How to find the best restaurant insurance agent in your state
A strong restaurant agent holds a license in your state, writes restaurants as regular work, can reach insurers that take your kind of operation, and knows your state's workers' comp and liquor rules. Check the license on your state's lookup and the rest with the questions below.
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- Verify the license in the state where the restaurant operates before you share any business details.
- A specialist can name the insurers that take your concept.
- Workers' comp works differently by state, so the agent has to know yours.
How do I tell a restaurant specialist from a generalist?
A specialist can tell you, before quoting, which insurers take restaurants like yours and what each will ask about alcohol, hours and the cooking line. A generalist sends the same form everywhere and finds out afterward.
Start with the license, which is a state's permission to sell insurance, called a producer license. A lookup tool can verify the license type and which lines of insurance the holder may sell. (Source: Maryland Insurance Administration) A license does not make someone a specialist, so ask how many restaurants they insure now and which insurers they would try first for yours. Our guides to why restaurants are hard to insure and the quote checklist show what a good answer sounds like; see also questions to ask a broker and spotting upselling.
Two terms recur below. Workers' comp pays medical bills and lost wages when an employee is hurt at work. Liquor coverage pays if a guest you served goes on to hurt someone; insurers call it liquor liabilityLiquor Liability Coverage if your business is sued after serving or selling alcohol to someone who then injures another person or causes damage. Insurers call it liquor liability.. See our workers' comp and liquor coverage pages.
How do I find the best restaurant insurance agent in Kansas?
Look for a Kansas license, restaurants in the agent's regular work, the right insurers, and knowledge of Kansas workers' comp and liquor rules.
Check the license on the state's lookup first. (Source: Kansas Insurance Department) Kansas workers' comp follows the national rating bureau, the National Council on Compensation Insurance; Kansas is not among the states its guide lists as having their own bureau or a state fund. (Source: NCCI) Ask: Which restaurants do you insure now? Which insurers would you try first for mine? How does my alcohol share of sales change the liquor policy?
How Anvo measures against this: Anvo Insurance, an independent agency (legal name Baos Insurance LLC), is licensed in Kansas. Search that name to confirm.
How do I find the best restaurant insurance agent in Missouri?
Look for a Missouri license, restaurants in the agent's regular work, the right insurers, and knowledge of Missouri workers' comp and liquor rules.
Missouri's insurance department links its license lookup from its producer page; use it to confirm a license. (Source: Missouri Department of Insurance) Workers' comp in Missouri is priced under the same national bureau, which does not list Missouri as an exception. (Source: NCCI) Ask: Do you insure restaurants that serve alcohol? What would make you decline mine? Who handles claims?
How Anvo measures against this: Anvo Insurance, an independent agency (legal name Baos Insurance LLC), is licensed in Missouri. Search that name on the state lookup to confirm.
How do I find the best restaurant insurance agent in New York?
Look for a New York license, restaurant experience, the right insurers, and familiarity with the state's own workers' comp rating board and liquor rules.
The state's financial services department runs a licensee search to check whether a license has been issued. (Source: New York Department of Financial Services) New York has its own rating board, which calculates each employer's experience modification — the number that raises or lowers your workers' comp price based on your claims. (Source: New York Compensation Insurance Rating Board) Ask: Can you explain my payroll classification? How do you handle an audit? Which insurers write liquor coverage for a restaurant like mine?
How Anvo measures against this: Anvo Insurance, an independent agency (legal name Baos Insurance LLC), is licensed in New York. Search that name on the state search to confirm.
How do I find the best restaurant insurance agent in Pennsylvania?
Look for a Pennsylvania license, a record of placing restaurants, the right insurers, and comfort with the state's own workers' comp bureau and liquor rules.
The state insurance department offers a search to verify an agent's license status. (Source: Pennsylvania Insurance Department) Pennsylvania has its own rating bureau, which supplies classifications, rating values and experience modifications for the state's workers' comp system. (Source: Pennsylvania Compensation Rating Bureau) Ask: How do my classifications affect my price? Which insurers have written restaurants like mine? How does my liquor policy respond if a guest is hurt after leaving?
How Anvo measures against this: Anvo Insurance, an independent agency (legal name Baos Insurance LLC), is licensed in Pennsylvania. Search that name on the state's agent search to confirm.
How do I find the best restaurant insurance agent in Massachusetts?
Look for a Massachusetts license, restaurants in the agent's book, the right insurers, and knowledge of the state's own workers' comp bureau and liquor rules.
The Division of Insurance runs an online verification service for insurance agents and agencies. (Source: Massachusetts Division of Insurance) The state's rating bureau issues its own circulars, for example on how payroll is counted for sole proprietors and executive officers. (Source: Workers' Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau of Massachusetts) Ask: How is my owner payroll counted? Which insurers will quote me directly, and which only through a program? How is my alcohol share verified?
How Anvo measures against this: Anvo Insurance, an independent agency (legal name Baos Insurance LLC), is licensed in Massachusetts. Search that name on the state's verification service to confirm.
How do I find the best restaurant insurance agent in Louisiana?
Look for a Louisiana license, restaurants in the agent's regular work, the right insurers, and knowledge of Louisiana workers' comp and liquor rules.
The state's department of insurance has a search to verify a producer's license status and current insurer appointments. (Source: Louisiana Department of Insurance) Louisiana workers' comp is priced under the national bureau; it is not listed among its exceptions. (Source: NCCI) An agency does not have to be based in Louisiana: it can hold a non-resident license there. Whoever you speak to, confirm that license on the lookup first. Ask: Do you place liquor coverage for restaurants? Who services my account once it is placed? How do you handle my payroll audit?
How do I find the best restaurant insurance agent in Maryland?
Look for a Maryland license, restaurants in the agent's regular work, the right insurers, and knowledge of Maryland workers' comp and liquor rules.
The Maryland Insurance Administration points consumers to a licensee lookup that shows license status and expiration date. (Source: Maryland Insurance Administration) Maryland workers' comp follows the national bureau, which does not list Maryland as an exception. (Source: NCCI) An agency can hold a non-resident Maryland license, so confirm whoever you speak to on the lookup, including the expiration date. Ask: Which insurers would quote my restaurant, and why those? How do you handle my payroll audit? How do you help when a claim comes in?
How do I find the best restaurant insurance agent in Washington?
Look for a Washington license, restaurants in the agent's regular work, the right insurers, and an understanding that Washington workers' comp is bought from the state.
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner has a public lookup to verify whether an agent is licensed, with disciplinary history. (Source: Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner) Washington does not allow private workers' comp: you buy from the state's Labor & Industries department or qualify as a certified self-insurer. (Source: Washington Department of Labor & Industries) An agency can hold a non-resident Washington license; confirm it on the lookup. Ask: Which of my other coverages do you place? How do you help with my state workers' comp account? Which insurers would you try first for my liquor coverage?
Frequently asked questions about choosing a restaurant insurance agent
No, but the agent must hold a license for the state where your restaurant operates, resident or non-resident. Check it on that state's lookup.
Search the agency's legal name as well as its trade name. If nothing appears, ask for the license number and call the state insurance department before you pay or share details.
An independent agent can place with more than one insurer. Ask which ones they actually use for restaurants.
Ask these questions of any agent, including us
Bring these questions to every agent you talk to and compare the answers. For ours, send your restaurant's details with a quote request.