Restaurant insurance for the kitchen, the bar and the dining room
Kitchen fires, foodborne illness, liquor liability and staff injuries are risks most businesses never face. We build programs for fine dining, fast casual, neighborhood bars, cafes and food trucks across Washington and Oregon.
Liquor-liability markets · Hospitality-focused carriers
Real-world claims that close restaurants
Illustrative examples of how a single food-service exposure escalates when coverage is missing, and what closes the gap.
A DUI fatality after an over-served patron
A visibly intoxicated patron left a bar, drove the wrong way on the highway and killed a family of four. The families sued under Washington's dram-shop law, which holds liquor-serving establishments responsible for over-service. A single suit like this can exceed primary limits.
- Wrongful-death settlements$3,200,000
- Additional third-party claims$520,000
- Legal defense$380,000
- Court costs$100,000
Illustrative example. Real outcomes depend on the facts and your policy terms.
Build the right program for your restaurant
Every food-service operation starts with general liability, property and workers' compensation. Tell us how you operate and we'll add what typically applies. A starting point for discussion, not a quote.
Your operation
Select everything that applies.
Coverage that typically applies
8 coverages — a starting point for a conversation, not a quote.
- General LiabilitySlip-and-falls, burns and premises injury.
- Commercial PropertyBuilding, equipment, fixtures and inventory.
- Workers' CompensationKitchen burns, cuts and lifting injuries.
- Liquor LiabilityDram-shop and over-service claims.
- Food Contamination & SpoilageTainted food and refrigeration failure.
- Equipment BreakdownRefrigeration, HVAC and cooking equipment.
- Products LiabilityFoodborne illness and allergen claims.
- Business InterruptionLost income during a covered closure.
What drives your liquor and umbrella limits
Underwriters look at a few factors when setting liquor-liability and umbrella limits. These are general starting points for discussion, not a quote.
Alcohol share of sales
The higher the percentage of revenue from alcohol, the greater the dram-shop exposure. Liquor limits typically start at $1M, with higher limits considered once alcohol reaches about 20% of sales.
Late-night and bar hours
Serving into late-night hours raises the exposure and is often a reason to carry more than the base liquor limit.
Guest volume
More covers per day means more chances for an incident and factors into the overall risk picture.
Annual sales and off-site work
Umbrella limits are usually scaled to the size of the operation, roughly $1M for every $1.5M in sales up to about $10M. Delivery and off-site catering add auto and products exposure.
From concept to certificate
Understand your concept
Menu, alcohol service, seating and volume, delivery and catering, revenue, and property, equipment and build-out values.
Match to hospitality markets
We compare carriers that specialize in restaurants and liquor risk, with coverage tuned to food service and fair pricing for trained, safe operations.
Build the program
General liability, property and workers' comp at the core, with liquor ($1M+), food contamination, equipment breakdown, business interruption sized to revenue, cyber, EPLI and umbrella layered in.
Training, safety and claims
TIPS and ServSafe training support that can reduce risk and premiums, food-safety and slip-prevention guidance, certificates for landlords and events, and support from first notice of a loss.
Every coverage a food-service operation may need
Filter by type or search for a specific coverage.
General Liability
Slip-and-fall injuries, burns from hot food and beverages, allergic reactions, damage to customer property and legal defense.
Commercial Property
Building or tenant improvements, kitchen equipment, refrigeration, furniture, fixtures, inventory and signage. A commercial kitchen alone can top $200,000 in equipment.
Products Liability
Foodborne illness and allergic reactions to the food you serve, including completed operations for catering and off-premises events.
Liquor Liability
Often required by your license. Covers dram-shop claims when an over-served patron injures a third party, including DUI accidents.
Umbrella / Excess Liability
Additional limits ($1M–$5M+) above general, liquor and auto liability for a serious DUI or injury claim.
Employment Practices Liability
Discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, wage-and-hour disputes and tip-pool violations, common with high-turnover staffing.
Food Contamination & Spoilage
Claims from tainted food served to customers, and perishable inventory lost when refrigeration fails.
Equipment Breakdown
Mechanical and electrical failure of refrigeration, HVAC, ovens and POS systems, including resulting spoilage, which standard property excludes.
Business Interruption
Lost income and continuing expenses when a fire, equipment failure or health-department closure forces you to close.
Workers' Compensation
Kitchen burns, knife cuts, slips on greasy floors and lifting injuries. Required for all Washington employees.
Cyber Liability
Credit-card data breaches, PCI-DSS fines, POS compromises, ransomware and customer-notification costs.
Hired & Non-Owned Auto
Liability when employees use personal or rented vehicles for delivery, catering and supply runs.
Food-service operations we cover
Full-service restaurants
Fine, casual and family dining with table service.
Fast casual
Counter-service, made-to-order concepts.
Quick service (QSR)
Fast food, drive-throughs and franchises.
Bars & taverns
Bars, pubs, sports bars and nightclubs.
Coffee shops & cafes
Coffeehouses, bakery cafes and tea rooms.
Specialty cuisine
Sushi, steakhouses and seafood restaurants.
Food trucks
Mobile food, trailers and carts.
Bakeries
Retail, wholesale and custom cake shops.
Pizza & delivery
Pizzerias and delivery restaurants.
Takeout & ghost kitchens
Delivery-only and cloud-kitchen operations.
Catering companies
On-site and off-site event catering.
Wine bars & brewpubs
Wine bars, taprooms and brewpubs.
Specialists who understand food-service risk
Restaurant markets
We know the thin margins and specialized exposures of food service, and compare carriers that write restaurant and liquor risk. Serving Pacific Northwest restaurants since 1992.
Coordinated programs
General liability, property, liquor, workers' comp and cyber structured together to avoid gaps between policies.
Training and claims support
Help using responsible-service training like TIPS and ServSafe to reduce risk and premiums, and guidance through every claim.
Ready to protect your restaurant?
Request an insurance review to find coverage gaps, liquor-limit shortfalls and equipment-breakdown needs. No obligation.
Coverage descriptions are general summaries for education. They are not legal, tax or coverage advice, a statement of coverage, an offer or a binder, and the coverage builder and limit guidance are starting points for discussion rather than a quote or coverage determination. Scenarios and dollar figures are illustrative examples, not representations about any business. Liquor, food and other coverages carry their own limits, sublimits and exclusions that vary by policy. Coverage, limits and eligibility are governed by the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policies issued and are subject to underwriting.