Hospitality Businesses We Work With
A coffee shop, a full-service restaurant and a late-night bar all have different risks. The right coverage depends on your hours, your menu, alcohol sales and how you serve customers.
- Full-service & family restaurants
- Bars, taverns & brewpubs
- Cafés, bakeries & delis
- Pizza, takeout & delivery
- Caterers & event venues
- Food trucks
Where Restaurant Claims Usually Come From
These are common exposures for restaurants and bars. How a claim is handled always depends on the facts and on your actual policy wording.
Slips, Trips and Customer Injuries
Wet floors, stairs, parking lots and crowded dining rooms make customer injuries one of the most common restaurant claims.
Serving Alcohol
If you serve or sell alcohol, you can be held responsible for harm caused by an intoxicated guest. That exposure is usually excluded from general liability and needs liquor liability coverage.
Kitchen Fires and Shutdowns
A kitchen fire can damage the building and close your doors for weeks. Lost income during the shutdown can hurt as much as the damage itself.
Equipment Breakdown and Spoilage
A failed walk-in cooler or a power outage can spoil your inventory and stop service.
Employees and Delivery Drivers
Burns, cuts and slips in the kitchen, plus staff driving their own cars for deliveries or errands, add workers' comp and auto exposures.
Coverage Restaurants Should Consider
| Coverage | What it's generally for |
|---|---|
| General liability | Customer injuries and property damage at your location or from your operations, including food-related illness claims when covered. |
| Liquor liability | Claims arising from serving or selling alcohol. |
| Commercial property | Building, improvements, kitchen equipment, furniture and inventory. |
| Business interruption | Lost income and ongoing expenses after a covered property loss. |
| Equipment breakdown & food spoilage | Breakdown of coolers, HVAC and kitchen equipment, and the food lost with it. |
| Workers' compensation | Employee injuries on the job. |
| Hired & non-owned auto | Employees driving their own vehicles for deliveries or errands. |
| Employment practices liability (EPLI) | Claims such as harassment, discrimination or wrongful termination. |
| Cyber liability | Payment card breaches and network incidents. |
| Business owners policy (BOP) | For eligible restaurants: property, liability and business interruption packaged together. |
The Fine Print
Policy Wording Worth a Second Look
Two restaurant policies with the same limits can respond very differently. These are details we check on every hospitality policy we review.
GLLiquor liability exclusion
What it does: Standard general liability policies exclude liability from serving alcohol for businesses that sell or serve it.
Why it matters: If you serve alcohol, you need liquor liability coverage, and the limits should match your sales and hours.
VariesAssault & battery exclusion or sublimit
What it does: Some policies exclude or sharply limit claims arising from fights or altercations on your premises.
Why it matters: For bars and late-night venues, this can remove coverage for one of the most likely claims.
CP 04 11Protective safeguards
What it does: Makes coverage conditional on keeping listed safety systems, such as a kitchen hood fire suppression system, in working order.
Why it matters: If a required system wasn't maintained or inspected, a fire claim could be denied.
VariesFood spoilage & utility interruption limits
What it does: Spoilage and off-premises power outage coverage are often limited or optional.
Why it matters: A low limit may not cover a full walk-in of inventory or a multi-day outage.
60-Second Gap Check
How exposed is your restaurant?
Seven quick yes-or-no questions. Each "yes" is a spot where your policy wording deserves a closer look. Your answers stay in your browser; nothing is sent.
What We'll Ask for Your Quote
Having these ready makes quoting faster. We'll walk you through anything you're unsure of.
- Type of restaurant and hours of operation
- Annual food and alcohol sales
- Seating capacity and square footage
- Cooking equipment and fire suppression details
- Number of employees and payroll
- Delivery, catering or event services
- Current policies or declarations pages
- Claims history (loss runs, if available)
Skip the paperwork. Sign in to your current insurance company and securely share your policy details with us in a few minutes.
Share My Current PolicyRestaurant Insurance FAQ
Do I need liquor liability if I only serve beer and wine?
If you sell or serve any alcohol, your general liability policy will typically exclude alcohol-related claims, so liquor liability is generally needed. We'll help you choose limits that fit your sales.
Will insurance cover lost income if we have to close after a fire?
Business interruption coverage can help replace lost income and pay ongoing expenses after a covered property loss. How much and for how long depends on the limits and terms you choose.
Is a BOP enough for my restaurant?
For many smaller restaurants, a business owners policy is a good foundation. Restaurants with significant alcohol sales, late hours or catering often need additional coverage. We'll compare options.
Do you work with restaurants outside Pennsylvania?
We're based in Phoenixville and licensed in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Nevada.