Hot dog cart insurance is a short-term or long term insurance program for hot dog cart vendors. This isn’t an insurance policy that functions on its own. Rather, it’s composed of different business insurance policies such as liability insurance, property insurance, workers compensation insurance, and more. While you can get a generalized food cart insurance or mobile food vendor insurance for your hot dog stand or cart, consider getting a stand-alone commercial hotdog cart or hot dog stand insurance instead.
If you are looking to start your own hot dog cart business or are already running one, having hot dog cart insurance ensures that your investment gets the best coverage, thus reducing the impact of risks that would otherwise cost you thousands of dollars or even put you out of business entirely.
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There are two types of hot dog cart liability insurance that you will need for your hot dog cart business. These are:
Hot dog cart general liability insurance protects your hot dog cart business from incidents and accidents involving third parties while the cart is stationary but still open to customers.
Suppose a customer slips and falls on the pavement due to water or oil spilling from your hot dog cart. If they were to sustain any injuries, the general liability insurance sufficiently covers medical expenses.
General liability insurance also helps if you damage the property of another person. Consider a situation where you’re selling in a farmers market or flea market, then your hot dog cart ignites in flames and damages nearby booths. If affected persons demand you take responsibility, you can use general liability insurance to provide reimbursements.
The hot dog cart general liability insurance of many carriers doesn’t only cover personal injuries or property damage. General liability insurance can be added with optional policies. Such optional policies are:
Rented premises liability coverage-If you’re renting a space for your hot dog cart, consider adding rented premises liability coverage to general liability insurance. This will refund costs if the rented space becomes damaged or destroyed due to a fire
Advertising injury coverage-Advertising injury coverage will cover attorney fees, administrative costs, and other legal expenses if you’re sued by a customer, another vendor, or any other third party for copyright infringement, slander, libel, and other related offenses
Liquor liability coverage-This can be added to general liability insurance if you sell alcoholic beverages aside from hot dogs. If a customer accuses you of causing personal injuries or property damage by serving excessive amounts of liquor, liquor liability coverage will cover the person’s losses and pay for your legal defense costs
General liability insurance provides $1 million - $2 million coverage for personal injury claims and property damage claims. The amount of coverage from other exposures is taken from the same limit or have their own sub-limits depending on the insurance company.
Depending on the event organizers, you will need general liability insurance to conduct business in trade shows or festivals as a hot dog cart vendor. You need to name the organizers as additional insureds so that coverage applies in case they take the blame for the personal injury or property damage you caused.
With product liability insurance, you’re covered in the event that product-related lawsuits are brought against you or your business. Specifically, the product liability cover cushions you in the event of foodborne illnesses, food poisoning, physical harm due to wares your hot dog cart provides to customers, or hot dogs contaminated with allergens or debris.
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Do you use a hot dog cart that’s pulled by an automobile? Consider buying commercial auto insurance for the vehicle. After all, a personal auto insurance won’t suffice. Moreso, continuing to use a personal auto insurance on a vehicle that’s used for business purposes will lead to problems later on.
Commercial auto insurance has the following coverages which take care of the following exposures associated with using a vehicle for business purposes:
Auto accidents-Commercial auto insurance has auto liability coverage that will help if ever the vehicle you’re using to pull the hot dog cart causes an accident. Auto liability coverage will pay for the medical expenses of injured third parties. It will also reimburse the cost of properties that got destroyed or damaged. Finally, auto liability coverage will cover legal defense costs such as attorney fees, settlements, and administrative costs
Vehicle damage-Commercial auto insurance offers physical damage coverage which is available as a collision policy or comprehensive policy. Collision physical damage coverage will cover parts repair or replacement if your vehicle sustains damage after crashing into an object or another vehicle. On the other hand, comprehensive physical damage coverage will cover parts repair or replacement expenses if your vehicle is damaged by theft, fire, vandalism, and other covered perils
Rental expenses-Another inclusion in commercial auto insurance is rental reimbursement coverage. Rental reimbursement coverage will recoup losses if you need to hire another vehicle while yours is repaired
Uninsured/underinsured motorist-You can purchase uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to get protection against the resulting expenses in the event you get involved in an accident caused by a driver without enough insurance or no insurance
Medical payments coverage/personal injury protection-Medical payments coverage and personal injury protection coverage will cover medical expenses after you caused an accident or got involved in an accident. Note that personal injury protection further pays for after-hospital visits, medication, and lost income compensation
Auto liability coverage and MedPay/personal injury protection are primary inclusions in commercial auto insurance. In other words, these coverages will be automatically included once you purchase the policy.
Note that you can’t use auto liability coverage to cover accidents resulting from your vehicle’s involvement in any criminal activity.
Physical damage coverage-both collision and comprehensive-only covers stock parts. Any aftermarket or customized vehicle parts aren’t covered. Also, damage or destruction of vehicle parts due to rollovers is excluded.
By design, there are going to be items on your hot dog cart that aren't permanently fixed onto the unit itself. That's where content insurance comes in. The latter covers these items and will often be labeled content coverage insurance. As you shop around, you will notice that most providers will give you an option of choosing between an actual cash value policy and replacement cost value. With the former, the provider will compensate you the full amount of the object in question. With the latter, the insurer will embark on replacing the said item, which will often attract a higher premium than actual cash policies.
Insurance companies will ask you to get commercial property insurance if you’re the owner of a hot dog cart business owning multiple carts and employing people. Commercial property insurance protects you against:
Building damage-Commercial property insurance will cover repair expenses if the roofing, siding, walls, doors, windows, or any other structures of your hot dog cart business’s commercial building sustains damage due to fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered perils
Building destruction-If the commercial building of your hot dog cart business is destroyed by fire or extreme weather, commercial property insurance will pay for reconstruction costs so that you can resume business operations
Accidents are inevitable, seeing as you and employees are handling fire and sharp objects within a confined space in what will often be high-pressure environments. If your employees were to get injured while on duty, workers' compensation insurance will step in to protect pay for your employees’:
Medical expenses-If an employee sustains an injury or experiences the onset of a work-related disease at the job, workers compensation insurance will cover ambulance fees, surgeries, therapies, and other medical expenses
Hospitalization-Workers compensation insurance will pay for hospital bills if your hot dog cart business’s employee is admitted to receive comprehensive medical care for a work-related injury or disease
Medication-You can claim workers compensation insurance to pay for the prescription medicines an employee needs for a work-related injury or disease
Rehabilitation-Insurance companies underwrite workers' compensation insurance in a way that it covers rehab expenses if an employee experiences an impairment due to a work-related injury or disease
Lost income compensation-Workers compensation insurance covers lost wages if your employee can’t work due to a work-related injury or disease. This is a weekly allowance equal to two-thirds or 67% of the average weekly wage. The employee receives this until he or she is fit enough to go back to work or until the amount/duration prescribed in the terms of the policy is satisfied
Death benefits-An employee of your hot dog cart business can die due to a work-related injury or disease. This is why workers' compensation insurance provides death benefits. In practice, it will cover funeral expenses and provide an allowance to dependents
Note that in most states except Texas, you are legally required to have workers' compensation insurance to run your hot dog cart business. Failure to cover your employees with workers' compensation insurance is punishable by law. The following are the possible sanctions:
Imprisonment in the country jail
A fine double the amount you would’ve paid for workers comp premiums
A fine multiplied by the days you didn’t get workers comp
Stop-hold-order
Revocation of the exclusive remedy
Workers' compensation insurance is an expensive policy. It’s cost is $1.50x$100/annual average payroll of your business.
Pay-as-you-go workers' compensation insurance is a cheap option. This determines premiums based on your actual monthly payroll instead of the estimated payroll for a given year. And so, premiums are more accurate and less costly.
Employee dishonesty insurance is very useful for your small hot dog cart company. It’s hard to track how much earnings each hot dog cart has for any given month. Moreover, management loopholes allow employees to siphon money from the company. Protect yourself against losses when employees commit dishonest acts-get employee dishonesty insurance.
Employee dishonesty insurance will cover the money that your business lost when an employee or a group of employees do any of the following:
Unauthorized use of business funds
Fraudulent refunds
Theft or destruction of money
Social engineering
On average, you will pay $56 per month or $672 per year. Hot dog cart insurance cost depend on a couple of factors, including:
The policies you choose for your hot dog cart business
Unique risks that your hot dog cart faces
The value of business equipment at the hot dog stand or the hot dog cart
Key operational factors including location and the hours you spend on the road, among others
To keep your hot dog cart insurance premiums down, consider:
Hiring the best staff which will require some background digging on your part
Stringent adherence to best practices when it comes to safety and cleaning protocols
Proactive preventive maintenance of the cart and stand
Here's a breakdown of the cost of the different insurance policies you need for your hot dog cart business.
| Type of Policy | Median Cost Per Month | Median Cost Per Year | Policy Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business owners' policy costs for hot dog carts | $105 | $1,260 | $1 million per occurrence |
| Workers' compensation | $105 | $1,260 | None |
| General liability | $45 | $560 | None |
| Commercial auto | $135 | $1,620 | $1 million |
Below is a breakdown of the cost of hot dog cart insurance from the best hot dog cart insurance companies in the market today:
| Company | Cost Per Month | Cost Per Year | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| CoverWallet | $22 | $264 | Hot dog cart insurance quotes comparison online |
| Food Liability Insurance Program (FLIP) | $24.91 | $299 | Same-day hot dog cart coverage |
| NEXT | $25 | $300 | Buying two or more insurance policies for your hot dog cart business |
| Thimble | $28.83 | $345.96 | Short-term insurance for hot dog cart businesses |
| Hiscox | $46.35 | $556.20 | General liability insurance |
| Progressive Commercial | $187 | $2,244 | Commercial auto discounts |
| State Farm | State Farm doesn't state an average cost of its general liability coverage for hot dog carts. Contact an agent for an accurate estimate of rates | State Farm doesn't state an average cost of its general liability coverage for hot dog carts. Contact an agent for an accurate estimate of rates | Hot dog cart proprietors looking for food spoilage insurance |
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Here are the best hot dog cart insurance companies. Read some of the reviews below to know their pros, cons, and pricing.
Policy becomes effective soon as you pay
Users can renew the hot dog cart insurance at least 60 days before the policy expires
An online policy management policy dubbed FLIP online is available
Inland marine policy included as part of the property coverage
No refunds are given after the cancellation of the policy
No mobile application to manage your hot dog cart policy
Policies are underwritten by a third party- Great American Insurance Company
FLIP is a specialty broker that caters to businesses like the hot dog cart that prepare and serve food. FLIP has partnered with Great American Insurance Group, which underwrites the hot dog cart policies and offers an A+ superior rating for financial strength. For the hot dog cart, FLIP can underwrite the risk quickly and provide coverage to your hot dog business on the same day. You get coverage for $24.91 per month and $299 per year. Note that these costs apply only if your hot dog cart makes an annual sale of less than $50,000.
The main products offered by the FLIP insurance program include coverage for:
$1 million occurrence limit and $2 million aggregate limit for general liability
$300,000 occurrence limit an $300,000 aggregate limit if the hot dog cart is rented to you
$1 million for personal and advertising injury
Best for: Same-day hot dog cart coverage
Average cost: $24.91 per month for a $1 million general liability insurance
Our rating: 9/10
A partner of Chubb, CNA, and other established insurance companies
Compare the pricing and offers of many carriers
Doesn’t sell hot dog cart insurance
CoverWallet doesn’t sell hot dog cart insurance. However, this insurance broker can help you find companies offering the coverage at cheap rates. Give some basic business information and CoverWallet’s online quotes comparison platform will show you the price and features of the hot dog cart insurance of many carriers.
Another thing, CoverWallet has food cart insurance and you can get covered through that. Premiums cost $22 per month or $264 per year. Contact CoverWallet’s live agents to make sure you’re eligible for the coverage.
Best for: Hot dog cart insurance quotes comparison online
Average cost: $22 per month for a $1 million general liability coverage for hot dog cart vendors and other food cart vendors
Our rating: 8/10
Buy two or more insurance policies and get a 10% discount
Live certificate of insurance
Manage policies using the NEXT app
Instant coverage
Has a lot of poor reviews on Better Business Bureau
Doesn’t underwrite a specialized hot dog cart insurance
NEXT doesn’t sell tailored hot dog cart insurance. However, you can get covered through its food cart insurance. This company’s food cart insurance for hot dog vendors and other businesses offers general liability insurance, commercial auto, workers compensation, and commercial property insurance.
Choose to work with NEXT because it offers a 10% discount if you decide to buy two or more insurance policies as a bundle. Moreover, you can file and track a claim online via the NEXT app, which is accessible once you purchase a policy from the company. Also, the company assigns a claims advocate-a next insurance agent that helps process your insurance claim.
Best for: Buying two or more insurance policies for your hot dog cart business
Average cost: $25 per month for a $1 million general liability insurance
Our rating: 9/10
ACORD 25 certificate of insurance
Your coverage can be purchased as an annual or short-term policy
No hidden charges
Claims and other transactions can’t be filed or processed by calling
Doesn’t underwrite a specialized hot dog cart insurance
Similar to NEXT and CoverWallet, Thimble provides coverage through its food cart insurance for hot dog vendors and other similar businesses. Policies offered are general liability insurance and commercial property insurance. You can decide to get covered for the whole year or only for hours, days, and weeks.
Best for: Short-term insurance for hot dog cart businesses
Average cost: $28.83 per month for a $1 million general liability insurance
Our rating: 8/10
You can file your claims and ask for quotes online
A mobile app is available for easy policy management
General liability coverage of between $300,000 and $2 million
Hot dog cart businesses in Alaska aren't covered
Insurance is only available to smaller hot dog cart businesses
Hiscox, founded in 1901, has made a name for itself as a small business insurer that's particularly perfect for microbusinesses like hot dog stands, which will often employ less than 10 people. They offer a robust general liability policy to hot dog carts with coverage limit options of between $300,000 and $2 million. If you are a smaller hot dog cart owner whose business address is still your home address, Hiscox hot dog cart insurance is the policy for you as you actually get a 5% discount off the premium. The average cost of the hot dog cart is $46.35 per month, $556.20 per year.
Best for: General liability insurance
Average cost: $46.35 per month for $1 million general liability insurance
Our rating: 8/10
Extensive agent network making it easy to purchase and manage the hot dog cart insurance throughout the country
Fast response to claims
Online quoting system which includes both a tool for quoting scheduled premiums and access to a cost estimator
A commitment to customer convenience with the availability of a mobile application through which you can pay bills, check on claims, and find agents, among others
You can only purchase the hot dog cart insurance policy through their agents
A neat feature of State Farm's hot dog cart insurance is that they can insure you on projected sales. This is an excellent option for a hot dog cart business that's just starting out. It means that insurance becomes much easier for the business to afford until they can begin to make ends meet. When it comes to prices, State Farm doesn't state an average cost of its general liability coverage for food tracts. You must get in touch with an agent to accurately estimate rates.
Best for: Hot dog cart proprietors looking for food spoilage insurance
Average cost: State Farm doesn't state an average cost of its general liability coverage for hot dog carts. Contact an agent for an accurate estimate of rates
Our rating: 8 /10
Nine commercial auto discounts offered to hot dog cart operators
24/7 claim handling
Mobile application available to help with managing the hot dog cart policy
Possibility of seasonal rate adjustment
You cannot file claims for the hot dog cart policy online
Progressive Commercial, founded in 1937, is recognized nationally as a reliable auto insurance provider. Its competitive edge has to be the nine commercial auto discounts provided to hot dog carts on the move. Note that while the insurer is the best when it comes to commercial auto policies, it would appear that the company has no appetite for other coverage that your hot dog cart needs. To counter this shortcoming, it offers Progressive Advantage Business Program, which avails other policies from selected carriers that work with Progressive Commercial.
An average policyholder will pay $187 per month and $2,244 per year for commercial auto. Note that this cost might be higher depending on the number of hours the cart spends on the road and the size of the cart. If you operate your hot dog cart during the winter, your premiums will be adjusted in response to the reduced risk.
Best for: Commercial auto discounts
Average cost: $187 per month for commercial auto insurance
Our rating: 8/10
This place is an absolute joke of a company and should be ashamed of the way they conduct business. I was hurt on the job at the end of July and it took them just shy of 7 weeks to issue out a paycheck to me. Yes the amount was back dated but still. Not many have the luxury of not receiving a paycheck for almost 2 months. To top it all off, the original adjuster marked me down for the wrong state which caused a problem from the get go, I've had 3 different adjusters now since each one can't seem to figure out the simplicity of my claim. All my paperwork which includes, my job, house, and drs visits all are from the same state and city but yet some how I have been filed under a completely different state 1500 miles away. They do not answer your phone calls or emails no matter how many you leave. I've had to escalate my frustrations to the supervisors of each of these individuals in order to even get some kind of response. I've had more communication and information given to me about my claim from the customer service representatives then the actual adjusters.......... please tell me how that works?! A serious overhaul needs to happen here in order to serve your clients the way they deserve to be taken care of. 10/10 do not recommend this company to a single soul on earth
I have never had the displeasure of working with a more incompetent and disrespectful person in my life. I’m an injured worker and the adjuster that was assigned to my case was named Carrie Furgeson. In the past 6 weeks that I’ve been injured and out of work I have only been able to get ahold of her twice, not for lack of trying. I have left countless voicemails, countless emails, and she ignores them all. When I am finally able to get ahold of her I’m greeted with terrible customer service. She is rude, she talks over me and I’m hardly able to get a word in edgewise. She spelled my name wrong on my documents even after I spelled it for her properly countless times, this caused a whole new issue with my bank. I have bill collectors from the hospital calling me demanding payment and Carrie Furgeson won’t do a single thing to help, or to get them paid. All of my documentation is in Colorado, my job is in Colorado, my address is in Colorado, all my Dr offices and appointments have been in Colorado and Carrie still managed to hold my claim because she wasn’t sure what state she needed to file it under. It’s been 6 weeks since my Injury and my company still hasn’t received the wage paperwork to fill out so they can get me my correct wages. When she’s not ignoring me she’s answering my questions with “I don’t know” well I don’t know how she got this job, because apparently she doesn’t know anything about it. She is a disgusting morose individual inside and out and I genuinely wish her the worst in all of her future endeavors. I highly recommend you don’t use this company. Please if you are a business owner and your looking into this company please don’t use them. I’m sure they have the cheapest payment and that’s why companies use them in the first place, but you will be doing your employees a grave disservice by forcing them to venture into this absolute dumpster fire of a company. I would rate 0/5 if possible but 1 was the lowest I was allowed.
Their general liability insurance purchase process is simply the best online experience I've ever had in my life!
As long as they cover your line of business, you're literally covered! best rates, best coverage, best online experience, best professionals, can't be happier that I chose them!
It really can't get any better than this... wow
Not all those who wander are lost.
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