Restaurant Insurance in Florida
The policies a Florida restaurant, bar, food truck, or catering operation needs — what the state requires, what's strongly advised, and what it costs.
Reviewed by J. Robert Smith, Licensed Insurance Agent (NPN 10378680). Last updated .
In Florida, a restaurant's core program is general liability, a property or business-owner's policy (BOP), and commercial auto for any delivery. Workers' compensation is mandatory once you hire staff, and dram-shop law exposes any alcohol-serving business, so liquor liability is strongly advised. This hub compares Florida's workers' comp and liquor-liability rules and cost alongside the coverages every restaurant and bar should carry.
- Workers’ comp
- Required once you hire staff
- Liquor liability
- Dram-shop law applies — strongly advised
- Dram-shop law
- Yes
- Suggested liquor limits
- $1M/$2M
Workers’ compensation in Florida
Yes. Florida requires workers' compensation for non-construction restaurants once they employ four or more people, counting full-time, part-time, and seasonal workers, plus corporate officers and LLC members. Sole proprietors and partners aren't counted, and officers may file for an exemption. Construction businesses, by contrast, need coverage with just one employee.
Full Florida workers’ comp guide — thresholds, exemptions, and rates →
Liquor liability & dram-shop law in Florida
Florida is protective: serving an ordinary intoxicated adult creates no dram shop liability. A business is only exposed if it willfully serves someone underage or knowingly serves a habitual alcoholic. That makes Florida’s exposure lower than most states — but underage-service claims remain serious, and insurance isn’t legally required to hold a license.
Full Florida liquor-liability guide — the statute, limits, and cost →
Coverages every Florida restaurant should weigh
- General liability
Third-party slip-and-fall and property-damage claims — the foundation policy.
- Business owner’s policy (BOP)
Bundles general liability with property coverage for your building, equipment, and contents.
- Commercial property
Kitchen equipment, tenant improvements, signage, and inventory.
- Commercial & hired/non-owned auto
Delivery, catering runs, and errands in owned or employee vehicles.
- Employment practices (EPLI)
Harassment, discrimination, and wrongful-termination claims from staff.
- Umbrella
Extra limits above your liquor, auto, and general liability policies.
Florida regulators
Talk to an agent who insures food & beverage every day
A licensed commercial-lines agent who specializes in restaurants and bars will review your coverage, close the gaps that catch owners, and show you what a program actually costs — before anything is bound.