Business insurance

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bige39

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Where can I find business insurance that will cover my smoker, concession trailer and vehicle that wont break me?
 
I'd personally recommend going to a local independent insurance agency. I don't have a concession business, but I do have a business and having a good insurance guy is one of the big three. Have a good insurance guy, a good banker, and a good lawyer. I use a local guy with an agency that has been around a long time. He has helped me save money on insurance for years. If the rates go up he can quickly look at the other rates and find me a better deal. It is also really nice to know the people at the agency and know I can deal with them instead of some corperate type on the phone.
 
My rig and trailer are covered under my allstate policy and is not commercial.
 
Just bought for my new trailer with a value of $35k and had to put my truck on a commercial policy because it tows the trailer. Actually not a bad price on the truck. Auto Owners. Total package $1700 and I have million liability.

Ins for the concession trailer and smoker is expensive. But if there's an accident and it's your livelyhood then it is pretty cheap. Still I'd be out of business for 4 weeks at least if my rig was totalled. I'd do the best to find local people to help me with the stuff I had committed to do.

Also use auto owners for liability for catering and vending of food in case somebody gets sick.
 
We carry our commercial insurace with a local agent that has been around for a while. I have to agree with the Big three....Banker, insurance, and lawyer! That's some great advice.
 
Get a local agent. I sell Auto-Owners, Hartford, Travelers, etc and it all depends on the truck/trailer/driver info. Go local and you'll be good to go, especially if you have an agent that already handles your other stuff.
 
Got mine through Nationwide, I think is is very resonable at roughly $1000 annually covering my truck, trailer & equipment plus general liability 1,000,000/2,000,000.
 
Could you guy's tell me where your at^^^^^^^ I could use some extra money:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin: Kidding of course, here State farm was under $400 a year liability. Thats for trailer, smoker amd equipment.
 
In Michigan we have much higher vehicle insurance than the rest of the country. In case of an accident your medical bills are paid by the vehicle insurance not your health insurance and we have no fault insurance.

And of course the value of your vehicles makes a difference. Trailer $35k and truck $30k.
 
Ford said:
In Michigan we have much higher vehicle insurance than the rest of the country. In case of an accident your medical bills are paid by the vehicle insurance not your health insurance and we have no fault insurance.

And of course the value of your vehicles makes a difference. Trailer $35k and truck $30k.
Click to expand...

Have you been to nj its no bargain here either. Nj's rates went down 10% over the last 2 years and we still have the highest insurance in the country. i guess that the cost of living in the garden state
 
Okay, so I've been reading the posts above, and I have a question. Are you guys specifically talking about covering your pull-behind smoker, trailer, and vehicle that's pulling it? ...or are you doing your catering biz insurance too?

I'm launching my catering biz this Spring, and have been working with my local agent. He is having trouble getting a coverage quote for my biz insurance. The question he keeps getting back is "what formal training" "is it accredited", etc. Who do you guys get your catering biz insurance from?

I need to get a quote so I can put it in my biz plan.

Kevin
 
As an insurance agent in Georgia, my advise would definitely be to get General Liability coverage as well as the commercial auto coverage if you're operating as a business (being on the way to cook at a BBQ show where you've paid an entrance fee could be interpreted by an adjustor as a business endeavor and the claim might be denied by some personal auto policies)

Commercial auto will cover your truck & smoker used in the operation of the business.

General Liability will cover any liability you have when not rollin down the highway. For instance, if you're catering an event and cooking on site and someone trips over an extension cord you have laid out for your equipment, you'd be liable for their injuries. If someone is burned or property damaged by a hot ember flying off your grill, you'd be liable. If someone eats your food and claims they got food poisoning, you'd be liable. You NEED general liability to protect YOU from lawsuit.

We insure the local BBQ festival here for the same type coverage for their annual event, as well as a few vendors and roadside cookers from the area. GL is a biggie. One liability claim without coverage could put you in the hole for the rest of your life.

Just my .02 worth
 
Chief,

That is exactly the type of insurance I am looking for, but my local agent is telling me that most carriers are denying GL coverage due to my lack of experience and training. Is there a particular carrier that is more flexible than others? I plan to take Food Safety Training via an accredited program...which according to what I've read, is the main requirement of the State of Colorado.

Any advice you have is greatly appreciated.

Kevin
 
My advise to go to your biggest independent insurance agency in town (not a State Farm or Nationwide agent, as these are usually captives that only sell State Farm or Nationwide...and most of those companies won't do general liability for a food vendor). They'll have access via brokerage houses to companies like Penn-America, Markel, Lloyds of London, etc that will happily write your coverage. It's the non-standard market but they're all known companies.

As for your experience, you've probably been cooking Q for a while, though not as a business. Count those years. Your downside is that it's a new venture as far as being a business, but the companies listed above don't mind taking a chance on you.

Insurance regulations vary slightly by state, but the overall scope of their requirements is about the same. Now, getting licensed by the state may be a heap harder in Colorado than in Georgia with having to show accredidation and so forth, but the insurance ought not be that hard of a find.

Good luck,
Adam

Feel free to PM me if you need more info.
 
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