Whether you own a restaurant in bustling cities like Charleston and Columbia, or a small diner nestled near the famous beaches of Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island, you deserve a round of applause for your dedication to the restaurant industry in South Carolina. Your commitment to providing high-quality cuisine, outstanding service, and unique experiences keeps South Carolina’s culinary scene consistently ranked as one of the best in the nation.

However, running a restaurant does come with its own set of risks. To make sure your business and employees are protected in the event of an accident or unexpected losses, you must financially secure your South Carolina restaurant with the right insurance policies. This may include general liability insurance, property insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, liquor liability insurance, and more.

South Carolina Restaurant Insurance Cost

The cost of restaurant insurance will depend on the type of coverage you choose, the size and location of your restaurant, your profit margins, and other factors. On average, restaurant insurance can range from $500 to $5,000 per year.

However, it’s important to remember that even if a policy may seem expensive up front, having an insurance plan in place helps protect you from unexpected losses due to property damage or lawsuits. A quality insurance plan can help you avoid costly legal fees, lost wages from employee injuries, and other expensive repairs that might otherwise put your business in financial jeopardy.

We Have the Best Restaurant Insurance Policies In South Carolina

At Southern Insurance Group, we specialize in providing quality restaurant insurance policies for restaurants in South Carolina. With years of experience, our team understands what businesses need to stay protected from losses due to negligence or acts of nature. We offer a variety of policies, including general liability insurance, property insurance, business interruption coverage, liquor liability insurance, and more.

Whatever type of coverage you require for your restaurant in South Carolina, Southern Insurance Group is here to help. Contact us today for a free quote on the insurance policies that are right for you. We look forward to helping you protect your business from any potential losses or legal issues that may arise.

Property Insurance for South Carolina Restaurants

Business property insurance is essential for protecting your South Carolina restaurant from financial losses due to damage or destruction of property. At Southern Insurance Group, our property insurance policies cover a variety of items, including:

Building(s) and equipment: coverage may include protection against fires, windstorms, hail, lightning strikes, and other natural disasters.
Inventory: coverage includes losses due to theft, vandalism, or fire.
Outdoor signs and structures: protection for any permanent structures on your property such as parking lots, patios, and other outdoor features.
Business interruption insurance: coverage for lost business income if a natural disaster or other incident causes your restaurant temporarily close.
Money and securities: coverage for any money on the premises, including cash registers and safes.

Your commercial property policy may also include coverage for equipment breakdowns and other losses.

General Liability Insurance for South Carolina Restaurants

General liability insurance is essential for protecting your restaurant from third-party claims of injury, negligence, or property damage. At Southern Insurance Group, our general liability policies cover a variety of incidents, including:

Bodily injury and property damage: coverage for any claims of injury or damage to a third-party due to your restaurant’s operations.
Advertising and personal injury: protection from libel, slander, copyright infringement, and other claims resulting from the advertising activities of your business.
Products/completed operations: coverage for liability related to products that you manufacture, sell, or distribute through your restaurant.
Medical payments: coverage for medical expenses that you may be obligated to pay in the event of a third-party injury.

In addition to this coverage, some general liability policies also include protection from libel and slander claims, contractual liabilities, and employer’s legal responsibility.

Business Interruption Coverage

A single event or natural disaster can cause a catastrophic financial loss for your restaurant. Business interruption coverage is designed to help you recover lost income due to natural disasters, power outages, employee strikes and other events that may force your business to close temporarily.

Our policies include protection from lost profits and continued operating expenses, such as rent and payroll costs, while the restaurant is closed. We also offer protection from extra expenses that may be incurred to get the business back on track, such as the cost of additional staff or equipment.

Business Owners Policy (BOP) for South Carolina Restaurants

A Business Owners Policy (BOP) is an insurance package that combines general liability and property coverage in one policy. It’s ideal for restaurants since it provides comprehensive protection from multiple types of losses. At Southern Insurance Group, our BOP policies cover a variety of items, including:

General liability: protection from third-party claims of injury, negligence, or property damage.
Property insurance: coverage for damage to your building(s), equipment, inventory, and outdoor structures due to fires, windstorms, hail, lightning strikes, and other natural disasters.
Business interruption insurance: coverage for lost business income if a natural disaster or other incident causes your restaurant temporarily close.
Money and securities: coverage for any money on the premises, including cash registers and safes.

A BOP also typically includes coverage for equipment breakdowns, libel and slander claims, contractual liabilities, and employer’s legal responsibility.

Liquor Liability Insurance

In South Carolina, liquor liability insurance is legally required if you plan to serve liquor at your restaurant. This coverage protects your business from third-party claims of injury or property damage that may result from the sale, service, or consumption of alcohol. We offer a range of policies with varying limits and deductibles so you can find the right coverage for your business.

Umbrella Insurance

Commercial umbrella insurance provides additional liability protection over and above your general liability and liquor liability policies. This coverage can provide financial support if you are sued for an amount that exceeds your existing policy limits, helping to protect both your business assets and personal assets in the event of a lawsuit.

Spoilage Insurance

Depending on what type of restaurant you operate, spoilage insurance may be an important addition to your policy. This coverage provides protection from losses due to food and beverages that become spoiled or contaminated due to power outages, refrigeration problems, or other unforeseen events. Spoilage insurance may also cover losses of food that must be discarded due to improper storage, cross-contamination, or other issues.

Food Contamination Insurance

Food contamination insurance provides protection from financial losses due to a food-related incident, such as an outbreak of food-borne illness or the discovery of foreign objects in your food. This coverage may include protection from costs associated with recalls, investigations, legal fees, and damage to your business’s reputation.

Commercial Auto Insurance

If you or any of your employees will be driving a company vehicle for restaurant-related activities, commercial auto insurance is essential. This coverage provides protection from losses due to accidents and other incidents involving vehicles owned by the business.

The required minimum auto liability coverage for commercial vehicles in South Carolina is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage. You may also need extra coverage such as comprehensive, collision, or uninsured motorist insurance for more complete protection.

Cyber Liability Insurance

Cyber liability insurance provides protection from losses due to a data breach or other cyber attack. This coverage can help cover the costs associated with notifying customers of a breach, restoring or replacing lost customer information, and rebuilding systems to prevent future threats. It also typically includes coverage for legal fees and settlements that may arise if you are sued as a result of the breach.

Cyber liability insurance is especially important for restaurants that store customer information electronically, such as credit card numbers or addresses. Without this coverage, you may be liable for any costs associated with a data breach.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

In South Carolina, workers’ compensation insurance is mandatory if you have four or more employees. This coverage provides financial support to your employees if they are injured on the job, covering medical expenses, a portion of lost wages and other benefits.

Workers’ compensation insurance also helps to protect your business from lawsuits related to employee injuries or illnesses, since it is illegal for employees to sue their employers for workplace injuries in South Carolina. Having this coverage ensures that your business will be properly covered if an employee is injured on the job.

Compare South Carolina Restaurant Insurance Quotes

Southern Insurance Group can help you compare quotes from multiple insurance carriers to find the best coverage for your restaurant at the most affordable price. Our experienced agents are here to answer any questions you may have and provide assistance throughout the quote comparison process. Contact us today to get started on your South Carolina restaurant insurance policy.