Restaurant Insurance in Tennessee
See what TN 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 Tennessee
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.
Tennessee is one of the cheaper states to insure a restaurant. 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.
We quote Tennessee businesses regularly.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| Tennessee restaurant quote (quote, not bound) | from $2,747/yr | Our lowest Tennessee restaurant quote, for liability + property, out of 6 we have written there as of 2026-09-26. |
| Businessowners policy (BOP) - GL + property | $140-$300/mo | National restaurant median is about $224-251/mo. Size, cooking, and alcohol set where you land. |
| General liability only | $70-$130/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. |
| Workers' compensation | Priced on payroll | Required once you have 5 or more employees. Quoted separately from the BOP. |
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
- ✓Years in business and claims history
The coverage a TN 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 TN 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.
Tennessee requires workers' comp once you have 5 or more employees. Priced on payroll, quoted alongside the BOP.
What's different about Tennessee
What we've quoted restaurants in Tennessee
Our lowest Tennessee restaurant quote is $2,747 a year for liability + property, out of 6 Tennessee restaurant quotes we have written. It's a quote, not a bound policy, and your number depends on your own menu, sales, payroll and property.
Tennessee's dram shop standard is high, but coverage still matters
Tennessee (Tenn. Code 57-10-102) requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the sale was to a visibly intoxicated person or a minor. That's the toughest standard in the country, but defense costs are real either way, and leases and event contracts still require liquor liability. If you serve, carry it.
When workers' comp kicks in
Tennessee requires workers' comp once you have 5 or more employees. Penalties for going without it once you're over the threshold are steep, and it's quoted separately from your BOP.
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 Tennessee?
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 in Tennessee?
Tennessee requires workers' comp once you have 5 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. Tennessee's dram shop law is narrower than most states, but it's not zero, and defense costs are real even for claims that fail. Carriers price liquor liability off your % of alcohol sales, so a restaurant at 10-15% pays far less than a bar. Most leases require it anyway.
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 TN 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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Opening a restaurant?
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