Grocery Store Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a grocery 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 independent grocery stores, supermarkets, and specialty markets. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against the store's departments and services.
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 slips and falls — the leading grocery claim — and illness or injury from food sold. | Core | |
| Commercial Property & Business Income | Covers the building, equipment, and inventory, plus lost income after a covered closure. | Core | |
| Spoilage / Equipment Breakdown | Covers perishable stock lost when coolers, freezers, or power fail — often excluded or limited. | Core | |
| Workers' Compensation | Required in most states; slicers, balers, lifting, and falls drive injuries. | Core | |
| Employment Practices Liability (EPLI) | Covers wage-hour, discrimination, and harassment claims — common in large hourly workforces. | Prevalent | |
| Liquor Liability | Needed if the store sells beer, wine, or spirits. | Situational | |
| Product Recall / Contamination | Covers the cost of pulling contaminated or recalled food and lost sales. | Situational | |
| Pharmacy Professional Liability | Needed if the store has an in-store pharmacy. | Situational | |
| Hired & Non-Owned / Commercial Auto | Covers grocery delivery by employees or owned vehicles. | Situational | |
| Umbrella / Excess Liability | Adds limits above GL and auto for serious fall or vehicle claims. | Prevalent |
The coverage gap most often missed
The most commonly missed exposure for this class is the defense of slip-and-fall claims. Stores usually carry the coverage, but many lose claims they could have won because they cannot prove their floors were inspected. Courts look at whether the store knew or should have known about the spill, so logged floor inspections, retained video, and same-day incident reports matter as much as the policy limit. Spoilage is the second gap: a refrigeration failure can destroy an entire store's perishables overnight, and many property policies limit or exclude it.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your grocery store coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Grocery Store Insurance · Grocery Store Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a grocery store business need?
The core coverages for a grocery store business are Commercial General Liability (incl. Products), Commercial Property & Business Income, Spoilage / Equipment Breakdown, 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 grocery 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.