The local cafe is more than just a place to get a great cup of tea and a plate of something hearty. It’s where local people and holidaymakers come together to chat and relax. It’s part of the fabric of the local community and one that needs to be protected. Cafe insurance provides all your essential areas of coverage and allows you to easily add useful bespoke cover to reflect your unique business needs. Whenever the unexpected happens, you’ll be prepared financially.
Specialised, local help
For over 30 years Park Insurance has provided the local community in Bristol and businesses further afield with specialised insurance packages that are tailored specifically to individual business needs. We use our experience, expertise and position as the preferred broker to many of the UK’s largest insurance providers to find small and medium-sized businesses affordable cover. We know that there’s no such thing as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution, so we work with you to find out more about your business, your goals and the kind of protection you want to put together a bespoke cafe insurance package just for you.
Cafe insurance – what you need to know
If you’re just opening your cafe business then you’ll need to put aside some of your start-up funds for the right kind of cafe business insurance protection. At Park Insurance we recommend that package includes:
Cafe public Liability Insurance – although not compulsory, you would be well advised to protect yourself and your finances by taking out PLI. This gives you cover in the event a member of the public is hurt while on your property or as a result of your actions.
Employer’s Liability Insurance – if you employ anyone, even if they’re a family member, only work part-time or are sub-contractors, you must by law have Employer’s Liability Insurance.
Buildings and Content Cover – normal buildings and content insurance (such as the type you have at home) is not suitable for commercial premises, especially catering businesses. So make sure your B&C cover is specifically designed for businesses, rather than domestic cover.
Stock Cover – If you keep a lot of stock refrigerated then stock cover protects you financially should your system fail.
Key Personnel Insurance – if you rely on a key member of staff such as a chef and they leave unexpectedly, key personnel insurance gives you some measure of financial cover while you source a replacement.
Business Interruption – if your business is shut down for reasons such as flood, fire or acts of terrorism, you won’t be able to earn a living. Business interruption gives you a limited income until you can open up again, so at least things such as wages bills, rent, rates and invoices are paid.
Other cafe business insurance options you can consider include money cover to protect your on-site cash, commercial vehicle insurance and that all-important legal protection.
Frequently asked questions about cafe insurance
Does my cafe need public and product liability cover?
Suppose a customer slips on a coffee spillage on your floor and hurts themselves or rips their expensive jacket on the corner of one of your tables. In that case, public liability covers claims made against personal injury or property damage.
Product liability deals with any issues arising from the food or products you serve or supply, whether you’ve made them on the premises or bought them in. Issues such as food poisoning or sustaining a cut from takeaway food packaging will fall under product liability.
What is Employers’ Liability Cover?
If you employ staff in your cafe, this cover will deal with any claims made by them for illness or injury attributable to your business. By law, you must hold this cover and the only exception is if those working for you are immediate members of your family.
How do I protect my equipment and stock?
What would happen if one of your hot water urns broke? Or the coffee machine, oven, refrigerator or toastie maker? It’s incredibly how disruptive one breakdown can be to a busy cafe. What if you were to wake up to find all your stock gone courtesy of a power outage or a theft. Could you afford to replace that? Stock and contents cover gives you immeasurable peace of mind and allows you to get back on track, pronto.
Can I protect my business in the event of my being unable to work?
In our experience, there’s often a key figure in a cafe who really does keep the business going. And if they suddenly find themselves unable to work, the business can quickly crumble. Key personnel cover is ideal for this set-up, especially in an independent café, providing a financial cushion should the café be unable to function normally while the named key person is out of action.
What sort of business can take out cafe insurance?
From a tiny independent corner cafe to a large chain, cafe business insurance can meet the needs of any business that serves hot drinks and food during the day.
Let Park Insurance help you find the perfect cafe insurance policy
If over thirty years of insuring food businesses have taught us anything, it’s how hardworking the business owners are. We’ve seen that cafes are usually run like a tight ship, with low staff numbers and a great deal of hard graft. Nothing makes us happier than offering cafes – the stalwart of villages, towns and cities across the country – the protection and security that they deserve. Our experienced and friendly insurance experts would love to chat with you about your cafe’s insurance needs.