Cafe & Coffee Shop Insurance

As a cafe or coffee shop owner, you know that the lifeline of your business is your clientele, and that you have responsibility for every visitor and customer that walks through your doors. Coffee shop and cafe public liability insurance keeps you covered should a member of the public be injured, or you’re subject to claims such as:

• Damage to personal belongings.
• Accidental injury while on your premises, or due to food and products you’ve sold.
• Costs of medical treatment and transportation costs incurred by the NHS should they claim this from your cafe or coffee shop.

Standard levels are cover are available from £1m to £5m, with additional levels of cover available upon request, subject to your policy’s terms and conditions. 

You may be famous for your Victoria sponges but you don’t want to be infamous for causing food poisoning. Similarly, if you’ve diversified, and sell homemade snacks, tea sets, coffee mugs and CDs – should they fall apart after one usage and cause harm to their owners, then you could be held liable. It doesn’t matter where contamination or damage happened in the supply chain – if you’ve sold a product through your cafe or coffee shop – then you could be held liable. This could include compensation for costly hospital fees and medical costs even if the case is very severe. Product Liability Insurance can cover you. 

Your health and safety standards define your premises, but so does the level of care you show your staff. When you think about it, you owe a lot to your staff. They help create that friendly ambiance you’re going for. They ensure tables are set neatly and with precision and care, placing delicious meals in front of your clientele, which they make from scratch – a real talent in this industry. They tidy up and ensure a clean and hygienic environment, so that customers feel safe in their surroundings. It’s no wonder therefore that there’s a legal insurance requirement for you to have at least £5 million cover to compensate your staff for any injury they may suffer while working for you – whether that be physical or mental.

We source cafe and coffee shop employers liability that comes with £10m as standard, ensuring your staff are and feel protected. 

If you store fresh ingredients, stock and contents on your business premises, it’s just as vulnerable to theft and damage as your cash and equipment. Similarly, the glasswear, crockery, cutlery and appliances you use – that help customers to enjoy your tasty teas and treats – are imperative to your operation and could cause a lot of disruption to a proper service. Stock and/or Contents Insurance provides compensation for things such as refrigeration faults, electricity failures and dishonesty caused by staff members, we source Stock & Contents Cover is extensive and comprehensive.

Under this policy, you can also cover the business equipment used to run your cafe or coffee shop, including point of sale systems, computer systems and necessary machinery such as ovens and microwaves.

There’s nothing more devastating to a business than a fire or flood, and with the added trauma of vandalism, it can seem like there’s nothing you can do if faced with these situations. Luckily, that’s not true, and with business interruption insurance as part of your cafe insurance or coffee shop insurance policy, you’re covered against: loss of income; loss of gross profit; costs and expenses incurred by you to minimise the reduction in gross profit subject to your specific terms and conditions. Business interruption policies can include interruptions caused by water, gas, electricity and internet services, as well as damage to underground cables and earth movement, among other useful facets.

Ensure you can always get back on track as swiftly as possible with Business Interruption insurance through The Insurance Octopus. 

For that extra bit of insurance cover, Business Legal Protection covers you against any legal costs brought by or against your cafe or coffee shop, paying for your commercial legal expenses. Whether they’re brought about by customers, staff members or suppliers, our cover, provided by ARAG, will see you right, and lessen the financial burden of litigation.

Legal Expenses Cover Includes:

• Employment disputes and compensation awards.
• Legal defence.
• Property protection.
• Tax protection.
• VAT disputes.
• Contract disputes.

We also provide all our clients with a ‘Business Legal Services Online’ portal, where you can download a variety of key legal documents. Further, and to aid employment dispute cases, we also offer a ‘Counseling Helpline’, where we’ll pay for trained counsellors to offer emotional help and support over the phone, should you, or your staff, need it. 

We understand the negative spiral that follows loss of money – whether you lose £750 or £7500, it’s never easy. How will you pay for new stock? How will you pay suppliers? How will you pay rent on your premises? How will you pay your staff? Figuring all this out can cause stress and worry. Loss of Money cover ensures that you’re insured against losses caused by unexpected, violent or forceful means, allowing you to maintain your financial stability, and reducing the impact on your business.

We can source cover for: money stolen during business hours; money stolen while in a bank night safe; money stolen while locked in a safe while your shop is closed; money stolen while not in a locked safe while closed; and money stolen while in transit. 

This way money stays within your business, not beyond it.

With headline UK terrorist events occurring in recent years it’s a scenario that you should always try your best to prepare for, regardless of the location of your cafe or coffee shop. You don’t have to be situated in a big city to suffer such a critical loss. Even those located in the countryside or off the beaten track could find themselves facing the unimaginable. A ‘Terrorism’ policy will cover any harm to your property and any related losses due to its interruption and interference with the business.

The only mess you should ever have to clear up is the one in the kitchen.

Do you have a range of chocolate-filled cakes you only serve during Easter? How about special cupcakes adorned with cute little reindeers and snowmen when Christmas is just around the corner? Or maybe you like to serve pumpkin-flavoured teas and coffees during Autumn? Whatever makes your cafe or coffee shop unique, it’s likely you order varying quantities of ingredients throughout the year and with each special occasion. To ensure you can satisfy every single customer, you need to ensure that you have enough stock to keep them happy, and coming back for more.

It’s important to note that if your current policy only covers you for a specified amount of stock at the busiest time of year, then you should consider covering any increases to protect it in the event of loss, damage or desolation. This cover means that your insurers will uplift your stock sums insured at certain times of year in the event you forget to tell them about the increased stock. Check your policy or ask one of our team for the cover available so we can tailor your policy to your needs. 

Whatever the season ensure that you are always ready through The Insurance Octopus. 

A duty of care for your customers is highly commendable, but so is self-care. Your safety is as important to us, as your customers are to you, and therefore, you should consider Personal Accident Insurance for the ultimate protection. Providing compensation on an agreed scale, for death or bodily injury, Personal Accident Insurance also covers: loss of limbs or sight; permanent total disablement; temporary total disablement; temporary partial disablement. 

Personal Accident insurance for coffee shop owners and cafe managers will pay your business a weekly sum of money if you are unable to work following an accident. This can help pay for temporary staff to cover you while you’re resting, or provide current employees with overtime. 

Helping to cover the cost of medical expenses too, your recovery will be a lot less stressful. This allows you to focus on getting better, rather than getting expensive bills. 

Where would you be without the building or room in which you operate? With so much time spent decorating it, creating tasty treats within it and ensuring customers are having a good time, it can be easy to forget that without that physical space, a lot of this would not be possible. Cafe & Coffee Shop Premises Insurance covers the building you run your business from, should you ever need to claim for damage. Storms, fires, floods and earthquakes are covered, as are acts of vandalism. Shop Premises Insurance will also pay for the cost of rebuilding your cafe or coffee shop.

Coffee makers. Kettles. Coffee grinders. Blenders. Decanters. Ice tea brewers. Countertop ovens. Timers. Condiment organisers. Your list of portable equipment is likely endless, but that doesn’t make any of it unimportant, or unnecessary for your success. Along with business items such as laptops and mobile phones, there’s a lot of important portable equipment onsite, and that you take with you offsite. Whether there’s an accidental breakage, or your portable equipment is stolen, we can source cover for everything on your list, providing compensation or replacements should you need it. If you present your café creations at trade shows, this portable equipment insurance can be invaluable.

Your tasty cakes encourage repeat business, but it’s probably your decor that encourages customers to pop into your cafe or coffee shop in the first place and makes them feel welcome and content. Whether your walls are adorned with stylish imagery that evoke a theme, or shelving units that showcase ornaments that mean the world to you, you shouldn’t have to pay out for any damage done to them. And what about the glassware that presents your best selling cakes to your customers as they pass by your cafe or coffee shop, or as they wait in line to pay for their chosen treat? Fixtures & Fittings insurance covers loss of, and damage to all of this, as well as any structures you may have built yourself.

This way, your premises can stay as elegant as the toppings on your cakes.

We always like to think the best of the people working for us, but unfortunately, sometimes even the best can surprise us. Employee Theft can protect you against loss or damage to money, property or contents due to the actions of your staff – even if you can’t determine who stole from you. Whether a team member lies on your inventory records, steals equipment or increases their salary without your approval, with our cover, you’ll be compensated for their theft.

Your staff may not always have your back, but we can source protection to have you covered. 

Report the event to your insurer using the claims number provided. If something more serious has happened, such as theft or malicious damage, then please contact the police first.

Next, check your insurance policy and ensure that you’re covered for what has happened.

When describing the event to your insurer, ensure you have your policy document, receipts for anything stolen or damaged and any information that you feel will help explain your case, and speed up the whole process.

If your claim is ineffective, or if any issues arise, please contact our team on 0161 968 2030 to see if we can help. We have, in the past, successfully overturned decisions, but please note that we can’t make any promises.

Should your claim be successful, your insurer will then process the claim, and you’ll receive compensation within a couple of days of the claim being settled.

Our team aren’t just business insurance specialists, they are award-winners too. We’ve won the Feefo Gold trusted service for 6 consecutive years in a row – a testimonial to our commitment to customer service, our team’s happiness, and the insurance industry as a whole.

Your needs come first. Based on your business’s requirements, we’ll find a range of bespoke insurance policies which you can choose from. Our sourced cover is designed for ease of additions, removals, increases and decreases, ensuring you always have the cover you need, in a fraction of the time.  

We’re an independent commercial insurance broker, giving us the freedom to work with many insurers and underwriters.

We offer a transparent and simple business insurance service. We also offer flexible payment methods, and there are never any mid term adjustment fees or hidden fees within your coffee shop policy or cafe policy. You’ll know exactly what you’re paying for, and why you’re paying for it, too. 

Because unexpected events can be stressful, we keep the claims process simple. We only work with insurers that can aid your plight, so that any insured incident is resolved quickly.

A cafe faced a legal bill running into thousands of pounds after a diner with an allergy to peanuts suffered from anaphylactic shock after eating a meal containing the ingredient that had not been properly marked on the menu. The Product Liability insurance that the restaurant had in place was able to cover the costs of court representation and other parts of the legal process that could otherwise have ruined the restaurants finances.

Following a middle of the night break-in, the owner discovers the thieves haven’t just made off with the cash in the till – they’ve also robbed 50 large bags of rare roasted coffee beans, which have a value of over £5,000. The owner of the store had cleverly chosen to take out comprehensive insurance on his coffee shop, including contents and stock cover. This mean his beans will be replaced with the shop only needing to pay a small excess, and his coffee can continue to be as good as ever.