Nevada Restaurant Insurance

So, you're in the process of opening your own restaurant in the Sagebrush State, and you're eager to start satisfying customers. Slow it down for a moment though, because no matter if you'll be serving Chateaubriand and paella or have an all-you-can-eat buffet, you should really get your restaurant set up with the proper coverage, first.

And that's our cue. Our independent insurance agents are here to help get you set up with the protection you need, at a price that works for you. Before we get to that, though, let's start by breaking down Nevada restaurant insurance, to seriously diminish the anxiety factor related to potential restaurant ownership risks. So, if you're feeling lucky, grab a napkin and let's dig in.

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What Is Restaurant Insurance? 

In short, restaurant insurance is a policy designed to cover all components involved in your restaurant, from your property and supplies to your employees and customers. Obviously, serving food to the public ties directly into concerns over protecting their health, but restaurant operation comes with many different risks that are important to consider before setting up shop. 

What Type of Restaurant Insurance Do I Need in Nevada?

Before we dive into specific requirements for the Silver State, we'll start with an overview of the coverage that ALL US restaurant owners need. Typically, a standard restaurant insurance policy will include the following:

• General liability: This coverage protects against lawsuits related to injury or property damage done by the business, and it's mandatory. Food poisoning claims would fall under this category.
• Workers' compensation: If your employee(s) should become ill, injured or die from a work-related incident, this aspect of the insurance will cover the financial ramifications. Coverage is mandatory in Nevada, as well as most other states.
• Property insurance: This covers any damage to the physical building that houses your restaurant, in case of fire, etc. The type of cooking equipment your establishment uses will contribute to the risk of fire damage, and may influence the cost of your policy. Businesses with deep fryers that use grease, for example, are considered a higher risk.
  Note: Restaurants with a drive-thru will have extra property that needs coverage, and paved services (like driveways) are not typically covered by general property insurance.
• Business income: A part of property insurance, this aspect covers the financial loss suffered while a business is closed due to fire damage or other disasters.
• Ordinance and law: Another part of property insurance, it covers the financial ramifications if your building is found to not be up to current state code. This coverage also applies in the event that you need to rebuild your restaurant, or if you're building one from the ground up, yourself. Handicap compliant features, fire safety equipment, and emergency exits are all factors, here. 
• Boiler & machinery: Also known as "equipment insurance", it covers electronic equipment in the building (e.g., AC units and boilers) that breaks down due to power surges, etc. Property insurance MAY cover this stuff, but not always.
• Spoilage: This coverage takes care of the replacement costs of food that spoils due to power outages caused by storms, surges, etc.
• Communicable disease: Covers any illness transmitted to customers due to improper hygiene of your employees.

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Optional Add-Ons to Restaurant Insurance in Nevada

The basic restaurant insurance package is undoubtedly a great launching pad, but truth be told, you'll probably end up needing more coverage. Your independent insurance agent will hook you up with any additional coverage necessary, but until then, let's check out some of the most common add-ons:

• Commercial/business auto insurance: If you run a carryout restaurant that makes deliveries, you'll want to look into getting coverage for your company vehicle(s) from things like theft and vandalism. Your restaurant will be also held responsible for damage done by your driver while in the company vehicle. Food trucks would also need this coverage.
• Coverage for signage: This coverage protects your signage from things like weather and vandalism, since it's not typically covered under regular property insurance. It's especially important for restaurants with a drive-thru, with all the extra signage that could be damaged due to distracted or impaired drivers, or vandalism.
• Art floater insurance: This option exists mainly for the bigger/fancier restaurants with artwork on display. Scheduling an appraisal for the specific pieces you want to cover is the first required step. In case of fire or even theft, this coverage can help prevent having to pay for the replacements out of pocket.
• Liquor liability insurance: While not mandatory, this coverage can fill in some important gaps. General liability will NOT protect you if your employees overserve a customer who ends up with a DUI or other alcohol-related charge. Coverage is more necessary for smaller restaurants, as chains tend to have stricter serving rules and training policies in place to prevent mishaps. 

Do I Really Need Liquor Liability Insurance in ­­­Nevada?

Nevada is one of only eight states that do not have dram shop laws, which means that if a customer is overserved liquor at your restaurant and causes damage after leaving your establishment, your business cannot be held accountable. That being said, anyone could still file a case against you because of a mishap with an intoxicated patron.

The lack of dram shop laws in Nevada could mean that the case is much more likely to be ruled in your favor, however, there are still fees to pay when someone files against you. Court fees and any expenses for a lawyer are your responsibility. Liquor liability coverage is still important to have, to save you from paying out of pocket for any lawsuits.

Get Some Earthquake Coverage for Your Nevada Restaurant

The Battleborn State gets visits from people all over the world, but it also gets tons of visits from earthquakes. In fact, Nevada saw a whopping 149 of them over the past month, alone (as of February 2019). Getting coverage for your restaurant could potentially save you a lot of grief.

Though your restaurant insurance policy will most likely cover disasters sparked by earthquakes (such as a pipe bursting in the aftermath) it most likely WON'T cover damage to your restaurant's foundation or merchandise. Restaurant owners in an earthquake-prone zone have extra need to consider adding earthquake protection to their policy.

Talk with your agent about possibly adding more coverage. They'll know exactly how much to set you up with, in order to avoid having to pay out of pocket for these natural disasters down the road. 

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How Much Does Restaurant Insurance Cost in Nevada?

It depends on what kind of restaurant you run and a few other factors, such as if you've got employees, offer a delivery service, operate a drive-thru or serve liquor. However, a typical range for coverage starts on the low end of about $10,000/year for a smaller establishment with fewer employees, and hits the high end of more than $100,000/year for a much larger restaurant, like a chain.

A restaurant insurance policy is typically the cheapest and easiest way to go. This package offers most of the liability and property coverage you'll need, and you can always add on specifics as necessary. Your independent insurance agent will know exactly what to hook you up with.

What's the Safest/Cheapest Kind of Restaurant I Can Start?

Obviously, smaller is going to be cheaper. A food truck or corner stand downtown will be by far the cheapest option, since there won't be as many sales as in a larger chain, there aren't any other employees (that would require workers' comp), and you won't be serving alcohol. Coverage costs would most likely be in the low thousands each year.

What's the Most Expensive/Riskiest Kind of Restaurant I Can Start?

On the other end of the spectrum, a large dine-in restaurant chain with tons of employees, features like salad bars and buffets, and a liquor bar are by far the priciest/riskiest venture. All the required workers' comp, property and liability insurance drives up costs exponentially. 

It ultimately depends on lots of specifics like the number of employees and the value of the property of course, but we're talking BIG numbers, like more than $100,000 per year.

What's So Great About an Independent Insurance Agent?

Insurance policies are often filled with lots of technical jargon. Additionally, it's a real process to hunt for the RIGHT policy. Fortunately, sifting through the available options and pinpointing the necessary coverage is a task that can easily be handed off to someone else. That's where independent insurance agents come in to save the day.

Independent insurance agents will not only help you get the best possible deal, but also the type of coverage that's right for you. They shop and compare insurance quotes for you, and even break down all that complex jargon into plain old English, so you understand exactly what you're getting.

Finding/Comparing Nevada Restaurant Insurance Quotes

Our wise and helpful agents will help you determine which type of Nevada restaurant insurance makes the most sense for YOU. They'll also compare policies and quotes from several different insurance companies to make sure they're setting you up with protection that's among the best around. In other words, they'll make it happen.