How many of us had grandmothers that chimed in with “sleep tight and don’t let the bedbugs bite” as we children toddled off to bed?
Well, bedbugs are back – biting, causing rashes and doing it with a vengeance!
Toronto Public Health reports they have “received an increase in calls regarding bed bugs” in the last few years. But that is an understatement, if Toronto’s experience is anything like that of New York.
The Sunday Times of London recently took a shot at the Big Apple’s “epidemic” citing “panic, revulsion and a nasty little rash to rich and poor alike.” Another published report indicated New York City Hall fielded 11,000 complaints/inquiries about the pest in 2009, a significant increase from 537 in 2004.
Bedbugs not only reside in seams, creases, and folds of mattresses and box springs, but are being discovered between cushions of couches and chairs – and in library books.
There’s even a “Bedbug Registry”, a free, public database of user-reported bedbug infestations across the U.S. and Canada. Prospective travellers or those moving to another town can check for bedbug reports before booking a hotel room or renting an apartment.
Almost all property insurance policies exclude damage by, or clean-up costs relating to bugs and insects. But that broad infestation exclusion was adopted when it was assumed that resulting damage was linked to sub-standard maintenance or cleanliness, and was therefore usually preventable. Now, bedbugs apparently make no distinction between demographic, economic, or personal hygiene conditions.
Hotels and restaurants have exposures to legal liabilty, not to mention potential damage to reputational risk. Insurance is available for these risks.
Bedbugs were the bane of society in the 18th century – but shouldn’t we be able to control in the 21st century??
Grandma wouldn’t have believed it!
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brook
August 19, 2010 at 11:01 am
lovely.
pl
August 19, 2010 at 2:31 pm
I want to believe the saying “It will never happen to Me”
And if it does, “It’s not my fault”I wish to remain bug free…
SL
August 19, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Grandma wouldn’t have believed it!
Imagine ‘bed bugs’… relating to Liability exposure!
..Who would of thought!
Graham Robinson
August 19, 2010 at 2:37 pm
We could always bring back DDT…thats what was used after world war 2 to get rid of them.
I am guessing that would have a slew of other problems…scratch that idea.
SD
August 19, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Insurance coverage related to bedbugs, who would ever have thought………
Kim
August 20, 2010 at 10:00 am
In order to avoid wider spreading infestation, it is important to make sure these nasty creatures don’t hitch a ride with you to your next destination in your suitcase or on your clothing.
HC
August 23, 2010 at 11:00 am
Bedbug Registry? Pretty clever!
jp
August 24, 2010 at 3:41 pm
this can only get worse before it gets better…bedbugs seem to be everywhere in the news these days. have there been any lawsuits to date?
LR
August 25, 2010 at 8:15 am
Grandma wouldn’t have belived it … with the infestation of bed bugs again. It’s bad when travellers have to check the bedbug registry before booking hotel rooms.
M.R.
August 25, 2010 at 9:03 am
My next stay at a hotel will never be the same! What’s next bringing our own bedding!
M.R.
August 25, 2010 at 9:03 am
My next stay at a hotel will never be the same! What\’s next bringing our own bedding!
cd
August 25, 2010 at 9:17 am
Hotels have a great deal to lose from this bed bug epidemic and should make sure they carry proper coverage to insure their reputation against the risk.
MB
August 25, 2010 at 10:47 am
I wonder what would happen if someone were to contract some sort of illness from bed bugs while at a hotel, restaurant or Movie Theater. How much of a duty is owed to a consumer of these amenities? Two words I never want to see together are “unforeseen” and “risk”.
CH
August 25, 2010 at 11:17 am
Ugh! I’ve seen that registry- won’t be going to Toronto any time soon.
se
August 25, 2010 at 2:07 pm
One more thing to worry about. A recent story in the Globe and Mail told the tale of a B.C. family who had to have their home fumigated three times and had to dispose of their bedroom furniture as well. Can’t imagine the stress, besides I really like my bedroom furniture.
se
August 25, 2010 at 2:07 pm
One more thing to worry about. A recent story in the Globe and Mail told the tale of a B.C. family who had to have their home fumigated three times and had to dispose of their bedroom furniture as well. Can\’t imagine the stress, besides I really like my bedroom furniture.
KM
August 25, 2010 at 3:36 pm
I can just see another question appearing under other liability exposures on the HO application: Do you have any bugs in your bed! The applicant will think we’re nuts.
HG
August 26, 2010 at 9:12 am
I guess we better start checking our new furniture purchases before it comes into our home. Those friendly little bugs may be hitching a ride to the new unsuspected
family home and voila bed partners Yuck!
Francine Beaudoin
September 8, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Here we thought head lice was bad growing up…. Sure hope the government/health care department finds a way to take control soon..
The Risk Factor - Bedbugs: the pest that won’t go away!
June 16, 2011 at 4:48 pm
[...] hospitality industry has been increasingly aware of the risk to revenue and reputation (see TheRiskFactor.ca – August 19, 2010). Bedbugs are popping up in more conversations between travellers booking hotels, and students [...]