Restaurant Insurance in South Carolina
See what SC restaurants pay, what the state requires, and get your own quote in a few minutes. No spam, no obligation.
Also for pizzerias, delis, cafes, coffee shops, food counters, and quick service.
Prefer to talk? Call (929) 594-5450
What restaurant insurance costs in South Carolina
South Carolina prices close to the national median for restaurant coverage. 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 the state. They're overpaying because of how their restaurant was classified.
From our own book: we've run 23 South Carolina quotes recently across business classes, so the ranges below reflect what this market actually charges.
Counter-service spots come in under the ranges below. Heavy cooking, high alcohol sales, or insuring your building push costs up.
| Coverage | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Businessowners policy (BOP) - GL + property | $180-$380/mo | National restaurant median is about $224-251/mo. Size, cooking, and alcohol set where you land. |
| General liability only | $90-$160/mo | GL alone works for some counter-service spots. Most restaurants need the property side too. |
| Liquor liability | from ~$55/mo | Priced off your % of alcohol sales. |
| Workers' compensation | Priced on payroll | Required once you have 4 or more employees. Quoted separately from the BOP. |
Figures are estimates from published small-business premium medians and quotes we've run for similar businesses. Your premium depends on your operations. This is not a quote or 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
- ✓Years in business and claims history
The coverage a SC 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), which is how nearly every restaurant buys it.
Covers claims from serving alcohol. See the SC liquor law note below.
Replaces lost revenue if a fire or other covered loss shuts you down. Ask for business income coverage up to 18 months.
South Carolina requires workers' comp once you have 4 or more employees. Priced on payroll, quoted alongside the BOP.
What's different about South Carolina
SC requires $1M liquor liability for late-night service
South Carolina requires businesses licensed to sell alcohol for on-premises consumption after 5 p.m. to carry at least $1 million in liquor liability (SC Code 61-2-145). Courts also recognize dram-shop-style claims. If you serve alcohol in SC, the coverage is a license requirement, not a choice, and SC liquor pricing has risen sharply because of it.
When workers' comp kicks in
South Carolina requires workers' comp once you have 4 or more employees. Penalties for going without it once you're over the threshold are steep, and it's quoted separately from your BOP.
Coastal SC carries wind deductibles or separate wind
Charleston, Myrtle Beach, and the coastal counties see named-storm deductibles, and wind is often written separately through the state wind pool. Upstate locations price normally.
Your lease drives your limits
Nearly every commercial lease requires $1M/$2M general liability, landlord as additional insured, and a COI before you get keys. Some leases also require $100K+ damage-to-premises limits that only certain policy packages reach. Worth checking before you buy the cheapest quote.
Prefer to talk? Call (929) 594-5450
Frequently asked questions
How much does restaurant insurance cost in South Carolina?
A restaurant businessowners policy in South Carolina typically runs $180-$380/mo, against a national median of about $224-251/mo. From our own book: we've run 23 South Carolina quotes recently across business classes, so the ranges below reflect what this market actually charges. Counter-service spots come in below the range. Heavy cooking, high alcohol sales, or building coverage push it above.
What insurance is legally required for a restaurant in South Carolina?
South Carolina requires workers' comp once you have 4 or more employees. Commercial auto is required if you own vehicles. General liability and property aren't required by law, but your lease will require GL with your landlord as additional insured, so in practice every leased restaurant carries it.
Do I need liquor liability if I only serve beer and wine?
Yes. South Carolina's dram shop law applies to any place that serves alcohol. Carriers price liquor liability off your % of alcohol sales, so a restaurant at 10-15% pays far less than a bar. Going without it leaves dram shop claims completely uncovered.
Doesn't my landlord's insurance cover me?
No. Your landlord's policy covers the building, not your business. You're responsible for your own liability, your equipment and improvements, and for adding the landlord to your policy as additional insured with a COI.
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 SC 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.
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