Restaurant Insurance

What Insurance Does a Restaurant Need?

You bring together ingredients, skill, passion, and flair in a way that turns food into an expression of love and art. But that may not extend to knowing what insurance coverage to consider for your restaurant.

One option is a business owner’s policy, also known as “BOP.” A business owner's policy combines different coverages, such as property and liability insurance, into a single policy. And this insurance for restaurants can deliver some great benefits for owners who have a lot on their plates.

• Simplicity: Make one purchase instead of multiple purchases.
• Flexibility: Add or drop coverages as your needs change.
• Value: It often costs less than buying all those policies separately.

You can get started right now and get covered online in just minutes.

What Does Restaurant Insurance Cover?

Like a good mushroom fennel sauce, using a BOP for your restaurant insurance can cover quite a bit.

A typical restaurant business insurance BOP includes these three coverages:

General liability.

A general liability policy typically covers third-party bodily injury, third-party property damage, and even reputational damage caused by your business.

Commercial property insurance.

This type of insurance can cover damages to your building caused by fire, theft, weather, and certain other disruptive events. It also can cover damage to physical assets such as inventory, supplies, and equipment.

Business interruption insurance.

If certain covered events force you to close down for a period of time, business interruption coverage can replace your lost income, up to your policy limits.

Other coverages to consider.

A business owner’s policy offers a lot of flexibility. If you want to tailor your restaurant insurance quote, the following add-ons may be available:

• Employee theft
• Spoiled merchandise
• Forgery
• Equipment breakdown

Business Owners Insurance. A staple you’ll likely want to consider.

Just like different cooking utensils can help you create all kinds of dishes, each type of restaurant insurance coverage can help protect you from different types of claims.

Here are some examples:

• A customer gets up to use the restroom and slips and falls from a spilled drink on the floor that wasn’t cleaned up. A business owner’s restaurant insurance policy that includes general liability insurance may help cover medical costs and other related claims (up to the policy limits).
• One morning, you arrive at the restaurant and find that the door lock has been damaged by vandals and must be replaced. With lock replacement coverage — which may be available as an add-on — the cost of replacing the damaged lock likely won’t have to come out of your pocket.
• You open the restaurant in the morning to find the refrigerator has stopped working. All the food in the refrigerator has spoiled and is unusable. Spoilage coverage as an added part of BOP insurance for restaurants may help take care of the cost of replacing the food.

Without restaurant insurance coverage, you could be financially responsible for claims or damages that arise from any one of those events, which could spell disaster for your restaurant.

Insurance for Restaurant Employees

Whether it’s taking care of customers, prepping food, or turning out your daily specials, there’s a good chance you rely on your staff to make all that happen. In most states, if you have employees, you’re required to have workers’ compensation insurance.

Workers' comp is restaurant employee insurance that can protect your business and help take care of employees who get sick or injured on the job. Consider these possibilities:

Insurance for Restaurant Employees

One of your employees gets a nasty burn on his arm while working in the kitchen. He heads to the hospital, where he’s treated and given instructions to take several days off from work.

Or maybe one of your part-time employees slips on a wet floor and hits her head on the floor. She’s taken to the emergency room, where she’s diagnosed with a concussion and as a result will miss two weeks of work.

In both instances, your workers' comp insurance policy could kick in and pay your employees’ medical bills (including rehabilitation expenses if needed). It also could cover their lost wages while they’re off work recovering.

How to Get Commercial Restaurant Insurance Quotes

While blending with complex flavors is right up your alley, dealing with complex insurance language and requirements may not be.

We’re Simply Business. We’ll be taking care of you.

That’s where we come in. We’re insurance pros, and that includes restaurant insurance. We can help you determine what coverage you may need, find affordable policies from leading insurers, and offer you choices that are easy to understand and even easier to put into place.

We do what we do quickly. Spend a few minutes online or on the phone and we’ll put your quote together.

Insurance for Restaurant Employees

Whether it’s taking care of customers, prepping food, or turning out your daily specials, there’s a good chance you rely on your staff to make all that happen. In most states, if you have employees, you’re required to have workers’ compensation insurance.

Workers' comp is restaurant employee insurance that can protect your business and help take care of employees who get sick or injured on the job. Consider these possibilities:

Insurance for Restaurant Employees

• One of your employees gets a nasty burn on his arm while working in the kitchen. He heads to the hospital, where he’s treated and given instructions to take several days off from work.
• Or maybe one of your part-time employees slips on a wet floor and hits her head on the floor. She’s taken to the emergency room, where she’s diagnosed with a concussion and as a result will miss two weeks of work.

In both instances, your workers' comp insurance policy could kick in and pay your employees’ medical bills (including rehabilitation expenses if needed). It also could cover their lost wages while they’re off work recovering.

How to Get Commercial Restaurant Insurance Quotes

While blending with complex flavors is right up your alley, dealing with complex insurance language and requirements may not be.

We’re Simply Business. We’ll be taking care of you.

That’s where we come in. We’re insurance pros, and that includes restaurant insurance. We can help you determine what coverage you may need, find affordable policies from leading insurers, and offer you choices that are easy to understand and even easier to put into place.

We do what we do quickly. Spend a few minutes online or on the phone and we’ll put your quote together.

How Much Does Restaurant Insurance Cost?

Just like your signature culinary dishes, your insurance coverage is unique to your restaurant. That’s why we work with leading insurers to find policies and work with you to find the coverages specific to your restaurant and your budget.

Since BOP insurance for restaurants bundles together different policies, it often can be less expensive than buying all those policies separately.

As with most types of insurance, the cost of restaurant insurance will depend on a number of factors, such as:

• Your type of business
• The services you provide
• Where your business is located
• The number of employees you have
• Your estimated revenue
• And more

In some cases, restaurants and retailers can pay as little as $550 annually. And whatever the amount of your premium, you may also be able to pay via convenient monthly installments, interest-free.

How to Get a Certificate of Insurance for a Restaurant

Here’s more good news. When you get your insurance through Simply Business, we send your certificate of insurance (COI) and policy documents immediately to your inbox.

Create a Simply Business account and you can download a copy of your COI any time.

Restaurant Insurance FAQs

Resturant Insurance FAQs

• What is a BOP Policy?

  “BOP” stands for “business owner’s policy.” However, it’s not just a single type of coverage. It also doesn’t just mean the same thing as “business insurance.” Instead, it’s a bundle of three different specific types of business insurance. A business owner’s policy package typically includes these three policies:

  1. General liability insurance
  2. Commercial property insurance
  3. Business interruption insurance

  BOP insurance is also customizable, and additional coverages may be available within the bundle.

  The primary function of BOP insurance is to help small businesses get a wide array of essential coverage without the confusion of carrying multiple policies. Instead of juggling general liability, property, and business interruption insurance separately, a business owner’s policy allows all three to be bundled together for convenience — and, in some cases, to save you money.

  Eligibility is based on various factors, such as revenue and the number of employees the business owner has.

• How Much Does a Business Owner’s Policy Cost?

  Like any type of insurance, your business owner’s policy premium will depend on a variety of factors. These generally include:

  • Your small business industry
  • The coverage limits you elect
  • The location of your business
  • Your claims history
  • The value of what you’re insuring
  • The size and age of your business

  If you’re still unsure, getting a quote or speaking with an agent could help you get a better idea of how much a business owner’s policy will cost you.

• What Does a Business Owner’s Policy Cover?

  Since a business owner’s policy bundles three different types of coverage, it will generally cover claims falling under those coverage types (up to your policy limits).

  The first type is general liability (GL). GL is a popular type of commercial coverage that’s essential in the event of third-party injuries and damages.

  It typically helps cover:

  • Third-party bodily injury
  • Third-party property damage
  • Personal and advertising injury
  • Claims resulting from defective goods

  The second type is commercial property insurance. This type of coverage is particularly helpful for small businesses with valuable physical assets, such as a building or specialty equipment and tools. It typically can help cover damage caused by these events:

  • Fire
  • Wind, storms, and snow
  • Vehicular damage to the business’s property
  • Sprinkler leakage and various other forms of water damage
  • Vandalism
  • Building collapse

  Please note: Commercial property insurance does not cover damage caused by earthquake or flood, cyber fraud, or damage to vehicles.

  The third type is business interruption insurance. If a small business is forced to close up shop due to arson, theft, or a natural disaster, business interruption insurance typically covers:

  • Temporary relocation
  • Payroll
  • Fixed costs such as operational expenses
  • Loan payments and taxes
  • Closure due to damage to a nearby business
  • Training costs on new replacement equipment

  This coverage doesn’t extend to earthquakes, floods, or public health events. It also won’t reimburse you for utilities, undocumented income, or broken items.

  If you want to customize your business owner’s policy, the following add-ons may be available:

  • Cyber
  • Employee theft
  • Spoiled merchandise
  • Forgery
  • Equipment breakdown
• What Are the Requirements of a BOP?

  In order to be eligible for a business owner’s policy, your business must be considered small. A “small business,” in some cases, is considered one with fewer than 100 employees or less than $5 million in annual revenue. This can, however, vary depending on the insurance carrier, and not every business meeting this criteria will be eligible for a business owner's policy.

  However, not every business meeting these criteria will be eligible for a business owner’s policy. Check with an agent to see if your small business qualifies.

• General Liability vs. BOP Insurance

  Is a business owner’s policy the same as general liability insurance? It’s a common question! The answer is: Not quite.

  General liability (GL) is a popular form of commercial insurance. It’s very customizable and offers coverage for a host of common risks to small businesses.

  A business owner’s policy includes general liability coverage, but with additional types of coverage, as well. So while your BOP insurance typically comes with GL, a GL policy alone won’t have all the coverage of a BOP. A small business typically will only have one or the other.

  BOP insurance could be considered an enhanced alternative for small business owners seeking general liability coverage, because it includes GL, as well as commercial property insurance and business interruption insurance. Purchasing BOP insurance may even cost less than if you purchased the three types of coverage separately.

Keeping it Fresh

Just like your specials may change with seasonal ingredients or new inspiration, we know your restaurant business insurance needs can change as well. That’s why we’re here after the sale to answer any questions you may have and advise you as needed. We work with a variety of insurance providers and present you with options. That way, you control how your insurance is put together — the same way you control how your signature dishes are put together.

Let’s get started.

*When referring to “Restaurant Insurance,” we mean any one or combination of multiple business insurance policies that will help cover a restaurant business.