Liquor-related incidents have the potential to close any established restaurant or
bar, magnifying the significance of having a liquor liability insurance policy. While
this insurance policy covers a wide range of incidents, Hospitality Insurance Group
urges business owners to evaluate whether they need the added protection that is
offered by having the optional assault and battery coverage.

“A liquor liability policy is a policy that anybody who serves alcohol or sells alcohol
should have purchased,” said Sandra Haley, Senior Vice President of Underwriting
and Marketing at Hospitality Insurance Group. “Assault and battery is going to
provide coverage when there is a fight in your establishment.”

The standard liquor liability policy covers losses related to bodily injury or property
damage when it is caused by an individual who was served too much alcohol. In
other words, Haley says, this coverage would cover the losses resulting from
someone who accidentally injured themselves or others because they had too much
to drink.

Restaurant owners could face legal trouble if that is the only liquor-related coverage
they purchased, Haley added. She says assault and battery coverage would be
invaluable, for example, if your bouncer or doorman accidentally injures a patron
when they were asking them to leave. It would also cover losses if your guest
started a fight with another guest.

Assault and battery coverage is often overlooked, she says, because business
owners might assume that incidents involving ‘intended injury’ is covered under
general liability or liquor liability coverage. “Typically, the standard liquor liability
policy does not include assault and battery coverage. It is typically offered to
establishments as an optional coverage,” Haley said.

For businesses insured through Hospitality Insurance Group, Haley explained that
restaurant owners will now have options when their policy renews. “We always sold
it, however, it was very confusing because it wasn’t covered in one form,” Haley
said. “You will now be able to decide whether you want to purchase assault and
battery coverage, and if you do, at what limit you would like to purchase it.”

These updates reinforce the need for businesses to evaluate their insurance policy
every year, Haley added. If you are up for a renewal, consider asking your
insurance agent about switching to Hospitality Insurance Group for your liquor
liability insurance needs.

Contributed by Hospitality Insurance Group, Southboro, MA | www.hmic.com

The opinions expressed are the views of the author alone and should not be attributed to any other individual or entity and shall not constitute a legal opinion.

Restaurants and bars face a litany of general liability risks that are often overlooked. It could be the spiraling staircase or the featured dish of the week that increases a business’ risk for general liability claims. As part of an ongoing series to help business owners in the hospitality industry prevent losses, Hospitality Insurance Group is highlighting the common risks that could make businesses insolvent.

“Well run businesses with processes and procedures will always save money,” said Richard E. Welch Jr., President & CEO of Hospitality Insurance Group. Welch suggests working with an insurer that understands the risks a restaurant or bar might encounter to receive the proper general liability coverage needed.

“General liability coverage is designed to protect businesses from the liabilities that generally come up in the course of business for a bar or restaurant,” Welch said. “The level of risk associated with any business can vary based on a large number of factors.”

The most common type of liability comes from slip and falls, according to Welch. Other important risks to consider is the level of floors, the type of food being served, and injuries resulting from service accidents.

Having the proper general liability coverage is crucial for staying in business. If your restaurant or bar does not have adequate coverage, you risk losing everything you worked hard to acquire.

Ask your insurance agent if your coverage comes from Hospitality Insurance Group, and take immediate action today to help prevent significant losses.

The opinions expressed are the views of the author alone and should not be attributed to any other individual or entity and shall not constitute a legal opinion.

By: Richard E. Welch, Jr.

President & CEO, Hospitality Insurance Group

It wasn’t long ago when traditional, mass-produced beers were the only options patrons had when it came to ordering beer. Nowadays, craft brews can be found in nearly every restaurant and bar across Massachusetts. People have increasingly turned to craft beer for a variety of reasons, but these types of drinks could have damaging implications for business owners. In this blog, Hospitality Insurance Group addresses the higher alcohol content typically found in craft brews and shares strategies to help prevent overserving alcohol.

Craft brews can be appealing to guests for their taste, ingredients, variety of flavors, and alcohol content. While mass produced beer can contain between 4 and 5.5 percent of alcohol content, craft brews can be as high as 12 percent. Therefore, guests may end up drinking more alcohol than they had originally planned.

“The safety of someone’s customers should always be the top priority for any bar or restaurant,” said Richard E. Welch, President & CEO of Hospitality Insurance Group. He says there are several strategies that can help businesses keep their guests safe.

Since craft brews can contain as much as 2-3 times more alcohol than mass-produced beers, business owners should remain conscious of not overserving alcohol. One way businesses can prevent overserving alcohol is by varying the size of glasses when serving craft brews, so it is equivalent to traditional beers in terms of alcohol content.

Another strategy to prevent the overserving of alcohol, Welch says, involves having the right policies in place. Many businesses do not have procedures outlined when having to deal with an intoxicated guest. Restaurant and bar owners can mitigate potential losses if they understand how they will handle a scenario where someone who has had too much to drink.

Alcohol awareness training could be another solution to help prevent an incident of overserving alcohol, Welch added. Bartenders could learn useful information from these programs that can help keep guests safe. As an added measure, businesses could encourage bartenders to take a refresher course on a regular basis.

Restaurant and bar owners must remain vigilant to prevent overserving alcohol. As a specialist in liquor liability coverage, Hospitality Insurance Group understands the risks of overserving alcohol, and what that could mean to your business. Make sure your coverage is coming from Hospitality Insurance Group to make sure you have the right amount of coverage.

The opinions expressed are the views of the author alone and should not be attributed to any other individual or entity and shall not constitute a legal opinion.