Apparel & Textile Wholesaler Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages an apparel & textile wholesaler business may carry — core, prevalent, and situational — why each matters, and the gap most often missed.
Pull out your current policy and check the box next to any coverage you can confirm is already in place — anything unchecked is worth a quick conversation with your advisor. Coverage checklist for apparel, footwear, accessory, and textile wholesalers and brand distributors. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against your actual products, sourcing, and retailer contracts.
Tick each coverage you can confirm you carry — anything left unticked is a good question for your next policy review.
| Have it? | Coverage | Why this business needs it | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial General & Products Liability | Covers injury claims from garments you sell — burns from flammable fabric, strangulation, and choking on small parts. | Core | |
| Commercial Property & Stock (incl. Peak Season) | Covers warehouse and inventory; confirm limits rise for seasonal peaks. | Core | |
| Ocean / Marine Cargo | Covers goods from the overseas factory through ocean and inland transit. | Core | |
| Vendor's Endorsement / Additional Insured | Retailers require it to carry your products. | Core | |
| Advertising Injury / IP Liability | Covers claims that a design, print, or logo copies someone else's — often limited or excluded on GL. | Prevalent | |
| Product Recall | Pays to retrieve and destroy recalled goods and handle retailer chargebacks. | Prevalent | |
| Umbrella / Excess Liability | Adds limits for serious injury claims; big-box retailers often require it. | Prevalent | |
| Crime / Employee Theft | Covers theft of inventory by employees or from warehouses. | Prevalent | |
| Floater (Showrooms, Trade Shows, Consignment) | Covers samples and goods away from your warehouse. | Situational | |
| Trade Credit | Covers unpaid invoices if a major retail customer files bankruptcy. | Situational | |
| Cyber / Privacy Liability | Covers e-commerce sales, customer data, and wire fraud with suppliers. | Situational | |
| Employment Practices Liability | Covers claims by warehouse, design, and sales staff. | Situational |
The coverage gap most often missed
The gap most often missed by apparel wholesalers is intellectual property. Claims that a print, design, or logo copies another company's work are common in fashion, and many GL policies exclude or sharply limit trademark and copyright claims — leaving the wholesaler to defend alone. Children's apparel adds a second gap: federal law requires reporting hazards within 24 hours, and firms that didn't report drawstring hoodies paid more than $1 million in penalties. Confirm your IP coverage and add recall coverage if you sell children's products.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your apparel & textile wholesaler coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Apparel & Textile Wholesaler Insurance · Apparel & Textile Wholesaler Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does an apparel & textile wholesaler business need?
The core coverages for an apparel & textile wholesaler business are Commercial General & Products Liability, Commercial Property & Stock (incl. Peak Season), Ocean / Marine Cargo, Vendor's Endorsement / Additional Insured. This checklist also lists the prevalent and situational coverages worth considering, with a plain-English note on why each matters.
Is this checklist insurance advice?
No. It is a free educational tool to help you have a more informed conversation with a licensed professional. It affords no coverage and is not insurance, legal, or financial advice — only your actual policy language governs what is and isn't covered.
Can Cory Washington & Co. review my apparel & textile wholesaler coverage?
Yes. Share your checklist and we'll review your program line by line, market your account across multiple carriers, and explain the trade-offs in plain English. Cory Washington & Co. LLC is licensed in all 50 states.
This checklist is a free educational tool from Cory Washington & Co. to help you review your own coverage and have a more informed conversation with a licensed insurance professional. It is general information only — not insurance, legal, or financial advice, and not a recommendation to buy, change, or cancel any policy. Coverage terms, availability, limits, and requirements vary by policy, carrier, and state, and only the language in your actual policy governs what is and isn’t covered. Checking or leaving blank any item above does not indicate that you are adequately insured or under-insured. Using this checklist does not create a client, agency, or fiduciary relationship. Always consult a licensed professional about your specific situation.