Craft Brewery and Brewpub Insurance

Craft Brewery Insurance Coverages

General Liability 

The starting point for any business.  Every business should carry general liability insurance.  This is just a starting point, and you are leaving huge gaps in coverage if you are only operating with a general liability policy.  A truly complete craft brewery insurance package does not stop at general liability.

Products Withdrawal Expense Coverage

This coverage is not automatically extended on a general liability insurance policy for breweries, but it is an essential component of a robust craft brewery insurance package.  This provides coverage for the expense of notifying and removing your product from the market.

Liquor Liability and Special Event Liability 

Liquor liability is another “must have” coverage for every brewery and brewpub, as the commercial general liability policy excludes liquor liability coverage for those “in the business” of furnishing alcoholic beverages.  Sunstone can help to make sure your policy will properly respond to the liquor liability exposure you face.

Property 

Your property consists of several different components:  The buildings and structures in which you operate, the furniture and personal property inside these structures, your equipment and machinery, and your inventory and finished stock.

Buildings and structures

Sunstone Insurance agency can help you find the right coverage for your property.  With co-insurance clauses on property policies, it is essential that you insure your building to value.  Underinsuring can result in a partially covered or uncovered loss.  You are paying for insurance, make sure it is what your brewery needs in the event of a crisis.

Equipment and machinery

Perhaps your largest investment is your brewery equipment.  Your fermenters, tanks, heat exchangers, and packaging equipment all need to be insured properly.  They are not automatically covered under the building coverage, though it may be possible to find such a policy.  Are sure your brewery insurance policy properly addresses your current exposure?  Likewise, any forklifts, gators, palette jacks, etc. all need to be covered.  Let Sunstone Insurance Agency work with you to prepare a proper inventory and audit your existing coverage.  We visit our clients, and walk through the property to make sure we are writing a craft brewery property policy tailored to your brewery.

Inventory, finished stock, and property in transit.

Not all brewery insurance policies will respond the same way to the loss of these items.  It is essential to understand how your insurance policy treats your inventory and your beer throughout the process.  These are all items in an insurance policy that may vary from one policy to another.  As you review the pricing for your craft brewery insurance program, it is essential to make sure you are comparing coverage parts.

Workers Compensation 

Businesses in Texas are not legally required to carry worker’s compensation insurance.  Any brewery operating without it, is simply playing with fire.  If your employee is injured on the job, you are liable, and the amount you are on the hook for can be limitless.  Injuries to your employees are not covered under a general liability policy.  Call us to make sure you have workers compensation in addition to your liability and property policies.

Crime & Fidelity

Protects your brewery from losses resulting from the dishonest acts of employees.

Umbrella / Excess

When the $1,000,000 / $2,000,000 limit of liability is insufficient, you need an umbrella / excess liability policy to secure proper limits.

Auto and Hired / Non-Owned Auto

If your brewery owns any vehicles, you need a commercial auto policy.  An auto policy will protect your brewery from liability caused by autos.  Additionally, you can protect the vehicles themselves with comprehensive and collision coverage.

If you do not own any vehicles, you still need an auto policy to protect your brewery from liability caused by autos, as it will be excluded under the general liability policy.  Auto liability can come from an employee in a personal vehicle, a rented car or truck, or a vehicle borrowed by the brewery.

Auto coverage is essential, as property damage and bodily injury to third parties is excluded under the commercial general liability policy.  Make sure auto coverage is a part of your craft brewery insurance package.

We think the world is a better place with you in it

We don’t want to live in a big beer world.  We want you, and all of your fellow brewers to continue making beer for us for the long haul.  To that end, Sunstone Insurance Agency works hard to make sure we are finding the best insurance policy for your craft brewery or brewpub at the most competitive price.  Call Sunstone today and let us help you get covered.