Winery Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a winery 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 bonded wineries, custom-crush facilities, and tasting rooms. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against the winery's actual production, storage, and hospitality 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Property (Wine at Selling Price) | Covers buildings, tanks, barrels, and wine. Without a selling-price clause, finished wine may be paid only at production cost. | Core | |
| Commercial General Liability (incl. Products) | Covers visitor injuries and claims arising from wine sold, such as broken glass or contamination. | Core | |
| Liquor Liability | Covers claims from tasting room pours and events. GL typically excludes it for wineries. | Core | |
| Earthquake | Excluded from standard property. Barrel and tank losses need to be specifically included where the winery is in a seismic area. | Situational | |
| Spoilage / Refrigeration Breakdown | Covers wine lost when chillers or power fail during fermentation or storage. | Prevalent | |
| Equipment Breakdown | Covers sudden failure of presses, chillers, pumps, and bottling equipment. | Prevalent | |
| Bailee / Custom Crush Coverage | Covers other wineries' wine in the applicant's care — standard property may exclude property of others. | Situational | |
| Business Income | Replaces income after a loss, which can span more than one vintage if barrels are destroyed. | Prevalent | |
| Workers' Compensation | Required in most states; harvest brings CO2, confined-space, and machinery hazards, plus a larger seasonal workforce. | Core | |
| Farm / Vineyard Coverage | Needed if the applicant farms grapes — tractors, spraying, and crop exposures are usually written separately. | Situational | |
| Umbrella / Excess Liability | Adds limits over GL, liquor, and auto for events, weddings, and tour traffic. | Prevalent |
The coverage gap most often missed
The most commonly missed coverage for this class is protection for the wine itself at its true value. Many wineries carry property coverage that pays finished wine at cost rather than selling price, and assume earthquake is included when it is not. The 2014 South Napa earthquake caused an estimated $80 million in wine-industry losses, led by collapsed barrel stacks, and a single barrel loss can take a small producer out of the market for a vintage or more. Wineries that store other producers' wine also need confirmation that property of others is covered.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your winery coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Winery Insurance · Winery Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a winery business need?
The core coverages for a winery business are Commercial Property (Wine at Selling Price), Commercial General Liability (incl. Products), Liquor 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 winery 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.