
You've got the perfect location, the right menu, and the dream, so now is the time to open your own restaurant in Utah. But before you fire up those fryers, you'll need to equip your business with the proper coverage. In addition to the safety of the public, you'll also need to care for the safety of your employees, as well as your business itself.
That's why it's so important to learn all about restaurant insurance. Our independent insurance agents are here to break down all kinds of restaurant insurance in Utah, from the coverage needed by pastrami burger joints all the way to Chinese food buffets. Whatever your culinary vision, they'll help find the right flavor of coverage for you, at a price that works. But first. . .
In short, restaurant insurance is a policy designed to cover all the 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 about protecting their health, but restaurant operation comes with many different risks that are important to consider before setting up shop.
Before we take a look at some specifics that apply to restaurant owners in The Beehive State, we'll check out the basic coverage requirements across the map. A typical restaurant insurance policy includes the following:
While the basic restaurant insurance package is a great start, truth be told, it might not meet all of your unique needs. Your independent insurance agent will hook you up with the additional coverage that's right for you, but until then, we'll look over some of the most common add-ons:
Dram shop laws hold a business liable for serving alcohol to minors, as well as for harm caused by an individual who has been overserved by that business — even after they leave your establishment. A state's specific laws and set of associated penalties/fines for violating them can influence your liquor liability coverage needs and the cost of your coverage.
In Utah, as well as many other states, a guest who injures themself due to overintoxication may not sue the establishment, since it's considered the guest's personal responsibility to monitor how much they consume. So liability coverage for first-party cases is mainly only required in a situation when a minor is served, since minors are not legally allowed to drink in any state.
However, third-party liability coverage is crucial. If another individual is harmed by an intoxicated guest, such as in a bar fight or auto accident, they may sue your establishment. For these cases, the third party will need proof that the intoxicated guest continued to be intentionally served past the point of visible intoxication by your restaurant.
Lawsuits can seriously cost you or your business, in the form of significant financial penalties, loss of employment or liquor license, or even jail sentences. Your agent will set you up with the proper liquor liability coverage based on Utah's unique laws. They'll also explain the costs associated with each level of coverage.
Earthquakes can shake things up in Utah, and they often do. As of spring 2019, at least 169 earthquakes had been reported in the state over the past month alone, and 621 had occurred over the past year. Having coverage for your restaurant could help to keep things steady.
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 all the more incentive to seriously consider adding earthquake protection to their policy.
Talk with your agent about your risk to determine if you should add more coverage. They'll know exactly the right amount of coverage to set you up with, to avoid you having to pay out of pocket for potential damage down the road.
Though Utah's known to have a particularly dry climate, that doesn't stop it from seeing some harsh winters. Blizzards can dump several feet of snow, which will eventually melt once that desert heat starts to creep back up. Worse yet, once all that snow melts, the runoff just might find itself a new home. . . inside your restaurant. Luckily, flood insurance can help.
If your restaurant is located in an area deemed to be high-risk (or even if it isn't, in certain cases), you may be required to have flood insurance. Flood insurance will cover your property (the structure of your restaurant and the merchandise inside) if natural water (i.e., rain, waves, snowmelt, etc.) wreaks havoc.
Once again, if you're unsure whether you have it/need it, talk with your agent. They'll help make sure you're covered, to help save you from having to clean up Mother Nature's mess on your own.
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 at 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.
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.
On the other end of the spectrum, a large dine-in restaurant chain with tons of employees and features like salad bars, buffets, and liquor bars is by far the priciest/riskiest venture. All the required workers' comp, property and liability insurance drive 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.
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.
Our wise and helpful agents will help you determine which types of coverage make 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.
ncsl.org
alcohol.org
dui.findlaw.com
servsafe.com
earthquaketrack.com
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