3 minute readBusiness
Restaurants need general liability, property with equipment breakdown and spoilage, liquor liability if alcohol is served, workers' compensation, and business interruption. Kitchen fire, slip-and-fall, and employee injury claims are frequent enough that structure matters more than price.
What you need to know
Liquor liability
Serving alcohol creates a distinct exposure that general liability does not cover.
Spoilage and equipment breakdown
A failed walk-in can destroy inventory; equipment breakdown coverage responds when a peril-based property policy will not.
Employment practices
High-turnover staffing raises wage-and-hour and EPLI exposure.
Common mistakes
- Setting property and income limits from rounded-down guesses instead of real numbers.
- Skipping hired and non-owned auto because the business owns no vehicles.
- Signing contracts that require limits or wording the policy does not provide.
- Letting subcontractor certificates lapse, which shows up at audit.
- Treating insurance as a one-time purchase while the business keeps changing.
When to talk to an agent
Talk to an agent before signing a lease or a major contract, when you hire your first employee, when revenue or payroll changes materially, and any time you add a service, location or vehicle.
Frequently asked
This article is general information, not a policy or a promise of coverage. What your policy pays depends on its specific terms, limits and exclusions. Ask us to review your actual policy before making a decision.