Restaurant Insurance in Utah
The policies a Utah 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 Utah, 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 liquor-liability insurance is effectively required for any business serving alcohol. This hub compares Utah'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
- Effectively required to serve alcohol
- Dram-shop law
- Yes
- Suggested liquor limits
- $1M/$2M (statutory minimum; arenas $10M/$20M)
Workers’ compensation in Utah
Yes. Utah requires every employer to carry workers' compensation the moment it hires even one employee, full-time or part-time, with no payroll or headcount minimum. A restaurant with any staff must have coverage before the first shift. Noncompliance exposes owners to stop-work orders, penalties, and personal liability for an injured worker's benefits and damages.
Full Utah workers’ comp guide — thresholds, exemptions, and rates →
Liquor liability & dram-shop law in Utah
Utah imposes broad dram-shop liability under Utah Code § 32B-15-201: commercial providers are liable to third parties for serving anyone under 21, apparently intoxicated, or known to be intoxicated. Damages are capped at $1M per person / $2M per occurrence, and Utah separately mandates that licensees carry dram-shop insurance at those same limits.
Full Utah liquor-liability guide — the statute, limits, and cost →
Coverages every Utah 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.
Utah 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.