Convenience Store Insurance: Cost & Quotes From $11/mo

Table of contents

The operations of your convenience store can’t compare to the operations of grocery stores and supermarkets. Nonetheless, the exposures it faces are the same. 

Employees can steal money or smuggle stocks. Vermin and equipment breakdown will contaminate and spoil perishable goods. Your employee, no matter how attentive, can’t also reduce the possibility of theft to zero. Finally, you’re a target of robbers if your grocery store is open for 24 hours. 

Whether you’re starting a convenience store as a stand-alone business or opening it together with a new gas station, risks will lurk around. Convenience store insurance can help you out. Here’s a guide that will define what this is, discuss the function of the policies included, give you an idea of the premiums, and review the best companies to work with.

What is Convenience Store Insurance?

Convenience store insurance is an insurance program that offers general liability, commercial property, workers compensation, employee dishonesty, and other business insurance solutions. This will take care of exposures unique to:

  • Kiosks

  • Mini convenience stores

  • Limited-selection convenience stores

  • Traditional convenience stores

  • Expanded convenience stores

By the way, if ever you become ineligible for convenience store insurance, a good alternative coverage option is retail insurance


Are Gas Station Convenience Stores Covered?

A few insurance companies include gas station activities in their convenience store business insurance program while others don’t. That said, coverage depends on who you work with. If ever your chosen insurance company isn’t very lenient, you can cover gas station activities through gas station insurance


Convenience Store General Liability Insurance

CoverWallet  NEXT (Best) Thimble  FLIP Hiscox
Per occurrence limit  $1,000,000 $500,000$2,000,000 $1,000,000/$2,000,000 $1,000,000/$2,000,000 $300,000/$2,000,000
Aggregate limit  $2,000,000 $500,000/$2,000000 $1,000,000/$2,000,000 $1,000,000/$2,000,000 $300,000/$2,000,000
Products and completed operations aggregate limit  $2,000,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000
Advertising injury coverage aggregate limit  $1,000,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000
Tenant’s legal liability coverage limit  $100,000 $100,000 $5,000 $100,000 $100,000
Waiver of subrogation included? Yes No Included Excluded Can be included
Hired/non-owned auto liability coverage included? Yes No Excluded Excluded Can be included
Food-borne illness endorsement included? No  Yes Yes Yes Can be included
Can you get a certificate of insurance online? Yes Yes Yes No  Yes
Name additional insureds? Yes Yes Yes No  Yes
Deductible $0 $0 $0 $0 $0


Claims for bodily injuries and property damage is one of the most common and costly exposures when running a convenience store. For example, there was this case where a convenience store had to pay $427,000 in damages for a trip and stumble accident. 

General liability insurance takes care of medical treatments,  refunds, legal expenses, and court judgments if customers and other third parties file a claim for bodily injuries or property damage. This is an insurance that never goes missing in c store insurance bundles, regardless of which company you work with. 

Use the table above to see which insurance company offers the best general liability insurance for convenience stores. 


In Which Specific Incidents Can General Liability Insurance Help You Out?

Here are some examples of convenience store insurance claims that general liability insurance can sort out:

  • A customer trips on a box and sustains injuries 

  • Your convenience store’s charging station damages a customer’s phone

  • A customer gets crushed while trying to take something from your convenience store’s shelving

  • A customer slips on the floor of your convenience store 

How Much Coverage Can Your Convenience Store Get From General Liability Insurance?

General liability insurance will offer a $1 million-$2 million per occurrence and aggregate limit. This business insurance for convenience stores can offer higher limits if you have a huge amount of annual revenue.


What Add-Ons Do Insurance Companies Include in a General Liability Policy?

Insurance companies may include all or only one of these add-ons in their general liability policy for convenience stores:

  • Rented premises liability coverage-Covers the property damage claim of the landlord if you’re renting a building for your convenience store and this gets damaged because of fire or water

  • Advertising injury coverage-Pays the legal defense and court judgments if you’re convenience store is accused of copyright infringement, libel, slander, and other related offenses

  • Hired/non-owned auto liability coverage-Covers the cost of accidents caused by a vehicle that you’re convenience store hired

  • Foodborne illness coverage-This allows your general liability insurance to cover food poisoning claims 

Liquor Liability Insurance for Convenience Stores 

Your convenience store might be selling liquor for extra income. But when doing this, you must know that anything that happens to an intoxicated customer can be your responsibility. And so, it’s smart to include a liquor liability policy. 


What is Liquor Liability Insurance?

Liquor liability insurance is the convenience store insurance coverage that will cover medical treatments, reimbursements for property damage, legal expenses, and court judgments if the following happens:

  • A customer buys beer, wine or any other drink from a liquor store. He gets drunk, falls from the ledge, and sustains injuries

  • The drunk customer drives home, gets involved in an accident, and is holding your convenience store liable

  • A customer is accusing your convenience store of overserving him or her alcohol

How Do You Avail Liquor Liability Insurance for Convenience Stores?

Your convenience store can get liquor liability insurance as a stand-alone policy. But note that, there might also be instances where you can only purchase this policy as an optional add-on to general liability insurance. 

How Much Liquor Liability Insurance Can My Convenience Store Have?

If it purchases coverage online, then your liquor store can have a $300,000-$2 million liquor liability insurance. If you work with insurance companies that only grant a quote through agents, then the amount of liquor liability coverage available will depend on your convenience store’s alcohol sales. 


Product Liability Insurance for Convenience Stores

Product liability insurance will help cover medical treatments, legal defense expenses, and court judgments if a client files a claim after experiencing food poisoning, allergies, or foodborne illness caused by the food and beverage sold in your liquor store. This is automatically offered as an automatic add-on to general liability insurance. 


What if a Customer Sues Me for Selling Products With Incorrect Labeling? Will Product Liability Insurance Help?

Yes. Labeling error is an exposure included in the terms of product liability insurance. And so, your convenience store will receive coverage if it’s accused of selling products with no warnings, has labeling errors, has incorrect packaging, or has manufacturing defects.

Compare Cheap Convenience Store Insurance Quotes Online

Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!

Commercial Property Insurance for Convenience Stores

CoverWallet NEXT (Best) Thimble Hiscox
Building coverage limit (minimum) $50,000 $730,0000 $25,000/$500,000 $25,000
Contents coverage limit (minimum) $50,000 $67,000 $25,000/$500,000 $15,000
Outdoor signs Excluded $2,500 Excluded Included
Accounts receivable  Excluded Excluded $5,000/$10,000 Included
Money and securities Excluded $2,500 $1,000 Included
Lock and keys  Excluded $2,500 Excluded Included
Business interruption floater Excluded Included Included Included
Equipment breakdown floater Excluded Included Excluded Included
Inland marine insurance floater Excluded Excluded $10,000 Excluded
Employee dishonesty floater Excluded $5,000 $2,500 Excluded


How do you own the building of your convenience store? Are you the owner or just a tenant? Either way, you’ve invested a lot in your convenience store’s commercial building. That said, it’s smart to have a commercial property policy. 

Don’t think twice about investing in this insurance because store fires are common. 

This can be caused by faulty electrical wiring, arsonists, and defective equipment. Use the table above to see which insurance company offers the best commercial property insurance for convenience stores. 


How Do You Make Use of Commercial Property Insurance?

You use commercial property insurance to recover some or all of the investments for building construction or remodeling after your convenience store’s physical space succumbs to:

  • Fire

  • Theft

  • Vandalism

  • Riot

  • Civil commotion

  • Sinkhole collapse

  • Volcanic action

  • Lightning

  • Weather

  • Aircraft

  • Vehicle

  • Falling objects

  • Impact

  • Sprinkler leakage

Will Commercial Property Insurance Cover My Convenience Store’s Shelves, Dispensers, Refrigerators, Hot Dog Equipment, Microwave Oven, Popcorn Machine, and Other Valuables?

Yes. Commercial property insurance is underwritten to not only protect your convenience store’s building but also what’s inside. And so, you’ll get a reimbursement equal to the estimated actual cash value or replacement cost of all equipment that got damaged or destroyed because of fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered perils. 


Someone Has Placed a Vending Machine in My Convenience Store. Is This Covered by My Commercial Property Insurance?

Definitely not. The vending machine, though placed in your convenience store, is considered a third-party property. Commercial property insurance doesn’t cover the properties of others in your custody due to its CCC exclusion. And so, coverage won’t apply to the vending machine if a covered peril happens. 


Business Owner’s Policy for Convenience Stores 

CoverWallet NEXT (Best) Hiscox Thimble 
General liability aggregate limit  $2,000,000 $500,000/$2,000,000 $300,000/$2,000,000 $1,000,000/$2,000,000
Commercial property coverage limit  $50,000 $730,000 $25,000 $25,000/$500,000
Optional policies can be added? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Name additional insureds for free? Yes Yes Yes Yes
BOP discount? Yes Yes Yes Yes


This is a type of convenience shop insurance that fuses general liability insurance and commercial property insurance. Use the table above to see which company offers the best business owner’s policy for convenience stores. 


Why is It Better to Get a BOP Than Buy General Liability and Commercial Property Insurance Separately?

Purchasing a business owner’s policy is the better choice because its premiums are 5%-10% lower than when you buy general liability and commercial property insurance as stand-alone policies. 


Tools and Equipment Insurance for Convenience Stores 

NEXT  Thimble FLIP (Best) Hiscox
Aggregate limit $3,000/$10,000 $2,500/$5,000 $10,000 $15,000/$25,000
Covers hired and borrowed equipment? $3,000/$10,000 $2,500/$5,000 $50,000 No
Miscellaneous equipment also covered? $5,000/$10,000 No Yes Yes
Offered as an endorsement to general liability insurance? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Deductible $500 $500 $0 $0


Commercial property insurance covers business equipment but not comprehensively. This is why it’s good to get an extra layer of protection for your convenience store’s microwave oven, popcorn machine, POS machine, hot dog equipment, etc. 

This extra layer of coverage comes in the form of tools and equipment insurance. Use the table above to see which insurance company offers the best tools and equipment insurance for convenience stores. 


What is Tools and Equipment Insurance?

Tools and equipment insurance will recover financial losses if convenience store equipment gets damaged or lost because of:

  • Fire

  • Theft

  • Vandalism

  • Operator error

  • Electrical surge

  • Electrical breakdown

  • Upset

  • Mechanical breakdown

How Much Coverage Can You Get From Tools and Equipment Insurance?

Tools and equipment insurance, when availed as an optional add-on to a general liability policy, provides $3,000-$25,000 coverage for your convenience store’s business equipment insurance. You can also avail this as a stand-alone coverage with limits reaching up to $10 million-$25 million. 


Workers Compensation Insurance for Convenience Stores 

Insurance companies will ask if your convenience store has one or more part-time employees. And if you attest that this is the case, they will recommend adding a worker’s compensation policy to your convenience store business insurance package. 

Workers’ compensation insurance helps your convenience store provide state-mandated work benefits if an employee sustains a work-related injury or disease. Costs that this insurance usually covers are:

  • Medical treatment

  • Hospitalization

  • Medication

  • Rehabilitation

  • Retraining

  • Lost wages

  • Death benefits

A Robber Attacked and Shot My Employee. Does Worker’s Compensation Insurance Cover This?

An employee getting attacked during a robbery incident in your convenience store still counts as a work-related accident, provided that this happened during his or her shift. Given such circumstances, workers’ compensation insurance will provide coverage. 


Can I Use Worker’s Compensation Insurance if I’m the One Who Experienced a Work-Related Accident in My Convenience Store?

Typically, workers’ compensation insurance only covers part-time and full-time employees by default. But note that insurance companies allow you to name yourself as an additional insured. And if you did so, then workers’ compensation insurance will cover unexpected costs if you experienced a work-related accident in your convenience store. 

Employee Dishonesty Insurance for Convenience Stores 

Employee dishonesty insurance is as important as workers’ compensation insurance when you hire people to mind your convenience store.

Employees might commit dishonest acts while they’re in charge and you’re not watching. This will result in financial losses that employee dishonesty insurance functions to reimburse. 


What Types of Dishonest Acts Does Employee Dishonesty Insurance Cover?

Employee dishonesty insurance will kick in if an employee commits any of the following dishonest acts against your convenience store :

  • Theft

  • Social engineering

  • Credit card fraud

  • Embezzlement

  • Fraudulent refunds

  • Forgery and alteration

Is Employee Dishonesty Insurance Available as an Add-On?

A $10,000-$15,000 employee dishonesty insurance may be automatically offered as an add-on to commercial property insurance.  


Food Spoilage and Contamination Insurance for Convenience Stores

Food spoilage and contamination insurance is an endorsement to commercial property insurance. This will reimburse the value of stocks if spoilage or contamination occurs due to:

  • Prolonged power interruption

  • Equipment breakdown

  • Vermin

  • Employee error

Insurance companies design their food spoilage and contamination insurance differently from one another. 

Some allow the policy to cover product recall and the cleanup of contaminated equipment. Others even design their food spoilage insurance to cover medical treatments and legal expenses if a customer accidentally bought a spoiled or contaminated product from your convenience store. 


Excess Liability Insurance for Convenience Stores

Excess liability insurance grants an additional limit to the existing limits of your convenience store’s general liability policy. For example, if a $2 million bodily injury claim is filed and your general liability insurance adds $1 million, excess liability insurance grants an additional $1 million worth of coverage so that the claim can be fully covered. 


Business Interruption Insurance for Convenience Stores

Business interruption insurance covers operational costs and supplements some lost income if your convenience store needs to renovate, relocate, or close because of weather, economic crisis, and other covered perils. You can avail this as an add-on to commercial property insurance. 

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Convenience Store Insurance Cost

Cost per Month Cost per Year Deductible
General liability insurance $36 $432 $0-$500
Liquor liability insurance $50 $600 $500-$1,000
Excess liability insurance $39 $468 $500-$1,000
Commercial property insurance $60 $720 $1,000-$2,500
Business owner’s policy $90 $1,080 $500-$1,000
Workers compensation insurance $112 $1,344 $2,000-$5,000
Employee dishonesty insurance $80 $960 $1,000
Tools and equipment insurance Depends on the estimated value of the equipment to be insured Depends on the estimated value of the equipment to be insured $500-$1,500


The average convenience store insurance cost is $36 per month or $432 per year for a $1 million general liability policy. 

Insurance companies determine the cost of premiums based on deductibles, claims history, business history, annual revenues, type of policy purchased, number of employees, and location. 

Here’s another table that shows the cost of the $1 million general liability policy from companies that sells cheap convenience store insurance:

Cost per Month Cost per Year Best for
NEXT $25 $300 Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for convenience stores
FLIP $25.92 $311.04 Convenience store insurance that automatically offers liquor liability and general liability insurance as a bundle
CoverWallet $29 $348 Convenience store insurance online quotes comparison
Tivly $30 $360 Comparing convenience store insurance quotes over the phone
Thimble $33 $396 On-demand coverage for convenience stores
Hiscox $34 $408 Convenience store insurance that automatically renews every year

Compare Cheap Convenience Store Insurance Quotes Online

Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!

Best Convenience Store Insurance Companies

The majority of insurance companies include convenience stores in their underwriting appetite. However, only a few can offer the coverage that you really need. Here are some reviews of the best convenience store insurance companies. Read to know their pros, cons, and cost of a $1 million general liability policy. 


NEXT Convenience Store Insurance

Pros

  • Best overall

  • Issues an online proof of insurance instantly

  • Fastest general liability insurance convenience stores

  • Great customer service and reputation

  • Excellent rates

  • Outstanding value for money

  • Get a 10% discount if you buy two or more policies 

Cons

  • Couldn’t find any

NEXT offers general liability, commercial property, tools and equipment, and workers compensation. This convenience store insurance company recommends you bundle all into a business owner’s policy in order to enjoy a 10% discount. Here’s a quick summary of the limits of your convenience store insurance from NEXT:

  • $500,000-$2 million general liability insurance

  • $1 million general liability insurance

  • Commercial property insurance with a $730,000 building coverage and $67,000 contents coverage

  • $3,000-$10,000 tools and equipment insurance

  • Workers compensation insurance

Best for: Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for convenience stores

Average cost: $25 per month

Our rating: 10/10


CoverWallet Convenience Store Insurance

Pros

  • Compare convenience store insurance quotes online

  • Chat live with a representative while purchasing your coverage

  • Easy online policy management

  • Waiver of subrogation and terrorism coverage included in general liability insurance

Cons

  • Not an insurance company but an insurance broker 

CoverWallet is an insurance broker that allows you to compare the quotes of many insurance companies that cover convenience stores. All you have to do is provide some basic information to its online quotes comparison platform. 

Aside from comparing quotes, CoverWallet allows you to purchase a chosen coverage online or with the help of an insurance agent. You can even take a look at the estimated premiums of your policy. 

These are the policies you can avail from CoverWallet:

  • $1 million-$2 million general liability insurance

  • $1 million liquor liability insurance

  • Business owner’s policy with a $1 million general liability coverage and $50,000 commercial property insurance

  • Workers compensation insurance

  • Excess liability insurance

Best for: Convenience store insurance online quotes comparison

Average cost: $29 per month

Our rating: 10/10


Tivly Convenience Store Insurance 

Pros

  • Compare convenience store insurance quotes over the phone

  • Responsive customer service

  • A partner of many reputable insurance companies

  • Grants coverage regardless of your business profile 

Cons

  • You need to call to get a quote 

Tivly’s convenience store insurance program offers general liability, commercial property, workers compensation, excess liability, and liquor liability insurance. You need to call and speak with a representative to know the specific policy limits and compare quotes over the phone. 

Best for: Comparing convenience store insurance quotes over the phone

Average cost: $30 per month

Our rating: 10/10


Thimble Convenience Store Insurance

Pros

  • On-demand coverage

  • Offers numerous add-ons

  • Easily name additional insureds in your policy

  • Quick to issue an estimate of your rates 

Cons

  • You can’t reach customer service by calling 

Thimble covers convenience stores through its retail insurance package. This offers the following policies:

  • Business owner’s policy with a $1 million-$2 million general liability coverage and $500,000 commercial property coverage

  • $1 million-$2 million general liability insurance

  • Workers compensation insurance

What makes Thimble good is that it offers add-ons to its general liability policy and business owner’s policy. This company’s general liability insurance can be added with business equipment coverage and customer property coverage. 

On the other hand,  a hired/non-owned auto liability coverage can be added to the business owner’s policy. 

Out of all the companies we recommend for the best convenience store insurance programs, Thimble is the only one that has a short-term general liability policy by the hour, day, week, or month.  

Best for: On-demand coverage for convenience stores 

Average cost: $33 per month

Our rating: 9/10


Hiscox Convenience Store Insurance

Pros

  • Automatic policy renewal

  • Worldwide coverage

  • 5% business owner’s policy discount

  • Fast to process claims

  • Online claims resources

  • Sells the short-term general liability insurance of Thimble

Cons

  • Doesn’t sell commercial property insurance as a stand-alone policy 

Hiscox doesn’t have a convenience store insurance package. However, you can get covered by choosing the “other store (with food and drinks)” drop down option in its online quotes generator. Policies you can avail from Hiscox are:

  • $300,000-$2 million general liability insurance

  • Business owner’s policy

Only two policies are offered and Hiscox makes up for this by ensuring that you can avail upgrades from your general liability or business owner’s policy, such as tools and equipment insurance, waiver of subrogation, and non-owned auto liability coverage. 

Best for: Convenience store insurance that automatically renews every year

Average cost: $34 per month

Our rating: 9/10


FLIP Convenience Store Insurance

Pros

  • Liquor liability and general liability insurance bundled

  • Caters to the unique needs of businesses involved with selling food

  • High limits on tools and equipment insurance

Cons

  • Will not provide coverage if your convenience store sells CBD products

FLIP is a good option if your convenience store has just started. The insurance policies of this company are underwritten for businesses whose annual revenue doesn’t exceed $500,000. FLIP can still grant protection if your convenience store earns higher. However, you’ll need to buy your insurance through a representative. 

Best for: Convenience store insurance that automatically offers liquor liability and general liability insurance as a bundle

Average cost: $25.92 per month

Our rating: 9/10

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