Insurance for Craft Breweries

Do Breweries Need Insurance?

While the brewery industry continues to grow, so do the risks associated with it. As a brewery, you may need or desire certain insurance coverages to address the unique needs that come with owning and operating a brewery.

If you fit into one of the following categories, you may want to consider speaking with an insurance agent to discuss your insurance options:

  • Craft breweries
  • Microbreweries
  • Cider breweries
  • Distilleries

image showing employees hands pouring a beer into a glass cup at a brewery

Pricing and Insurance Quotes for Your Brewery

Just as each batch of your product is unique, so too are the costs associated with insuring a brewery. There are a variety of factors that go into how much you could pay for insurance. Some of these include, but are not limited to: what types of policies and coverage limits you choose; the types and amounts of products you make; where your business is located; whether you are open to the public; whether serving food is a part of your business plan; whether you have a tasting room and/or bar area where you serve alcohol to guests; and how many employees you have. At Cross Insurance we work with many different insurance carriers, from local companies based out of New England to nationally recognized names. To get a picture of what it could cost to insure your craft brewery, you can request a quote from us, or if you prefer to call someone to start the quoting process, you can find a list of phone numbers to all of our offices here.

What Insurance Should a Craft Brewery Consider?

As a brewery, there are many factors and situations you must take into consideration when deciding what insurance coverages you may need. There are a few basic coverages every business should consider, but when your business and the industry that it is in is as unique as the beer business, it can be helpful to speak with a licensed insurance producer to discuss your options.  Some types of insurance you may want to consider include, but are not limited to, the following.

Commercial Property

Whether you own the building your business operates in, lease your space, or have turned your home into your business, commercial property insurance can be a smart investment. The following are some of the assets commercial property can help insure:

  • Your building
  • Your brewery’s furniture, such as barstools, chairs, and indoor/outdoor seating
  • Your inventory being beer, your ingredients, and packaging
  • The equipment that your brewery runs on, like tanks, kegs, and pumps etc.
  • Outdoor signage, banners, and other materials
  • Landscaping such as business entryways and parking

image showing beer being distilled in a taproom

Liquor Liability

When your business is centered on creating and selling alcohol, particularly if you have a taproom or ir you otherwise permit guests or patrons to sample your product at your brewery, having liquor liability coverage is something you ought to seriously consider. Liquor liability coverage can help provide your brewery with coverage for claims of bodily injury or property damage for which it may become liable as a result of serving alcohol to an intoxicated customer. This type of policy may cover settlements, legal costs, and medical expenses. Having general and umbrella liability insurance is also a typically a very good idea.

Insurance for your Employees

A brewery consists of many moving parts – from the multi-step creation process, to packaging, and the serving and distribution of your product, in many instances this takes more than one individual. Whether you’re a brewery that has multiple employees, a workforce of you and just one other employee, or hundreds, having workers’ comp to help protect those employees may be legally required. Worker’s Comp can help cover medical bills for employees who are injured or become ill because of work related events. It can also help cover a portion of lost wages.

Product Recall and Product Liability

As a brewery, one of the worst fears for your business is product contamination or spoilage. With product recall coverage, you can help reduce the costs of taking your product off customers’ shelves due to an unforeseen contamination or packaging error. Some of the costs that recall insurance can help reduce the costs of are:

  • Distribution costs
  • Storage costs
  • Disposal costs
  • Replacement costs

Product liability coverage may also be available to help cover costs associated with customers who are injured as a result of ingesting a defective product.

image showing employee inspecting beer bottles near conveyer belt

Commercial Auto

Like many breweries, you will want to get your brand and your beer distributed far and wide. Doing so by delivering your beer by the means of commercial vehicles requires coverage. Operating vehicles in connection with your brewery requires commercial auto coverage. Cross provides coverage for many types of vehicles used for commercial purposes.

Cyber Insurance for Breweries

As businesses become increasingly reliant on technology, possible data breaches are becoming more common. A data breach can do more than just damage your computer system- it can also result in fines and legal fees. Business owners should have plans in place for dealing with a cyber-attack and consider talking to your local insurance agent about cyber insurance if:

  • Your brewery handles credit card numbers
  • Your brewery uses computers and mobile devices
  • Your brewery keeps financial data

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This article is for general informational purposes only and is not to be relied upon or used for any particular purpose. Cross Insurance shall not be held responsible in any way for, and specifically disclaims any liability arising out of or in any way connected to, reliance on or use of any of the information contained in this article. The information contained or referenced in this article is not intended to constitute and should not be considered legal, insurance, accounting or other professional advice, nor shall it serve as a substitute for the recipient obtaining such advice. The views expressed in this article are that of its author and do not necessarily represent the views of Cross Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries and affiliates (“Cross Insurance”) or Cross Insurance’s management or shareholders.

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