Food Liability Insurance: Cost & Quotes From $7

Written by columbus adm

Published on: June 29, 2022 | Last Updated: February 22, 2025

Food Liability Insurance: Cost & Quotes From $7

One of the crucial steps you have to take when starting or managing a food cart, deli, hot dog cart, or cookery business is getting food liability insurance

Liability insurance is a common inclusion in tailored insurance for different businesses in the food industry,  whether they be a coffee shop, wine retailer, winery, pizza delivery,or food delivery

This article shares light on food liability insurance;how it works, premium costs, and carriers providing the best coverage at the most reasonable rates. 

Food Liability Insurance

As said earlier, liability coverage in food insurance for farmers’ markets, bakeries, distilleries, vendors, vending machine businesses, and liquor stores comes in different types. Nonetheless, the most common food liability insurance coverages available are:

 

General Liability Insurance For Food Business

CoverWallet  NEXT (Best) Thimble  Hiscox FLIP 
Per occurrence limit  $1,000,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000/$2,000,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000
Aggregate limit  $2,000,000 $2,000,000 $1,000,000/$2,000,000 $2,000,000 $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  $1,000,000 $100,000 $5,000 $100,000 $300,000
Waiver of subrogation included? Yes No Included Can be included Excluded
Hired/non-owned auto liability coverage included? Yes No Excluded Can be included Excluded
Equipment breakdown floater included? No  Yes Yes Can be included Yes
Can you get a certificate of insurance online? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Name additional insureds? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Deductible $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

 

Slip and fall accidents are a common peril when running a food business. As proof, you should know that an estimated $1 million guests experience slip and fall accidents in restaurants every year. 

This food business insurance covers: 

  • Third-party bodily injuries-Your food business’s operations might inflict injuries-cuts, foodborne illnesses, and other third parties. If aggrieved parties decide to file a claim, general liability insurance will cover medical expenses and other associated costs
  • Legal expenses- general liability insurance for selling food will shoulder attorney fees, administrative costs, settlements, and other legal expenses When aggrieved third parties decide to sue after experiencing property damage or bodily injuries

 

Food Product Liability Insurance

Customers might experience allergies upon consuming the product of your food business.

Food product liability insurance will take care of attorney fees, settlements, administrative costs, and other legal expenses if your food business caused or allegedly committed food poisoning or food mishandling.

In other industries, this insurance also covers claims filed because a product has:

  • Errors in design
  • Errors in labeling
  • Manufacturing defects

Product liability insurance is available as a stand-alone policy. However, this is sold by food processing insurance companies as additional coverage to general liability insurance.

 

Professional Liability Insurance For Food Service Businesses

Insurance companies will offer professional liability insurance if your business doesn’t only sell food but also offer food preparation, manufacturing, and other related services for clients. 

Professional liability insurance’s job is to cover attorney fees, settlements, administrative costs, referral fees, retainer fees, contingency fees, and other legal expenses when a customer sues for:

  • Misrepresentation
  • Violation of fair dealing
  • Breach of confidentiality
  • Violation of good faith
  • Negligence
  • Other acts constituting errors and omissions
CoverWallet  NEXT  Thimble (Best) Hiscox FLIP
Per occurrence limit  $1,000,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000/$2,000,000 $1,000,000 $100,000
Aggregate limit  $2,000,000 $2,000,000 $1,000,000/$2,000,000 $1,000,000 $200,000
Name additional insureds? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Waiver of subrogation included? Yes No Yes Can be included No
Deductible  $500 $500 $500 $50/$10,000 $500

 

 

Commercial Property Insurance

Insurance companies encourage food businesses owning, renting, or leasing a commercial space to include commercial property insurance in their tailored coverage for selling food. 

Commercial property insurance provides protection against:

  • Building damage-When your food business’s commercial space becomes damaged due to fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered risks, commercial property insurance will cover the repair or replacement of roofing, windows, doors, flooring, siding, etc.
  • Building destruction-Fire or extreme weather will destroy your food business’s building and nothing will be left. In this situation, commercial property insurance will cover reconstruction expenses so that you can recover and resume business operations
CoverWallet NEXT (Best) Thimble Hiscox
Building coverage limit (minimum) $50,000 $730,000 $25,000/$500,000 $25,000
Contents coverage limit (minimum) $50,000 $22,000 $25,000/$500,000 $25,000
Outdoor signs Excluded $2,500 Excluded Excluded
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 Excluded
Business interruption floater Excluded Included Included Included
Equipment breakdown floater Excluded Included Excluded Excluded
Inland marine insurance floater Excluded Excluded $10,000 Excluded
Employee dishonesty floater Excluded $5,000 $2,500 Included

Compare Cheap Food Liability Insurance Quotes Online

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Business Owner’s Policy

A business owner’s policy is underwritten for small-time food businesses, typically those with a revenue of $1 million or less per year. 

A business owner’s policy combines general liability and commercial property insurance. Therefore, it grants protection against lawsuits and commercial losses. 

Buying a business owner’s policy is much cheaper than buying general liability and commercial property insurance on their own. 

CoverWallet Thimble  NEXT (Best) Hiscox
General liability aggregate limit  $2,000,000 $2,000,000 $2,000,000 $300,000/$2,000,000
Commercial property coverage limit  $50,000 $500,000 $720,000 $25,000
Optional policies can be added? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Name additional insureds for free? Yes Yes Yes Yes
BOP discount? Yes Yes Yes Yes

 

 

Equipment And Tools Insurance

This policy covers the stoves, slicers, mixers, dicing machines, refrigerators, ovens, griddles, fryers, and other cooking and tools you own and use for commercial purposes.

Equipment and tools insurance will cover replacement or repair expenses if your kitchen implements get lost or damaged because of:

  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Vandalism
  • Operator error
  • Electrical shorts
  • Impact
  • Mechanical or electrical breakdown

 

Workers Compensation Insurance 

When employees or an employee suffers from a work-related injury or disease, your food business must provide help.Thats where workers compensation comes in to cater for the following for the employee cost incase of; 

  • Medical treatment/procedure
  • Hospitalization
  • Medication
  • Lost income compensation
  • Death benefits-When your employee dies due to a work-related injury or disease, workers’ compensation insurance will cover funeral expenses and provide financial aid to dependents.

 

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Commercial Auto Insurance

Commercial auto insurance is essential if you’re the owner of a food truck, food trailer, a concession trailer, an ice cream truck, or any other mobile food business:

  • Auto liability coverage-Auto liability coverage in commercial auto insurance will cover medical expenses or reimbursements if your food business’s vehicle caused an accident resulting in injuries or property damage to third parties.
  • Collision physical damage- coverage will take care of parts repair or replacement if your food business’s commercial vehicle incurred damage after crashing into another vehicle or object. 
  • As for comprehensive physical damage coverage, this covers costs if fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered perils damaged your food business’s vehicle

 

Food Business Insurance Cost 

The food business insurance cost depends on your location, revenue, number of employees, business history, claims history, and other factors. But still, the average food liability insurance cost (a general liability insurance to be specific) is $27 per month or $324 per year for a $1 million coverage.Get

Cottage Food Insurance

Home-based food manufacturers such as small candy makers, chocolate makers, pastry professionals, and others can get coverage through cottage food insurance.

Liability insurance for cottage food business include general liability insurance with product liability coverage, and professional liability insurance. 

Aside from cottage food liability insurance policies, there is also commercial property insurance with equipment breakdown coverage, and workers’ compensation insurance.

 

Best Food Liability Insurance Companies 

NEXT 

NEXT’s general liability insurance comes with a foodborne illness coverage. You can choose to bundle this with commercial property insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, in a business owner’s policy.

 NEXT allows you to add additional insureds, pay premiums online, and get free certificates of insurance. 

Average cost: $25 per month 

Our rating: 10/10

Pros

  • Best overall
  • Great customer service and reputation
  • Issues an online proof of insurance instantly
  • Fastest food liability insurance
  • Outstanding value for money
  • Bundle two or more insurance policies and get a 10% discount

Cons

  • Couldn’t find any

 

CoverWallet

CoverWallet offers an online quotes comparison platform you can use to find carriers providing general liability insurance and other coverages for food businesses. 

CoverWallet allows you to add clients as additional insureds, pay premiums online, and get a certificate of insurance for free. 

Average cost: $26 per month 

Our rating: 10/10

Pros

  • Get insured online immediately
  • Compare quotes from different carriers for an informed purchase
  • Stable rates
  • Provides numerous types of  coverage for more than 10 kinds of food businesses

Cons

  • CoverWallet doesn’t underwrite the insurance it sells

 

Compare Cheap Food Liability Insurance Quotes Online

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

Tivly 

It offers general liability, professional liability, and other insurance products for food businesses. You need to speak with a representative to get covered. 

Average cost: $27 per month

Our rating: 10/10

Pros

  • Responsive customer service
  • Call and compare quotes over the phone
  • A partner of many reputable insurance companies

Cons

  • You need to call to get a quote

 

Hiscox 

Hiscox offers general liability coverage for food trucks and other related businesses. You can decide to get a business owner’s policy to enjoy the protection commercial property insurance provides.

 It provides worldwide coverage-meaning that your food business is covered no matter which country it is located.

Average cost: $28 per month

Our rating: 10/10

Pros

  • Over 400,000 businesses choose Hiscox
  • Worldwide coverage

Cons

  • Many complain that Hiscox doesn’t do much when it comes to resolving customer disputes

 

 

Thimble

Thimble’s general liability insurance is available for grocery stores, restaurants, food stands, food trucks, and other related businesses. It is available as an annual or short-term policy lasting for only hours, weeks, days, or months.  

Coverages you can buy together with Thimble’s general liability insurance are workers’ compensation and commercial property insurance. 

Average cost: $30 per month 

Our rating: 8/10

Pros

  • Short-term liability insurance for food businesses
  • Instant coverage online
  • Insures customers in 60 seconds

Cons

  • Not available in all states

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