Microbrewery Insurance in Vermont

What is Craft Brewery Insurance?

Microbreweries may begin as small operations, but even Vermont’s smallest microbreweries are still exposed to a number of potential perils. Small, medium, and large breweries all can face a number of possible risks, such as a liability lawsuit, property damage or other loss. Microbrewery insurance (also know as craft brewery insurance) helps microbreweries of all sizes protect themselves from a number of covered perils.

Craft brewery insurance is a unique insurance solution that’s designed to meet the needs of craft breweries and microbreweries that have operations in Vermont. Because breweries are exposed to multiple risks, most craft brewery policies are package policies that contain several individual policies within them. The individual policies can often be customized to a particular brewery’s needs.

What Coverages Does Craft Brewery Insurance Include?

Since the individual policies in a craft brewery insurance policy can be customized, the coverages that these policies afford varies. Nevertheless, there are many protections that most policies either include as standard coverages or make available as optional ones. Some of these are coverages that many businesses should have regardless of the industry they’re in, and other are more specific to beverages and beer.

Some broad coverages that many businesses should have and craft brewery policies often offer are:

General Liability Coverage, which offers broad protections against a variety of liability risks
Building Coverage, which is often used to insure commercial buildings
Contents Coverage, which can be used to insure many items inside commercial buildings
Equipment Breakdown Coverage, which can help pay for equipment repairs that are necessary after a covered incident
Excess Liability Coverage, which offers supplemental liability protection

Coverages that are more particular to breweries and other beverage businesses include the following:

Restaurant Property Coverage, which microbreweries that have on-site restaurants might need
Tank Collapse Coverage, which might help cover the costs of processing water if a tank collapses
Tank Leakage Coverage, which might help pay for beer stock that’s lost due to a tank leak

Many microbreweries also need workers compensation insurance, but this protection is usually purchased as a stand-alone policy and not through a craft brewery policy.

What Businesses in Vermont Should Consider Microbrewery Insurance?

Most craft and microbreweries in Vermont ought to have microbrewery insurance. A few of the state’s largest breweries might have more insurance needs than a microbrewery policy can meet and, therefore, need a different type of insurance policy. Most small and medium breweries in the state, however, will find that a microbrewery policy gives them the protections they need.

What Factors Affect Craft Brewery Insurance Premiums?

When calculating the premiums for craft brewery policies, underwriters take many factors into account. They may consider the size of a brewery, what type of facility a brewery operates, a brewery’s location, it’s past claims history, and many other factors.

Sometimes, breweries are able to reduce their premiums by taking steps that reduce the risk of theft, improve safety, or otherwise minimize the likelihood of a covered loss. Breweries should work closely with their insurance agent to find out if there are any actions they can take that will lower their premiums.

How Can Microbreweries Get Microbrewery Insurance?

Vermont craft breweries and microbreweries that need microbrewery insurance should work with an independent insurance agent who’s licensed in the state and specializes in commercial insurance. An independent agent will be able to help a brewery compare policies so they can find the one that provides the best protections at the most affordable rate.