Restaurant Insurance in Mississippi
The policies a Mississippi 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 Mississippi, 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 Mississippi'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 Mississippi
Yes, in most cases. Mississippi requires workers' compensation insurance for restaurants that regularly employ five or more workers, counting full-time, part-time, seasonal, and temporary staff. Restaurants with four or fewer employees are exempt but may elect coverage voluntarily. Domestic and farm labor are excluded, and 15-percent-plus corporate owners can opt out of the count.
Full Mississippi workers’ comp guide — thresholds, exemptions, and rates →
Liquor liability & dram-shop law in Mississippi
Mississippi limits dram shop liability under Miss. Code § 67-3-73. A permit holder is immune when it lawfully sells to an adult who may lawfully purchase, because the legislature declared consumption — not service — the proximate cause. Immunity is lost if the buyer was visibly intoxicated at purchase, or when alcohol is furnished to a minor. Insurance is not required by law.
Full Mississippi liquor-liability guide — the statute, limits, and cost →
Coverages every Mississippi 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.
Mississippi 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.