Why did the valet parking service purchase a related commercial insurance policy?
The answer to this question can include so many scenarios in relation to when the business can be held liable for losses and damages incurred to other people’s property. The true to life episode posted below about a luxury car placed in the hands of the valet service, however, would not be classified as the norm in insurance claims.
The Valet Parking Service’s Error
James Fowler was an attorney that had come to St. Petersburg, FL to participate in an industry convention. Upon arrival at the Vinoy Renaissance Resort and Golf Club where the weekend event was to be held, he handed over the keys of his multi-hundred thousand dollar Ferrari to the parking attendant.
Nobody, surely not Mr. Fowler, esquire par excellence, could have predicted what would ensue following the car’s drop off.
Enter Levi Miles, young whippersnapper who wanted to make a striking impression as a wealthy man of significant importance to his date.
Levi Miles pretended to be the proud owner of the Ferrari and asked the valet attendant for the keys. After receiving them and seating himself and his girl in the front seats, Miles let the valet wait for the ticket of ownership. The attendant in fact waited so long that he turned the other way without noticing the Ferrari ‘owner’ raced off without depositing the required ticket.
The theft went undetected for a short while. But It didn’t take long for a cop to notice a traffic violation. That’s when he stopped Miles. One thing led to another until Miles confessed that the car was in fact not even his.
Once Fowler, the true Ferrari owner, was made aware of the episode, he began court proceedings of a law suit aimed at the resort valet service in regard to negligence…
What Valet Parking Services Insurance is About
Your business might have a valet service if you are involved in the following healthcare, hospitality, or other industries, like a
• Hospital
• Ballroom
• Restaurant
• Country club
• Hotel
• Art gallery
• Museum
When a patron drives up to the valet counter, the attendant takes the car key and gives the driver a corresponding identifying ticket. The Valet then parks the car as a convenience. When the auto owner comes back to claim his vehicle he surrenders the ticket along with the payment. In turn, the valet attendant returns the car to the owner.
The valet parking service may also offer auto detailing and shuttle passage.
An experienced independent insurance agency would be best equipped to explain more about valet service coverage and present a customized protective policy.
