Protect your mobile kitchen with food truck insurance
Owning and running a food truck is more than just serving great food. It also means staying on the road, managing equipment, and following local rules and regulations. It can take a large investment of time and money for food trucks and other mobile concessions to be successful. That’s why finding commercial food truck insurance that helps protect your business can be so important.
Who needs food truck insurance?
If you operate a food truck, trailer, or catering van, personal auto insurance won’t cover your business use. You need commercial food truck insurance on the vehicle or vehicles you use for your business.
This includes:
- Food trucks and trailers
- Coffee and beverage trucks
- Mobile bakeries
- Catering vans
What does commercial food truck insurance cover?
Coverage can be customized to fit your needs as well as meeting local or state requirements. Most food truck businesses start with commercial auto liability, then add additional coverages based on their specific business. Some things to think about are whether you have a loan on the vehicle or trailer. You should also check if the loan holder has coverage requirements.
Common coverage options:
- Commercial Auto Liability – Covers damage or injury you cause while driving. States often require liability coverage, which represents the minimum that food truck owners need for their vehicles.
- Collision & Comprehensive – Protects your truck from accidents, theft, fire, or weather.
- General Liability – Covers injuries or property damage while serving customers.
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance – Often a requirement if you have employees working for you in the truck or prep areas.
- Medical Payments and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Helps cover medical costs from an accident.
- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist – Protects you if another driver doesn’t have enough insurance or any coverage at all.
- Business Personal Property – Coverage for anything inside the truck that is not physically part of the truck up to the requested limit. It is important to verify if you are selecting a coverage tier which includes food loss coverage.
- General Liability Coverage – This is different than your commercial auto coverage for your truck and your workers comp coverage. General liability provides coverage for injury claims from customers or other risks that can happen while operating.
Whether you are a solo chef taking your meals on the road or you are now overseeing a small fleet of trucks or trailers, taking the time to understand the specifics of your businesses needs and coverage is important.
How much does commercial food truck insurance cost?
The cost of food truck insurance can vary a lot, and it depends on several factors. These include your location, the value of your truck and equipment, the motor vehicle records of your drivers, and the types of coverage you choose.
It is important to know the minimum coverages you need to be compliant with local, state or federal regulations. It is also essential to understand extra coverages available and why those could help protect your business.
Frequently asked questions about food truck insurance:
Are the food and supplies in my truck or trailer covered under my commercial auto insurance policy?
Food and supplies are not typically covered by a standard commercial auto policy so you will want to review your insurance forms to understand what is included and excluded. Some insurers offer endorsements or extra coverage options for things like food or supplies. Food truck businesses often purchase a separate commercial property policy to cover their food, supplies, and other business equipment.
Is the food preparation equipment in my vehicle covered under my policy?
This will vary by both the policy you select and your specific food truck or trailer. Some policies will cover permanent or fixed equipment like a generator. However, they may not cover freestanding equipment like a blender.
How do you show proof of insurance?
Whether you are mapping out the next few months to find the perfect parking lot, or doing a last-minute event appearance, you may have to show coverage to operate there. The most common proof of coverage in these situations is a certificate of insurance.
Why choose Milepost for your food truck insurance?
We’re here to help you get the coverage you need—whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been in the food truck industry for years.
We understand commercial vehicle insurance, and we’ll help you find the right food truck insurance to keep things running smoothly. That way, you can stay focused on what you do best: serving up the delicious food your customers love.
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