Restaurant Insurance in Georgia
The policies a Georgia 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 Georgia, 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 Georgia'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 Georgia
Yes. Georgia requires workers' compensation insurance for restaurants that regularly employ three or more workers, a threshold lowered from five effective January 1, 2026 under O.C.G.A. 34-9-203. Full-time, part-time, and seasonal staff all count, and corporate officers or LLC members count toward the three even if they waive their own coverage.
Full Georgia workers’ comp guide — thresholds, exemptions, and rates →
Liquor liability & dram-shop law in Georgia
Georgia holds a seller liable only when it willfully serves a minor, or knowingly serves a noticeably intoxicated person while knowing that person will soon drive, and that service causes injury (O.C.G.A. § 51-1-40). By statute, consumption — not service — is otherwise the cause. Insurance isn’t required by state law, but local licenses often demand it.
Full Georgia liquor-liability guide — the statute, limits, and cost →
Coverages every Georgia 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.
Georgia 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.