Insurance built for hospitality.
One slip, one fire, one bad night.
GL, BOP, Liquor Liability, and Workers' Comp for WA restaurants, bars, food trucks, and cafes — quoted across 22 carrier markets by one licensed agent.
↓ See coverage details- 22 carrier markets
- Bound by an agent
- Licensed in WA · NPN 21747002
- 🇪🇸 Hablamos Español
We shop your business across 22 carrier markets.
- Hartford
- Hanover
- AmTrust
- PHLY
- Foremost
- Guard
- Employers
- USLI
- CNA Surety
- Travelers
A real quote from a real agent.
We hit 22 carrier markets in one shot and come back with real numbers, not “we'll get back to you.”
Liquor Liability for beer, wine, full bar.
WA-compliant limits whether you pour a few pints or run a full bar program. Dram shop covered.
Binders that satisfy the landlord.
Binders for license renewals, lease deadlines, and last-minute landlord asks.
Protection for every shift
General Liability (GL)
Covers slip-and-fall, food-related claims, and third-party injuries. The foundation of every restaurant policy.
- Slip-and-fall claims
- Foodborne illness
- Property damage
- Customer injury
- Advertising injury
Business Owners Policy (BOP)
GL + commercial property bundled. Best value for most restaurants — protects equipment, inventory, and income.
- Everything in GL
- Kitchen equipment & fixtures
- Inventory & food spoilage
- Business interruption
- Tenant improvements
Liquor Liability
Required if you serve any alcohol — beer, wine, or spirits. Covers dram shop exposure under WA law.
- Dram shop coverage
- Assault & battery (optional)
- Defense costs
- Settlements & judgments
- WA WSLCB compliance
Workers' Comp (WA L&I)
Washington workers' comp comes from L&I — we handle account setup and class codes.
- WA L&I account setup
- Class code accuracy
- Audit support at year-end
- Class-code review
- Light/full-duty return-to-work
WA restaurant insurance requirements
Restaurants and food service businesses in Washington face a unique mix of regulatory and contractual insurance requirements. Here's what you need to know:
General Liability
Not technically mandated by state law, but virtually every commercial landlord, festival, catering contract, and delivery platform requires it. Standard limits are $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate. Without active GL, you'll be locked out of leases, vendor contracts, and most events.
Liquor Liability
If your business serves alcohol — even just beer and wine — Washington dram shop law (RCW 66.44.200) holds you liable for over-service. Most landlords and the WSLCB expect you to carry Liquor Liability before issuing or renewing your liquor license. Standalone Liquor Liability policies start around $50-100/month for low-volume operations.
Workers Compensation
Washington is a monopolistic state for workers comp — coverage must be obtained through the WA State Fund (L&I), not private carriers. If you have any employees (cooks, servers, dishwashers, hosts), workers comp through L&I is mandatory. Restaurant rates are middle-of-the-pack but vary by classification (full-service vs. fast food vs. catering).
Commercial Property
Not legally required, but kitchen fires, water damage from sprinklers, and equipment breakdown are the most common restaurant claims. A BOP bundles property with GL at a meaningful discount and almost always pays for itself the first time something breaks.
Not sure what you need? Get a free quote and we'll walk you through it.
An agency built for restaurants, not call centers
Independent, not captive
We shop 22 carrier markets per quote. A captive agent only writes for one home office. You always get the better rate that way.
Licensed agent on every quote
Keaton Flanigan (NPN 21747002) personally reviews every restaurant policy before it's bound. No call-center handoff. Real human, real signature.
Bilingual through bind
English or Spanish — same speed, same agent, same coverage. Hablamos Español de principio a fin.
How much does restaurant insurance cost in Washington?
Premiums depend on concept, square footage, revenue, alcohol sales, and claims history. Here are typical ranges we see for WA restaurants:
| Concept | BOP (Monthly) | + Liquor Liab. |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee Shop / Cafe | $100–$200/mo | +$40–$70/mo |
| QSR / Fast Casual | $150–$300/mo | +$50–$100/mo |
| Food Truck / Mobile | $120–$250/mo | +$50–$90/mo |
| Full-Service Restaurant | $250–$500/mo | +$75–$150/mo |
| Bar / Tavern / Brewery | $300–$600/mo | +$100–$250/mo |
| Caterer | $130–$280/mo | +$60–$120/mo |
Subject to underwriting approval. Final premium based on revenue, location, claims history, and class code. Quotes are non-binding until a carrier issues a binder. Ranges based on small operators under $500K revenue with clean claims history. We quote 22 carrier markets to find the best price for your situation.
Why Most Restaurants Choose a BOP
General Liability alone leaves your kitchen, equipment, inventory, and tenant improvements completely exposed. A Business Owners Policy bundles GL + Property + Business Interruption, usually at less than the cost of buying GL and property separately. For 95% of restaurant operators, the BOP is the right baseline — then we layer on Liquor Liability, Workers Comp, and any specialty endorsements.
Get your personalized quote — a licensed agent picks it up from there.
Need a COI today? Tell us and Keaton works it first.
Call (509) 866-6294 — a licensed agent, not a call centre queue.
What you won't deal with here
No 10-Page Applications
Tell us your concept, square footage, and revenue. That's enough to start.
No Hold Music
A licensed agent picks up. No hold music, no callback that never comes.
No Runaround
One team. One process. One licensed agent from quote to certificate.
Start your restaurant insurance quote
No phone tag. We'll text you the carrier options.
What do you need to insure?
Pick a category and we'll match you with the right coverage.
Prefer to talk? Call (509) 866-6294 · Subject to underwriting approval.
Want a price tonight?
ERGO NEXT quotes many Washington contractors and small businesses online in minutes. If they cannot offer coverage, Keaton shops it across his other markets.
Questions WA restaurant owners ask
At minimum: General Liability (slips, trips, food-related claims), Commercial Property (kitchen equipment, fixtures, inventory), and Workers Comp through WA L&I if you have employees. If you serve alcohol, Liquor Liability is essentially mandatory. Most restaurants bundle GL + Property into a Business Owners Policy (BOP) at a discount.
Yes. Any establishment that serves alcohol — even just beer and wine — has dram shop exposure in Washington. If a guest leaves intoxicated and causes harm, your business can be held liable. Standard GL excludes liquor-related claims, so you need a separate Liquor Liability policy or a liquor endorsement.
Most quotes come back within 1 hour during business hours. We match your concept (full-service, QSR, bar, food truck, cafe) against 22 carrier markets and return real numbers fast.
Yes. Food trucks, trailers, carts, and mobile caterers are all eligible. You'll typically need GL, Auto Liability for the vehicle, and Commercial Property for the equipment. We have carriers that specialize in mobile food.
Kitchen fires are one of the most common restaurant claims. A solid Commercial Property policy covers the building (if you own it), tenant improvements, hood and ventilation systems, cooking equipment, refrigeration, and inventory loss. Business Interruption coverage replaces lost income while you rebuild.
Yes. NationGuard is a licensed independent insurance agency in Washington State. Our agent, Keaton Flanigan (NPN #21747002), personally reviews every quote. Real human, real license — technology just speeds up the busywork.
It depends on concept, square footage, revenue, alcohol sales, and claims history. A small cafe BOP might run $120-250/month. A full-service restaurant with a bar typically lands $300-700/month including Liquor Liability. We quote multiple carriers to find the best fit.
Sí. Our bilingual team speaks fluent Spanish, and all follow-up communications can be sent in Spanish. We work with many Spanish-speaking restaurant owners across Washington.