AAHOA Washington DC Area Regional Director Deepak Patel and his team had a productive meeting with Virginia Insurance Commissioner Scott White and his colleagues in Richmond, VA.

• Key Participants:
  • Scott White: Virginia Insurance Commissioner, Vice President of NAIC
  • Zuhairah Tillinghaat: Deputy Insurance Commissioner, Virginia
  • Andrea Baytop: Chief Insurance Market Examiner, Property & Casualty, Virginia
• Key Takeaways:
  • Rising Insurance Rates: Addressed concerns over increasing insurance rates in Virginia.
  • Insurance Renewals: Highlighted challenges independent hotels face in renewing their insurance.
  • Human Trafficking Liability: Discussed the trend of insurance carriers dropping human trafficking liability coverage despite hoteliers' compliance and staff training.
  • New Insurance Providers: Requested efforts to attract new insurance companies to the hotel sector.
  • Claims Payout Issues: Raised issues with delays and lowballing in claims payouts.
• Action Points:
  • Commissioner White encouraged hoteliers to reach out for assistance with any specific future issues.

This meeting signifies a step forward in addressing the insurance challenges faced by Virginia’s independent hotels.