Eating And Drinking Establishments Insurance FAQ Information

Eating And Drinking Establishments Insurance FAQ. Bars, taverns, restaurants, cafeterias, and other eating and drinking places have significant insurance needs in three separate areas.
The first is property protection for physical damage to equipment, furnishings, building and supplies due to fire and other perils.
The second is premises liability coverage to protect customers due to slips, trips and falls on the premises, as well as for consumption of food products.
The final need is protection for employees due to frequent cuts, burns and other common employee injuries.
Establishments that sell or serve liquor or other alcoholic beverages also need liquor liability coverage.
We wanted to provide a deeper dive into small business insurance to help our readers get a better understand of the commercial insurance policies they want and need with the Eating And Drinking Establishments Insurance FAQ.
Read the Eating And Drinking Establishments Insurance FAQ to learn what type of commercial insurance coverages are right for your restaurant, bar etc. - including liability, property, workers compensation and other specialty policies.
What Is A Eating And Drinking Establishments?
According to NYC.gov - an eating and drinking establishment is, "any commercial use within which food or beverages are offered for purchase, and/ or are available to, or are consumed by customers or patrons.."
Eating And Drinking Establishments include - but are not limited to - the following types of businesses:
- Bars
- Brew Pubs
- Buffets
- Cafeterias
- Caterers
- Clubs
- Coffee Shops
- Concession Stands
- Drinking Places
- Food Trucks
- Ice Cream Stands
- Lounges
- Lunch Counters
- Lunchrooms
- Nightclubs
- Pizzerias
- Restaurants
- Sandwich Shops
- Taverns
- Tearooms
You can reference the Insurance Definitions, Dictionary And Glossary to better understand the commercial insurance policy terms and language used in our Small Business Insurance FAQs.
What Kinds Of Insurance Do Restaurants, Bars And Food Service Businesses Need?
- At the minimum, restaurants, bars and food service businesses need general liability insurance.
- If they have employees they will need workers compensation in most states.
- If they have vehicles registered to the business, or use vehicles for the business purposes, they will also need commercial auto.
- There are also other specialty coverages and endorsements that might be needed based on their operations.
Following are some suggested commercial policies and coverages applicable for restaurants, bars and food service businesses:
You can skip to the following types of restaurants, bars and food service businesses small business insurance policy coverage types using these links:
Restaurants, Bars And Food Service Businesses Commercial Insurance Policies:
- What kinds of commercial package policies do restaurants, bars and food service businesses need?
- What kinds of commercial property insurance do restaurants, bars and food service businesses need?
- What kinds of inland marine insurance do restaurants, bars and food service businesses need?
- What kinds of crime insurance do restaurants, bars and food service businesses need?
- What kinds of surety bonds do restaurants, bars and food service businesses need?
- What kinds of commercial liability insurance do restaurants, bars and food service businesses need?
- What kinds of commercial auto insurance do restaurants, bars and food service businesses need?
- What kinds of workers compensation insurance do restaurants, bars and food service businesses need?
- What kinds of excess and umbrella insurance do restaurants, bars and food service businesses need?
- What kinds of specialty insurance do restaurants, bars and food service businesses need?
What Kinds Of Commercial Package Policies Do Restaurants, Bars And Food Service Businesses Need?
Package policies are the most convenient way to combine coverages. Some eating and drinking establishments are eligible for coverage under a businessowners policy. All are eligible for a commercial package policy and can use its flexibility to meet their specific coverage needs.
Types Of Eating And Drinking Establishments Package Policies:
- Businessowners Policy (BOP)
- Commercial Package Policy (CPP)
What Kinds Of Commercial Property Insurance Do Restaurants, Bars And Food Service Businesses Need?
Restaurant kitchen equipment, inventory and dining room fixtures are common exposures for most eating and drinking places. Many of these establishments do not own the buildings they occupy but have long-term leases and have invested money in various improvements and betterments, including cooking equipment, dining room decorations and permanent fixtures.
A thorough property inventory helps to determine the items that can be classified as building and those items that must be classified as business personal property.
Improvements and betterments that can be separated from business personal property can be rated as building which can gain a competitive advantage.
Two primary potential loss exposures that must be covered are fire, because of cooking operations, and theft, due to the presence of liquor and other valuable inventory on the premises.
Time element coverage is important and should not be overlooked. A peak season endorsement is important if the operation has any periods of higher sales activity compared to normal activity.
Types Of Property Coverages:
- Building
- Business Personal Property
- Personal Property of Others
- Improvements and Betterments
What Kinds Of Inland Marine Insurance Do Restaurants, Bars And Food Service Businesses Need?
Eating or drinking places must be open-minded and receptive to change or be ready to close their doors. Because of the constant demand by customers for something different, the inland marine coverages should be reviewed periodically as the possible means for providing coverage if the insured begins offering services at off-site locations, for computerized cooking equipment, and for the fine arts added to enhance the building decor, to name a few.
Types Of Inland Marine Coverages:
- Accounts Receivable Coverage
- Bailee Customers Coverage
- Commercial Articles Floaters
- Difference in Conditions (DIC) Coverage
- Electronic Data Processing Equipment Coverage
- Fine Arts Coverage
- Scheduled Property Coverage
- Signs Coverage
- Theatrical Property Coverage
- Transportation Coverage
- Valuable Papers and Records Coverage
What Kinds Of Crime Insurance Do Restaurants, Bars And Food Service Businesses Need?
Employee theft is a constant concern at eating and drinking places because of the attractive nature of the inventory. The types of crime coverage needed depend on the way the establishment operates and the covered causes of loss form that applies to the property coverages.
If operations such as catering are conducted at off-site locations, consider using the clients' property coverage form.
Types Of Crime Coverages:
- Computer and Funds Transfer Fraud Coverage
- Employee Theft Coverage
- Forgery or Alteration Coverage
- Inside The Premises-Theft of Money and Securities Coverage
- Inside The Premises-Robbery or Safe Burglary of Other Property Coverage
- Money Orders and Counterfeit Money Coverage
- Outside The Premises Coverage
What Kinds Of Surety Bonds Do Restaurants, Bars And Food Service Businesses Need?
Eating and drinking establishments normally must provide a bond to secure the necessary license and permit required to operate. In addition, if the business is obligated by contract to supply food and/or drinks to a government entity, it will be required to supply a contract-performance of service or supply bond.
Types Of Surety Coverages:
- Contract-Performance of Service or Supply Bonds
- License and Permit Bonds
What Kinds Of Commercial Liability Insurance Do Restaurants, Bars And Food Service Businesses Need?
Slips and falls, along with customer illness due to being served tainted food or drink, are the primary liability exposures. The commercial general liability (CGL) is used to provide coverage for these exposures.
It is important to note that liquor liability coverage is excluded under the CGL form if a risk is in the business of serving alcoholic beverages. Many establishments in this category should therefore consider purchasing a separate liquor liability coverage form.
Types Of Liability Coverages:
- Commercial General Liability (CGL) Coverage
- Employee Benefits Liability Coverage
- Employment-Related Practices Coverage
- Liquor Liability Coverage
- Owners and Contractors Protective (OCP) Liability Coverage
- Railroad Protective Liability Coverage
- Special Events Liability Coverage
What Kinds Of Commercial Auto Insurance Do Restaurants, Bars And Food Service Businesses Need?
Eating and drinking establishments normally do not have a commercial fleet exposure unless they deliver or they cater off-site events. The insured may need garagekeepers coverage if valet parking operations are performed on the premises that could result in damage to patrons' vehicles.
Types Of Business Auto Coverages:
- Auto Medical Payments
- Business Auto Coverage
- Collision Coverage
- Comprehensive Coverage
- Garagekeepers Coverage
- Hired & Non-owned Auto Coverage (HNOA)
- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Coverage
What Kinds Of Workers Compensation Insurance Do Restaurants, Bars And Food Service Businesses Need?
Most employers are required by state statute to provide coverage for on-the-job injuries sustained by their employees through a workers compensation policy. This coverage is particularly important to most eating and drinking establishments because of the frequency of burns, cuts, and slip and falls.
If the establishment is located on a wharf, pier or watercraft, the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act endorsement should be added to the policy.
Types Of Workers Comp Coverages:
- Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act Coverage
- Stop-Gap or Employers Liability Coverage
- Workers Compensation and Employers Liability Coverage
What Kinds Of Excess And Umberlla Insurance Do Restaurants, Bars And Food Service Businesses Need?
Whenever and wherever a crowd exposure is found, the potential for a catastrophic loss exists. Because of this, an excess or umbrella liability policy should be considered by most eating and drinking places. Higher limits should be considered by any establishment serving alcoholic beverages.
Types Of Excess Liability Coverages:
- Excess Liability Coverage
- Retroactive Excess Liability Coverage
- Umbrella Coverage
What Kinds Of Specialty Insurance Do Restaurants, Bars And Food Service Businesses Need?
Eating and drinking places may have exposures they have never considered or even thought about. This list is a sample of coverages that some clients should consider when a coverage inventory reveals an exposure.
Types Of Specialty Coverages:
- Business Legal Expense Coverage
- Cyber Liability Coverage
- Directors and Officers Liability Coverage
- Environmental Impairment Liability Coverage
- Fiduciary Liability (Pension, Welfare and Employee Benefit Funds) Coverage
- Identity Theft Insurance Coverage
- Risk Retention Group Liability Coverage
- Tax Liability Coverage
- Weather Coverage
Eating And Drinking Establishments Insurance FAQ - The Bottom Line
There are many commercial insurance policies available for Eating And Drinking Establishments. To find out what types of coverage your business needs, speak to a professional insurance broker with experience in insuring bars, nightclubs, taverns, restaurants and more.
Frequently Asked Questions By Industry
Learn about the insurance coverages and surety bonds available for specific industires with the Insurance FAQs below:
- Agribusiness
- Artisan Contractors
- Associations
- Automotive Sales and Service
- Aviation Risks
- Boats and Yachts
- Construction Contractors
- Eating and Drinking Establishments
- Educational Institutions
- Farm and Ranch
- Financial Institutions
- Food Processing Plants
- General Liability
- Government, Institutions and Utilities
- Health Care Providers
- Lodging Places
- Logging, Mining and Quarries
- Manufacturing
- Media
- Printing Services
- Processing
- Real Estate and Rental Property
- Recreation and Sports
- Retail Food and Beverage
- Retail Stores
- Services Businesses
- Trucking and Transit
- Warehouses and Storage
- Wholesalers and Distributors