Your lease
New York leases routinely require specific limits, landlord additional-insured status, waiver of subrogation and primary and non-contributory wording, plus a certificate before you get the keys.
For restaurants, cafés, bars, taverns and food businesses across New York City, Long Island, Westchester and upstate. Lease-compliant coverage, same-day certificates, service in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Backed by an international broker with offices worldwide, with access to A-rated carriers and specialists in complex risks. Licensed in New York and Florida.
Your lease is the first underwriter. Your policy should be built to it.
A Manhattan dining room, a Queens café and a Long Island tavern can all sign the same kind of lease and carry very different risks. Alcohol, delivery, build-out value, staffing and the landlord's wording change what belongs in the program and how the market prices it.
Generic restaurant policies are written for the average state. New York adds dense leases, dram shop exposure and its own workers' comp and disability rules.
New York leases routinely require specific limits, landlord additional-insured status, waiver of subrogation and primary and non-contributory wording, plus a certificate before you get the keys.
Under General Obligations Law §11-101, serving a visibly intoxicated patron or a minor can create liability when that person later causes harm. Liquor liability has to be on the policy, not excluded by it.
In New York, workers' compensation applies from the first employee, with no minimum headcount. DBL and PFL disability coverage also applies to restaurants with employees.
Sidewalk café seating, delivery riders, grease-trap and fire-suppression maintenance, and health-code closures all affect how your risk is priced and covered.
No sales history yet? We bind lease-compliant coverage before opening day and adjust the policy as payroll and sales come in.
If staff deliver in their own cars, a personal auto policy may not respond for your business. Hired and non-owned auto closes that gap.
In New York, a restaurant needs workers' compensation as soon as it hires its first employee. Kitchen staff, servers, bartenders and delivery drivers are all covered. Disability benefits coverage (DBL and PFL) applies to restaurants with employees as well.
Fines for operating without coverage are steep, so we set it up before your first shift. Questions about your payroll or headcount? Email us.
Why one submission matters. When several agents send the same restaurant to the same carriers, the market gets blocked and your quote slows down.
| Policy | Typical range |
|---|---|
| BOP for a small restaurant or café (GL + property) | $150–$700 per month |
| Liquor liability | Priced separately; higher for bars and late-night venues |
| Workers' comp and DBL/PFL | Priced on payroll and class codes |
| Mid-size restaurant package | Quoted on your sales, payroll and alcohol share |
Market guidance, not quotes or guarantees of coverage. All coverage is subject to policy terms, conditions and underwriting approval.
Fill out the form or email your documents. We will follow up in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
Most small to mid-size New York restaurants and cafés pay roughly $150 to $700 per month for a Business Owner's Policy combining general liability and property. Liquor liability and workers' comp are priced separately, and bars and late-night venues typically pay more. Your price depends on revenue, payroll, seating, equipment, claims history and limits. These are market ranges, not quotes.
Workers' compensation is required as soon as you hire your first employee, and New York requires disability benefits coverage (DBL/PFL) for restaurants with employees. Your lease will almost always require general liability and property coverage, and if you serve alcohol, liquor liability is essential in practice.
New York's Dram Shop Act (General Obligations Law §11-101) allows an injured third party to sue an establishment that served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person or a minor who then causes injury or damage. Liquor liability insurance defends and pays those claims. Standard general liability policies typically exclude alcohol-related claims, so restaurants, bars and taverns that serve alcohol need it as a separate coverage part or endorsement.
Once your policy is bound, certificates naming your landlord or lender as additional insured can usually be issued the same business day. A signed lease, build-out permit or liquor license transfer often cannot move forward until the landlord has a compliant COI.
It can. Food spoilage coverage pays for inventory lost when refrigeration fails or power is interrupted. Equipment breakdown covers repair or replacement of ovens, walk-ins, HVAC and point-of-sale systems, plus business income lost while you are down.
Yes. We can bind coverage that satisfies your lease and landlord requirements before opening day, then adjust once you have payroll and sales history. Send us the insurance exhibit from your lease and we will match the policy to it line by line.
