Food & Beverage Manufacturing Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a food & beverage manufacturing 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 food and beverage manufacturers and co-packers. Priorities reflect typical exposure; confirm against products and regulators.
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 & Completed Operations Liability | Covers injuries and illness from products sold — the core coverage. | Core | |
| Product Contamination / Recall | Covers recall costs, lost sales, and rehabilitation after contamination — excluded from GL. | Core | |
| Commercial Property & Business Income | Covers the plant and lost income during a shutdown. | Core | |
| Umbrella / Excess Liability | Adds limits for an outbreak with multiple deaths. | Core | |
| Workers' Compensation | Required in most states for employees. | Core |
The coverage gap most often missed
The most commonly missed gap for this class is product contamination coverage. General liability pays for illness claims, but not the recall itself — retrieval, destruction, lost sales, and brand recovery. The 2024 Boar's Head listeria outbreak killed 10 people, forced a recall of more than 7 million pounds, and closed the plant. Food manufacturers should carry contamination and recall coverage, run environmental monitoring, and hold mock recalls.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your food & beverage manufacturing coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Food & Beverage Manufacturing Insurance · Food & Beverage Manufacturing Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a food & beverage manufacturing business need?
The core coverages for a food & beverage manufacturing business are Products & Completed Operations Liability, Product Contamination / Recall, Commercial Property & Business Income, Umbrella / Excess Liability, 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 food & beverage manufacturing 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.