What Aspiring Bar Owners Should Know About Insurance
Workers' Compensation Insurance
You must check with your applicable state department of insurance to determine if your business will need workers' compensation coverage. Do not automatically assume you do not because the business is family owned, or has few employees. Your state law will dictate the coverage necessary and required if you have employees.
Commercial Auto Insurance
If the bar will use a vehicle, then that vehicle must be covered by commercial auto insurance.
Personal auto policies generally do not cover losses caused when a passenger vehicle is used for commercial purposes. This will be necessary insurance if vehicles are used in the business.
Other Insurance
Bars are only profitable while open and filled with drinking patrons. If there is a substantial disruption of your business, such as a fire, remember property insurance will only replace the property--not the lost income. The bar owner should consider business interruption insurance. Bars are increasingly computer dependent and rely on point of service computer networks; consider specific network risk coverage.
Finally, it cannot be stressed enough that certain natural disasters, such as floods and earthquakes require separate endorsements or separate policies and are not covered by most property policies.
You must check with your applicable state department of insurance to determine if your business will need workers' compensation coverage. Do not automatically assume you do not because the business is family owned, or has few employees. Your state law will dictate the coverage necessary and required if you have employees.
Commercial Auto Insurance
If the bar will use a vehicle, then that vehicle must be covered by commercial auto insurance.
Personal auto policies generally do not cover losses caused when a passenger vehicle is used for commercial purposes. This will be necessary insurance if vehicles are used in the business.
Other Insurance
Bars are only profitable while open and filled with drinking patrons. If there is a substantial disruption of your business, such as a fire, remember property insurance will only replace the property--not the lost income. The bar owner should consider business interruption insurance. Bars are increasingly computer dependent and rely on point of service computer networks; consider specific network risk coverage.
Finally, it cannot be stressed enough that certain natural disasters, such as floods and earthquakes require separate endorsements or separate policies and are not covered by most property policies.
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