For many holidaymakers, the whole reason for going on holiday is to get new experiences, interact with the locals, and have a chance to snag a couple of souvenirs as opposed to spending time in enclosed places. Rather than remaining on a tour bus through the entire vacation, walking tours provide great opportunities to sightsee and get first-hand knowledge of the holiday destination. Other advantages of considering a walking holiday are that walking is good for your overall health and decreases the carbon footprint of cars.
When overseeing a walking tour, it’s integral that you know the type of insurance you need to take out in order to get the best travel insurance. Things can go sideways at any moment, including theft, injury and other unforeseen eventualities that can halt the walking holiday in its tracks. It is highly advised that you take out travel insurance so you have all your bases covered in case of anything.
Why Do Walking Tour Guides Require Insurance?
A lot of unexpected accidents or problems can pop up during a walking holiday without warning. Walking tour guides particularly see many emergency medical problems like leg or ankle injuries on cobblestone streets and walkways. Even a minor injury can see the rest of the walking holiday grounded. Some of the unforeseen instances you can see include:
-A walking vacationer sustains an injury, whether it is a sprained ankle, or worse, being hit by a car while on your walking tour through the city.
-A walking vacationer is the victim of theft like a thief who snatches their digital devices or other valuables.
-During the walking tour, you accidentally run into your client holding a hot drink, making it spill on them, and suffer burn injuries.
-A client feels dissatisfied with your services and claims you didn’t deliver the experience you promised.
-A rival walking tour provider operating in the same locale claims you infringed on their territory and stole their clients, and they move to court to claim compensation for lost income.
This is why all walking tour guide operators and guides should take out business liability insurance to cover lawsuits and claims associated with their services. Even if your customers agree to an accident liability waiver, without taking out business liability coverage one mishap can see you incur thousands, tarnish your reputation, and completely upend your operations.
Ideally, customise your insurance policy to mirror your potential threats or risks. Walking Tour Guide Insurance generally covers:
Commercial general liability (CGL) insurance: Also referred to as general liability insurance, the coverage encompasses costs associated with third-party body harm or property damage claims resulting from negligence or an accident.
Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance: E&O insurance shields you from financial losses or damages affiliated with professional services, including claims of negligence, misconduct, errors, or failure to provide a promised service.
Cyber liability insurance: This insurance covers the cost related to cyber-attack losses or data breaches. You can be held liable if a hacker gains access to their private data and steals or exposes vital information because you guided them to a certain location.
Other types of insurance you need to have comprehensive coverage for your walking holiday services include:
Commercial property insurance: If you operate your walking tour service from an office that you lease, rent or own, you’ll have to take out a commercial property insurance policy to cover the losses or damages from vandalism, theft, water and fire damage to that commercial establishment along with your electronics and business contents. This coverage can also apply if you operate your business from home.
Commercial auto insurance: If your service includes you taking clients to different adventure destinations, chances are that you require commercial car insurance. A private-passenger vehicle insurance coverage is not made to cover accidents involving a car used for business.
Employers’ liability insurance: If you are the owner of a tour company and have enlisted a full or part-time staff to carry out the walking tours, you may have to take out an employers’ liability insurance to cover expenses of employee-related lawsuits and claims if they sustain an injury while on the clock.
Make sure to consult with an experienced insurance broker regarding the sort of insurance policy you require, be aware of the exceptions in that policy, and get their guidance on the best coverage for you.
Get Affordable Walking Tours Insurance Coverage
You should note that Insurance carriers don’t charge the same or offer the same coverage levels for the insurance coverage you need to successfully carry out a walking holiday. Even if you have an in-depth knowledge of the area and wish to provide the best walking tour experience to your clients, make sure that you explore your insurance options first. Professional operators or guides will always ascertain they book your walking holiday with a licensed and insured guide or operator.