What are the Liability Coverages Available to Caterers?
Some of the different catering liability insurance coverages that insurers often offer are:
- General Liability Insurance, a coverage that provides broad protections
- Liquor Liability Coverage, which may cover alcohol-related incidents
- Product Liability Coverage, which might cover food-borne illnesses that are spread by a caterer’s foods
Since caterers drive to client’s locations, they also usually need commercial auto liability coverage. This is sometimes available through a catering liability insurance package, but it may need to be purchased as a stand-alone policy.
What are the Property Coverages Available to Caterers?
Commercial property insurance helps protect the property that a caterer owns. Building coverage, which generally covers commercial buildings, is perhaps the most well-known commercial property coverage. It’s just one form of coverage, though. Regardless of whether they own a building, caterers may want some of these other commercial property coverages:
- Contents Coverage, for their equipment (e.g. commercial kitchen equipment and smallwares)
- Food Contamination Coverage, for food and beverages that are served
- Equipment Breakdown Coverage, in case a covered incident causes equipment to fail
What Incidents Do Catering Policies Protect Against?
The particular incidents that a catering policy protects a business from are determined by the policy’s terms, conditions, limits and exclusions. If a policy includes the necessary coverages, some incidents it might cover include:
- Intoxicated guests’ actions
- Equipment fires
- Damage to venues’ property
- Food poisoning
- Libel, slander, and false advertising suits
What Businesses in New York Could Benefit from Catering Insurance?
Caterers in New York, of course, ought to consider insuring themselves with a catering package policy. It’s often the most convenient -- and, frequently, the most affordable -- way to insure a catering business. Caterers aren’t the only businesses that may want a policy, though.
Any restaurant, bar, or other food service business that provides catering services might benefit from the coverages that a catering policy provides. Even if catering is just a minor revenue stream for a business, serving food off-site locations exposes a business to the risks that caterers face. Catering policies often provide the best protection against these risks.
How Can Caterers and Other Businesses in New York Get a Catering Package?
Caterers and other businesses that are interested in the protections that catering insurance can provide should talk with an independent insurance agent who serves New York. An independent agent can review exactly what services a caterer provides and how often to determine what their risk exposure is. The agent can then make coverage recommendations and help a catering business find a policy that fits just right.
Protecting Your Catering Business is Crucial to Success
Serving food to crowds at events and parties is fun, and it can be lucrative. It also exposes a business to a variety of risks. Catering insurance helps caterers in New York protect themselves from many of the possible perils they face.
