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Hotel Liability For Theft Of Guest's Property Is Limited By Statute In All States; Providing Digital Room Safes Can Limit Total Losses

Under common law, an innkeeper or hotelier was liable for loss or damage to guest’s property for the full value, unless the loss was caused by an act of nature (hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.), civil unrest, or the fault of the guest…each state has modified the common law by enacting statutes that limit the hotel’s liability… ordinarily limited to a specific figure, anywhere from $250 to $5,000.

Hotels typically post conspicuous notices indicating that valuables worth more than a certain amount (e.g., $250 or $500) must be deposited in the hotel safe in order to be covered for any loss. (Room safes are generally recommended only if they contain digital keypads, and the guest assumes all responsibility for getting into the safe and keeping the combination confidential.)

Two states have been randomly selected to provide examples of these statutes:

  • The Rhode Island statute states that if the hotel provides a safe for depositing money, jewelry, watches, and the like, and notifies guests by posting a conspicuous notice to that effect, and guests fail to deposit their valuables in the safe, the hotel is not liable for any loss to the valuables. It goes on to add that the hotel is not obligated to accept property for safekeeping that exceeds $500 in value. If a guest deposits property with a value exceeding $500 in the safe, the hotel is not responsible for loss to this property for more than $500, unless there is a special written agreement with the hotel for a greater amount.
  • The New Mexico statute states that the hotel is liable to its guests for loss of their property that is caused by the theft or negligence of the hotel or its staff, up to a limit of $1,000. However, if the hotel provides a suitable safe for safekeeping of money, jewelry, or other valuables, and notifies guests by posting a printed notice in hotel rooms, and guests fail to deposit their valuables in the safe, the hotel will not be liable.

For more:  http://www.adjustersinternational.com/insights_1002EA.cfm

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by | September 19, 2011 · 5:58 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Security Risks: Hotels Must "Reset Factory Codes" On Hotel Safes To Prevent Unauthorized Opening Using "000000"

“…Being able to unlock a hotel safe by entering in all zeros, he said, is pure ‘negligence on the hotel’s part’…. every safe has a factory code, whether it is all zeros or all ones, and it is each hotel’s responsibility to reset this factory code when they take the safe out of the box…”

The hotel safe you use to stash your passport, laptop and other valuables might have a major security flaw, according to a traveler’s YouTube.com video highlighted by Web tracker DailyDot.com.

In his video headlined, “Don’t Trust Your Hotel Room Safe,” traveler “skyrangerpro” shows himself unlocking his hotel room’s safe by entering all zeros.

He was given the “000000” security code by the front desk when he told them he’d forgotten the password he’d previously chosen.

For more:  http://travel.usatoday.com/hotels/post/2011/09/hotel-safe-youtubecom-video-questions-safety/547821/1

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