Restaurant Insurance
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For restaurants that do not fit one of the cuisine or operating-model guides below.
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What restaurant insurance costs
The lowest food-service general liability policy we have bound is $597/yr, a policy we wrote for a caterer in New York, and our lowest restaurant workers' comp policy is $509/yr. Liability and property together start at $1,153/yr on a bound businessowners policy. A restaurant lands above or near those depending on cooking, alcohol, sales, payroll, property, and claims.
The national median for a restaurant businessowners policy (general liability + property) is about $224-251/mo. Most owners who get quoted high aren't overpaying because of where they are. They're overpaying because of how their restaurant was classified.
A benchmark from our own book: a recent full-service restaurant bind came in at $1,153/yr for the BOP, and full-service tenant quotes we've run recently range from about $2,300/yr to $4,500/yr depending on state and size. Counter-service comes in under that. Heavy cooking, high alcohol, or building coverage push it up.
| Coverage | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General liability (bound) | from $597/yr | Our lowest bound food-service liability policy, for a caterer in New York. Cooking, alcohol, sales, and claims move it up from there. |
| Workers' compensation (bound) | from $509/yr | Our lowest bound restaurant workers' comp policy, for a sandwich shop. Priced on payroll, so staff size drives it. |
| Liability + property BOP (bound) | from $1,153/yr | Our lowest bound businessowners policy, for a full-service restaurant in New York. Building, equipment and contents values set this one. |
| Businessowners policy (BOP) - GL + property | $150-$450/mo | National median is about $224-251/mo. State, size, cooking, and alcohol set where you land. |
| General liability only | $70-$220/mo | GL alone works for some counter-service spots. Most restaurants need the property side too. |
| Liquor liability | from ~$40/mo | Priced off your % of alcohol sales and your state's dram shop law. |
| Workers' compensation | Priced on payroll | Required in most states once you have employees. Thresholds vary by state. |
These are the lowest premiums we have actually bound for restaurants, as of 2026-09-26, plus the lowest instant quotes a carrier issued ready to bind (marked "instant quote, bindable"; those are real quotes, not bound policies) and, where marked "quote", an ordinary carrier quote. Each is labelled by line of business. Your price depends on your menu, cooking, alcohol, sales, payroll, property, location, and claims. They are not an offer of insurance.
What moves your price
- ✓Alcohol as a share of sales. Under ~35% quotes instantly with most carriers; above that it goes to an underwriter
- ✓Deep frying and charbroiling rate higher than limited cooking
- ✓Square footage, seating, and annual sales
- ✓Insuring the building vs just your contents and improvements
- ✓Construction and sprinklers. A masonry building with sprinklers rates lower than what carriers assume by default
- ✓Your state. Dram shop law, wind exposure, and litigation climate all move the number
The coverage a restaurant needs
Slip-and-falls, foodborne illness claims, damage to your rented space. Your lease almost certainly requires $1M/$2M with your landlord as additional insured.
Kitchen equipment, furniture, build-out, food spoilage. Bundled with GL in a businessowners policy (BOP).
Covers claims from serving alcohol. Whether it's legally required depends on your state; whether your lease requires it usually doesn't.
Replaces lost revenue if a fire or other covered loss shuts you down. Ask for business income coverage up to 18 months.
Required in most states once you have employees. Priced on payroll, quoted alongside the BOP.
Frequently asked questions
How much does restaurant insurance cost?
The lowest food-service general liability policy we have bound is $597/yr, a policy we wrote for a caterer in New York, and our lowest restaurant workers' comp policy is $509/yr. Liability and property together start at $1,153/yr on a bound businessowners policy. A restaurant lands above or near those depending on cooking, alcohol, sales, payroll, property, and claims.
What insurance is legally required for a restaurant?
Workers' comp in most states once you have employees (thresholds vary; Texas is the one state where it's voluntary), and commercial auto if you own vehicles. General liability isn't required by law, but every commercial lease requires it, so in practice every leased restaurant carries it.
What does a businessowners policy (BOP) cover?
A BOP bundles general liability with commercial property (your equipment, furniture, build-out, food spoilage) plus business income coverage that replaces revenue if a covered loss shuts you down. It's how nearly every small restaurant buys insurance, and it's cheaper than buying the pieces separately.
How fast can I get covered and get a COI?
For most restaurants under about 35% alcohol sales we can quote same-day, and issue a COI as soon as the policy binds. Often the same day your landlord asks for it.
Get your quote
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Opening a restaurant?
Plan the steps before your first service, from the opening budget to approvals and lease requirements.
Read the restaurant opening guide →What your landlord's lease will ask for, with real examples →