Liquor Liability Policy Feature Checklist
What to confirm in a liquor liability policy — what's standard, what's often limited, and what to add if needed — plus the gap most often missed.
Pull out your current liquor liability policy and check the box next to each feature you can confirm it includes — anything unchecked is worth a quick conversation with your advisor.
Tick each feature you can confirm your policy includes — anything left unticked is a good question for your next policy review.
| Confirm? | Policy feature | What to confirm | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquor Liability Limit (Each Common Cause) | Covers claims from over-serving, including drunk-driving crashes after a patron leaves. | Standard | |
| Assault & Battery at Full Limits | Fights are among the most common bar claims — many policies exclude them or cap them at a small sublimit. | Often limited | |
| Defense Outside the Limit | Confirm whether defense costs reduce the limit — dram shop suits are expensive to defend. | Often limited | |
| Employees as Insureds | Confirm servers and bartenders are covered when named in a suit. | Standard | |
| Occurrence Form | Dram shop suits can be filed long after the incident — an occurrence policy responds for the year it happened. | Often limited | |
| Additional Insureds (Landlord, | Promoter) Confirm landlords, event promoters, and others required by contract are added. | If needed | |
| Host Liquor for Events | Covers alcohol served free at events the business hosts. | If needed |
The gap most often missed in this coverage
The most commonly missed gap in this coverage is assault and battery. Brokers report A&B sublimits tightening on every policy, and some liquor policies exclude fights entirely — even when the claim is that staff over-served the people involved. With dram shop laws in 43 states and D.C., businesses should confirm A&B coverage at full limits and whether defense costs erode the limit.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your liquor liability coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Liquor Liability Insurance · Liquor Liability Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What should a liquor liability policy include?
Standard features to confirm in a liquor liability policy include Liquor Liability Limit (Each Common Cause), Employees as Insureds. This checklist also flags the features that are often limited or sublimited and the ones to add if needed, with a plain-English note on each.
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 liquor liability 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.