Department Store Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a department store 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 department stores. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against your actual products, locations, and 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Liability | Covers escalator, elevator, and fitting-room injuries. | Core | |
| Commercial Property | Covers high-value inventory in large buildings. | Core | |
| Business Income | Replaces sales if fire or unrest closes the store. | Core | |
| Workers' Compensation | Covers stockroom, guard, and freight-elevator injuries. | Core | |
| Umbrella / Excess | Adds limits for severe escalator-entrapment verdicts. | Core | |
| Crime | Covers organized theft and employee theft. | Prevalent | |
| Employment Practices Liability | Covers a large workforce and detention claims. | Prevalent | |
| Cyber Liability | Covers card data and private-label credit programs. | Prevalent | |
| Products Liability | Covers cosmetics reactions and private-label goods. | Prevalent | |
| Bailee's Customers | Covers garments held for alterations. | Situational |
The coverage gap most often missed
The gap most often missed by department stores is false arrest and wrongful detention when staff stop suspected shoplifters — an exposure that grows as organized retail crime rises. Confirm GL personal and advertising injury applies to detentions, and that any contract guard firm carries its own limits and names the store. Review escalator-contractor indemnity too.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your department store coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Department Store Insurance · Department Store Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a department store business need?
The core coverages for a department store business are General Liability, Commercial Property, Business Income, Workers' Compensation, Umbrella / Excess. 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 department store 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.