Insurance for restaurants.

General liability, property, liquor liability, and workers’ comp for dine-in and fast-casual restaurants, written around your kitchen, your bar, and your lease.

What restaurants usually carry

General liability, $1M / $2M
Property and kitchen equipment
Liquor liability
Workers’ comp
Business income
Spoilage and equipment breakdown
Hired and non-owned auto

Watch for these in a restaurant policy

Hood and duct cleaningMany carriers make regular hood and duct cleaning a condition of coverage. Keep the dated tags and invoices, because a kitchen fire claim will ask for them.
Fire suppressionMost carriers want a UL 300 wet chemical system over every fryer and griddle, serviced every six months. Some policies exclude a fire if the system was not maintained.
Beer and wine with dinnerGeneral liability excludes liquor claims for any business that sells or serves alcohol, even one that only pours wine. Liquor liability is its own coverage.
Business income waiting periodLost sales are usually covered only after a waiting period, often 72 hours. A grease fire that closes you for two days may pay nothing in lost sales.
Walk-in coolersEquipment breakdown pays to fix a failed compressor. The food that spoiled inside falls under a separate spoilage limit, and many policies set it low.

What landlords and lenders ask restaurants for

Additional insuredYour landlord, usually on CG 20 11, for claims on the premises you lease.
Waiver of subrogationOn property and general liability, so your carrier cannot pursue the landlord after a fire.
Liquor liabilityOften $1M, with the landlord named on the liquor policy too.
Lender loss payeeAn equipment or build-out loan names the lender on your property coverage.

Questions restaurants ask

Straight answers.

The questions we hear most, answered plainly.

How is restaurant insurance priced?

General liability is usually rated on food sales, liquor liability on alcohol sales, and property on what it would cost to replace your equipment and build-out. Cooking style, hours, and claims move it too.

Is a guest who gets food poisoning covered?

Usually, yes. Illness from food you served is a bodily injury claim under general liability. Some policies now exclude communicable disease, which can reach an outbreak traced to a sick cook.

Do part-time servers count for workers’ comp?

Yes. Part-time and seasonal staff are employees, and most states require comp once you have employees. Burns, knife cuts, and falls on wet floors are the most common kitchen claims.