Brewery Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a brewery 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 production breweries, brewpubs, and taproom breweries. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against the brewery's actual production, distribution, and taproom operations.
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 Liability (incl. Products) | Covers customer injuries and claims that packaged beer caused illness or injury, including bursting cans or bottles. | Core | |
| Liquor Liability | Covers claims arising from serving alcohol in the taproom or at events. GL typically excludes it for breweries. | Core | |
| Commercial Property | Covers brewhouse equipment, tanks, and finished beer. Confirm finished beer is valued at selling price. | Core | |
| Equipment Breakdown | Covers sudden failure of boilers, glycol chillers, compressors, and electrical systems — standard property excludes mechanical breakdown. | Prevalent | |
| Spoilage / Contamination | Covers beer lost to refrigeration failure, power outage, or contamination in the tank. | Prevalent | |
| Product Recall | Pays for pulling product from distributors and shelves, disposal, and replacement. Product liability does not cover these costs. | Prevalent | |
| Business Income | Replaces income while the brewery is down after a covered loss. | Prevalent | |
| Workers' Compensation | Required in most states with employees; CO2 exposure, burns, chemical splashes, and lifting are key hazards. | Core | |
| Commercial Auto | Needed if the brewery self-distributes or owns delivery vehicles. | Situational | |
| Umbrella / Excess Liability | Adds limits over GL, liquor, and auto — a serious drunk-driving claim can exceed primary limits. | Prevalent |
The coverage gap most often missed
The most commonly missed coverage for this class is product recall. Brewers often assume product liability pays when beer has to be pulled, but it generally covers only injury or damage to others, not the cost of retrieving product from distributors and shelves, disposing of it, and replacing it. Refermentation in fruited, sour, or package-conditioned beers is a common trigger, and the recall costs usually far exceed the value of the beer itself. The second gap is life safety: carbon dioxide in cellars, coolers, and tanks has killed brewery workers, which is why confined-space and CO2 monitoring questions weigh heavily with workers' compensation underwriters.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your brewery coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Brewery Insurance · Brewery Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a brewery business need?
The core coverages for a brewery business are Commercial General Liability (incl. Products), Liquor Liability, Commercial Property, Workers' Compensation. 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 brewery 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.