All businesses need insurance policies to protect property, employees, patrons and more. While there are many straightforward Dallas business insurance policies offered to all sorts of establishments, some businesses require more extensive and specific insurance policies than others. One type of business that often requires more specific policies than just general business insurance is a restaurant. If you own or are planning to open a restaurant, read the list below. It contains four insurance considerations you should keep in mind.
1. Food Contamination Insurance
If you’re running a restaurant or any establishment that serves food to patrons, you’ll need to invest in an insurance policy that provides food contamination insurance. This type of insurance protects you in case your food unintentionally makes a customer sick or in case the health department finds something in your food that makes your restaurant temporarily unfit for business. Food contamination insurance covers your business in case it is asked to cover a patron’s medical expenses or the costs of pain and suffering caused by food from your establishment. In addition, many policies will pay for the cost to replace food or equipment, proper medical tests and vaccines for employees, and the actual loss of business sustained due to the necessary suspension of restaurant operations.
2. Liquor Liability Insurance
If your restaurant serves liquor, you’ll want to invest in a liquor liability insurance policy. This type of policy protects your business from any damages or injury caused by alcohol served by or consumed on the premises of your restaurant. Typical things covered by a liquor liability policy are assault and battery, court and legal costs in case of an accident, and mental damages caused by a liquor-related accident. Liquor liability insurance is especially important because establishments that serve liquor can be liable for damages or accidents that occur after patrons have left the property, such as car accidents.
3. Workers' Compensation
If you run a restaurant, you depend on your employees to help your business run smoothly, which, in turn, guarantees that you make money. Employees in restaurants also have difficult and potentially risky jobs, such as carrying heavy objects to and from tables and working around open flames or hot grease. In order to protect your business in case something happens to an employee, you will need to invest in a workers' compensation insurance plan. A workers’ comp plan will cover your employees’ medical expenses and some of their lost wages if they are hurt on the job and unable to work. This can save your company a lot of money in case of an accident or emergency, and it can also demonstrate to your employees that they are in good hands financially in case something happens to them.
4. Specialized Coverage
Usually, standard business policies for restaurants don’t cover nearly enough to protect your business in case of accidents or damage. If you want to properly ensure that your business is protected, make sure you consider every aspect of your business that you might have overlooked. Insurance companies offer policies for things you might not have considered, like water and drain backup, outdoor signage, non-owned business automobiles, specialized kitchen equipment and appliances, and more. Make sure you review your general insurance policy thoroughly, and then seek out coverage for anything extra in your business that isn’t already properly covered.
If you want to find out more about insurance for your restaurant, get in touch with La Familia Insurance at 888-751-7511.