$8,000 to $10,000 – That’s how much the average out of court settlement of a bed bug victim. That’s how much a hotel could pay out to a single person that can prove that they got the bed bugs from one establishment.
That’s only the beginning: How much will it cost if the hotel receives a reputation for having bed bugs. Thousands of establishments have been ruined by online reviews warning people away. In fact, there are now databases dedicated exclusively to tracking what places have bed bugs.
Unchecked, an infestation can lead to 13,000 or more bed bugs. That’s far more than any one individual can ever handle. One female insect can lay thousands of eggs in a single year and they live longer than most insects. They can even live for over a year without food.
What can you do?
- Get supplemental insurance that will protect you from that liabilities of bed bugs. This type of insurance might seem frivolous until the first time it saves you from having to open your wallet.
- Get a qualified and trained exterminator to check your property regularly. They might not be able to keep the bugs out, but they can definitely keep them from getting a foothold in your business.
- Don’t be cheap. Sometimes, after being told that they have a problem, business owners will ask for the least expensive solution. This is not the time to ask for what is cheap, but what is effective. The cost to you in the long run could destroy your business.
Bed bugs are an insidious and vicious little problem. Every customer, every client, every visitor can bring them in. They ride along on clothing, luggage, in vehicles, even in the seams of clothes.
Don’t let tiny bugs take down your business. Be proactive and you can prevent them from being more than simply a nuisance.