Candle Making Business Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a candle making business 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 candle manufacturers selling wholesale, retail, or direct-to-consumer. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against the applicant's actual sales channels.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Products Liability | Covers claims that a finished candle caused fire, burn injury, or property damage — the core exposure for any candle maker and typically written as part of, or alongside, general liability. | Core | |
| Commercial General Liability | Covers premises and operations liability — a customer injury at a retail booth, workshop, or studio visit. | Core | |
| Home-Based Business Endorsement / Commercial Package | A standard homeowners policy excludes business liability and business property entirely. If production happens at home, a homeowners policy alone leaves the business with no coverage at all. | Core | |
| Product Recall Coverage | Pays the cost of a recall (notification, shipping, disposal) if a batch is found to be defective or mislabeled — distinct from the liability coverage that responds after someone is actually injured. | Prevalent | |
| Commercial Property / Business Personal Property | Covers wax, fragrance oil, containers, and finished inventory against fire, theft, or water damage — flammable liquid storage makes fire the leading property exposure for this class. | Prevalent | |
| Workers' Compensation | Statutorily required in most states once the business has even one employee; burns and repetitive strain from pouring and labeling are the common claim types. | Situational | |
| Cyber Liability | Applies to any candle maker selling through e-commerce or a marketplace and storing customer payment data. | Situational | |
| Inland Marine (Transit Coverage) | Covers inventory in transit to craft fairs, markets, or wholesale customers — not covered by a standard property policy while off-premises. | Situational | |
| Umbrella / Excess Liability | Extends limits above GL — often required by a wholesale retailer or marketplace as a condition of carrying the product (Walmart/Target vendor terms commonly require $1-5M in product liability limits). | Prevalent |
The coverage gap most often missed
The most common miss for this class is treating candle making as covered under a homeowners policy because it's run from home. It isn't — homeowners forms exclude business liability and business property outright. The second most common gap is skipping Product Recall coverage: retailers increasingly require ASTM F2417 burn-test documentation and $1-5M in product liability limits before they'll list a vendor's candles at all, and a recall's direct costs (shipping, disposal, notification) are not paid by a standard liability policy, which only responds after someone is actually injured.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your candle making business coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Candle Making Business Insurance · Candle Making Business Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a candle making business business need?
The core coverages for a candle making business business are Products Liability, Commercial General Liability, Home-Based Business Endorsement / Commercial Package. 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 candle making business 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.