Restaurant Insurance
Restaurant Insurance Quotes
Cover for restaurant premises, equipment and customers.
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What Is Restaurant Insurance?
Restaurant insurance is a commercial policy that protects food service businesses against property damage, equipment breakdown, liability claims, and loss of income.
A typical policy bundles buildings cover, contents and equipment protection, stock insurance, and public liability insurance into a single package designed for the risks restaurants face every service.
Whether you run a fine-dining restaurant, a casual bistro, or a neighbourhood café, restaurant insurance gives you one policy that covers the premises, your kitchen, your stock, and the people who eat there.
How To Compare Restaurant Insurance Quotes
Comparing quotes from several insurers is the fastest way to find cover that matches your restaurant's risks without overpaying.
Gather your details
Have your business address, annual turnover, number of employees, food hygiene rating, and claims history ready before you start.
Complete the quote form
Enter your restaurant type, the cover sections you need, and any optional extras such as business interruption or liquor liability.
Review and compare results
Check each quote's excess levels, cover limits, and exclusions side by side rather than picking the cheapest headline price.
Buy your policy online
Once you have chosen a policy, you can usually complete the purchase online. Every insurer on SimplyQuote is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
What Does Restaurant Insurance Cover?
A restaurant insurance policy typically combines several cover sections so you can protect your premises, equipment, stock, and customers under one plan.
Buildings insurance
Covers the cost of repairing or rebuilding your restaurant after damage from fire, flood, storm, or impact. If you own the freehold, buildings cover is usually a mortgage condition.
Contents and equipment
Protects commercial ovens, refrigeration units, extraction systems, EPOS tills, furniture, and other fixtures against theft, fire, and accidental damage.
Stock cover
Replaces or reimburses ingredients, beverages, and prepared food that is damaged, destroyed, or stolen. Restaurants carrying perishable stock should check whether spoilage from refrigeration breakdown is included.
Public liability
Pays legal costs and compensation if a customer or visitor is injured on your premises. Common claims include slip-and-fall injuries, burns from hot surfaces, and allergic reactions.
Product liability
Covers claims arising from food or drink you serve, paying legal costs and compensation if a customer falls ill from food poisoning. The Food Standards Agency publishes hygiene guidance that can help reduce your risk.
Employers' liability
A legal requirement if you employ staff, covering claims from employees injured or made ill at work. The minimum cover is £5 million, and failing to hold a valid policy can result in fines of up to £2,500 per day.
Business interruption
Replaces lost income and covers ongoing costs such as rent, rates, and wages if an insured event forces the restaurant to close temporarily.
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What Types Of Restaurants Can You Insure?
Most food service businesses can get restaurant insurance, though premiums and cover options vary by cuisine type and service model.
| Restaurant type | Key cover considerations |
| Fine dining | High-value interiors, wine stock, guest liability |
| Casual dining and bistros | High footfall, family groups, playground equipment if applicable |
| Fast food and QSR | Deep-fat fryer risk, late-night opening, delivery drivers |
| Cafés and coffee shops | Lower stock values, hot-drink burns risk, outdoor seating liability |
| Ghost kitchens and delivery-only | No public access, but product liability and driver cover still needed |
| Pop-up restaurants | Short-term cover, temporary premises, event-specific liability |
If your business also operates a takeaway service or a pub with a separate bar area, you may need additional cover sections for delivery and liquor liability.
What Is Not Covered By Restaurant Insurance?
Standard restaurant insurance excludes several common risks, so check your policy wording carefully before you buy.
Wear and tear
Gradual deterioration of kitchen equipment, extraction systems, and the building itself is not covered. Regular maintenance and servicing is your responsibility.
Deliberate or criminal acts
Any damage you cause intentionally to trigger a claim is excluded and may constitute insurance fraud.
Food hygiene fines
Fines imposed by local authorities for hygiene breaches are not covered. Your policy protects against civil claims from customers, not regulatory penalties.
Delivery vehicles
Cars, mopeds, and bicycles used for food delivery need separate motor insurance. Restaurant insurance does not extend to vehicles.
Cyber attacks
Data breaches targeting your EPOS system, booking platform, or customer database are not included in a standard policy. You will need a separate cyber insurance add-on.
What Add-Ons Are Available For Restaurant Insurance?
Optional extras let you tailor a basic restaurant policy to your specific operational risks.
Liquor liability
Covers claims arising from alcohol-related incidents on your premises. If a customer is injured after consuming alcohol you served, this add-on pays legal costs and compensation.
Terrorism cover
Standard policies exclude terrorism damage. If your restaurant is in a city centre or tourist area, a terrorism add-on covers rebuilding and lost income.
Legal expenses
Pays solicitor fees and court costs for employment disputes, contract disagreements, or health and safety prosecutions.
Money cover
Protects cash on the premises, in transit to the bank, and in a safe overnight. Limits vary by insurer, typically from £1,000 to £5,000.
Personal accident
Provides a lump sum or weekly benefit if you, as the restaurant owner, are injured and cannot work. This is separate from employers' liability, which covers staff.
How Much Does Restaurant Insurance Cost?
Restaurant insurance costs vary widely, but most independent restaurants pay between £500 and £2,500 per year depending on location, cover level, and the number of staff.
| Cover level | Typical annual cost |
| Liability only (café or coffee shop) | £200–£500 |
| Buildings + contents + stock | £500–£1,200 |
| Full package (all sections + interruption) | £1,000–£2,500 |
| Large restaurant or chain location | £2,500–£5,000+ |
A 40-cover casual dining restaurant in a suburban high street with five staff and £15,000 stock might pay around £1,200 per year for a full package. Paying monthly instead of annually typically adds 8–11% to the total cost.
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What Affects Your Restaurant Insurance Premium?
Insurers assess several risk factors when calculating your premium, and understanding them helps you control costs.
Location and crime rate
Restaurants in high-crime postcodes or flood-risk areas pay more. A city-centre fine-dining restaurant faces higher premiums than a village café.
Type of cuisine and cooking methods
Kitchens using open flames, charcoal grills, or deep-fat fryers carry higher fire risk. Insurers factor in your cooking equipment and extraction system quality.
Alcohol sales ratio
The proportion of your turnover from alcohol affects your premium. A restaurant where alcohol exceeds 50% of gross sales may face higher rates or need a separate liquor liability add-on.
Number of employees
More staff increases your employers' liability exposure. Part-time, casual, and seasonal kitchen workers all count.
Claims history
Previous claims push premiums up. Most insurers look at the last three to five years of claims when quoting.
Building age and construction
Older buildings, listed properties, and premises with flat roofs or timber frames cost more to insure. The same applies to other commercial property types.
How To Save Money On Restaurant Insurance
There are several practical steps you can take to reduce your restaurant insurance premium without cutting cover.
Compare quotes annually
Loyalty rarely pays in business insurance. Comparing quotes each renewal can save 10–30% because insurers compete for new business.
Invest in fire safety
Commercial fire suppression systems, regularly serviced extraction hoods, and fire blankets near every fryer reduce your fire risk and can lower your premium.
Maintain a high food hygiene rating
A 5-star hygiene rating signals lower product liability risk. Some insurers offer discounts for restaurants with a rating of 4 or above.
Increase your voluntary excess
Raising your excess from £100 to £250 or £500 can reduce your premium, but make sure you can afford the higher excess if you need to claim.
Pay annually
Monthly instalments cost 8–11% more than a single annual payment. If cash flow allows, pay upfront.
Bundle your cover
Buying buildings, contents, liability, and interruption cover as a single package through the Association of British Insurers-member market is usually cheaper than buying each section from a different provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no legal requirement to hold restaurant insurance in the UK, but employers' liability is compulsory if you have staff, and most commercial leases require buildings insurance as a condition. Similar rules apply to shop insurance and other retail premises.
Restaurant insurance covers a fixed premises where customers dine in. Catering insurance is designed for businesses that prepare and serve food at external venues, events, or client locations.
Yes, but the restaurant section is usually part of a wider hotel insurance policy that covers guest accommodation, conference facilities, and leisure areas alongside the dining operation.
A standard restaurant policy covers food prepared on your premises. If your own staff deliver meals, you will need to add goods-in-transit and motor insurance for the delivery vehicles.
Most restaurant policies cover a takeaway counter on the same premises. If you operate a separate takeaway location, you may need a standalone policy similar to fish and chip shop insurance.
Liquor liability covers claims arising from alcohol-related incidents on your premises. It is not included in a standard restaurant policy and must be added as an optional extra if you serve alcohol.
Outdoor seating on your own premises is usually covered, but if you use a pavement licence for street seating you should check your policy includes public areas. Other leisure businesses such as gyms face similar questions about outdoor training spaces.
Yes, a restaurant policy covers the entire premises including back-office space, stockrooms, and staff changing areas. If you have a separate admin office at a different address, you would need office insurance for that location.
Yes, most insurers offer multi-location policies that cover several restaurants under a single plan. The same approach works for other multi-site businesses such as care homes and hotel chains.
If your sums insured are lower than the actual value of your building, equipment, or stock, the insurer may apply average and reduce your payout proportionally. Review your valuations at every renewal to avoid being caught short.
