5 Reasons Why Sandwich Shops Need Business Insurance

Why does everything taste better between two pieces of bread? You’re not here to answer this philosophical question; you’re here to serve people delicious sandwiches in a timely manner. No matter how you slice it, sandwich shops like yours are perfect for hungry customers on the go, those eating light or people who just love a square meal.

Even though sandwich shops typically specialize in speedy (often even heatless) preparation, you’ll still need restaurant business insurance. Why? Because your employees, customers and building still need protection against unfortunate accidents. Without proper coverage, you could face exorbitant out-of-pocket costs.

CoverHound has five reasons why sandwich shops need business insurance, plus the easiest way to compare policies.

A customer slips on your freshly mopped floor

After the lunch rush comes cleanup. It’s typical to wipe down table tops, sweep up fallen food crumbs and mop the floor. But what happens when a late diner enters the store at the most inopportune time and slips on the wet tile before they can so much as read the yellow “Caution” sign? Suddenly their sandwich comes with a side of urgent care.

If your business operations could potentially cause bodily injury, personal injury or property damage to non-employees, you’ll need general liability insurance to cover associated costs. This coverage generally pays for medical bills, legal defense and settlements/awards (like punitive damages), according to the U.S. Small Business Association.

An employee tumbles off a step stool during inventory

What if, instead of a customer, an employee sustains a work-related injury on your premises? For instance, let’s say a worker helping with overhead inventory takes a nasty fall from a step stool and breaks their wrist? This is where workers’ compensation insurance comes in: to cover medical care, rehabilitation costs and lost wages. And, as Entrepreneur writes, “Most states (with a few important exceptions) essentially require employers to purchase an insurance policy to handle their statutory obligation to workers who are injured or made ill due to a workplace exposure.”

A bad batch of sprouts sickens customers

Sprouts are a hot topic in the sandwich world. You may remember reading about these greens in connection with any number of recent Salmonella and E. coli-caused outbreaks. There have been over 30 reported sprout-related foodborne illness outbreaks in the U.S. in the last 20 years, causing over 1,800 reported illnesses. And yet many sandwich shops continue to serve them, and many customers miss them when they’re not on the menu.

The moral of the story is: whenever you’re dealing with food preparation, in addition to following rigorous safety standards, you should also prepare for possible accusations of foodborne illness. Professional liability insurance is the best financial safeguard against accusations stemming from your professional services.

Your company delivery car rear-ends another vehicle

People love to see your branded delivery vehicle cruising around town, but this time its driver has rear-ended another car at a stoplight. Situations like this call for commercial auto insurance with liability coverage (at legal minimum) and/or comprehensive or collision coverage (for additional protection).

An electrical fire closes your shop for weeks

It’s not your fault the wires in your shop’s walls melted down and caused a small fire, but you’ll certainly have an impossible time serving customers in a smoke-damaged dining room. This downtime comes at a serious cost. Having a Business Owners Policy (BOP) that bundles property and liability coverage may include a business interruption component to keep you afloat through downtime after events covered in your policy.

CoverHound can help you find a great fit for each facet of restaurant business insurance. Find the best protection for your sandwich shop today with a quick quote from CoverHound!