​​BREW-INSURE.com is “Dedicated to the Craft!”

 

 

BREW-INSURE.com is composed of professional independent insurance agents who are deeply committed to the industry and have a great working relationship with the leading insurers in the industry.  Located in the "Craft Beer Capital of America, we’ve been crafting specialized insurance programs for microbreweries, pubs and taverns since 1999! 

 

We assist our clients by analyzing their risk exposures, implementing strategic insurance coverages, assist with your OSHA/Loss Control needs.  This is crucial for your business as you grow it, ensuring a low loss ratio helps drive down the cost of insurance.

 

We will review the insurance aspects of contracts you are considering, and work with legal professionals experienced in your industry.  In addition to that legal resource, we have experts we work with in the area of Employee Benefits, Human Resources, Payroll Services, Safety and Loss Control, and most other aspects of your business.

 

BREW-INSURE.com is committed to aiding our clients achieve their business and financial goals by providing expert advice and properly designed, cost effective insurance and risk management solutions.



 

Quick Guide to Insurance Terms



Liability Insurance: Pa​ys on behalf of an insured for loss arising out of negligence imposed by law or assumed by contract.  This includes defense costs and will defend you against allegations, even if completely false.



Liability insurance is usually required by your landlord once a lease agreement has been signed.  In order for you to conduct your micro brewery, pub and/or tavern business, we will help you decide what types of liability insurance you should have.

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       Various items to consider: 

           Liquor Legal - If you serve alcohol or beer to consumers (in your tasting room or pub) you need this coverage

           A & B Coverage - "Assault & Battery" coverage, protects you should you be named in an action from a customer

           who believes they have been threatened or attacked while on your premises (the threat/attack can come from

           employees or another customer).

           Cyber Liability - If you operate a website or process credit cards for purchases, you should consider this

           coverage.  Almost everything is done electronically these days.  Cyber Liability addresses the first and third party

           risks associated with e-business, the Internet, networks and informational assets.



Property Insurance: Covers everything that you use in your day-to-day business activities to produce, serve or run your brewery, pub or tavern.  Your "Business Personal Property" includes all of your contents: Inventory and work in process,  Brew kettles, Mash tuns, Bright Tanks, Fermenters, Kitchen Equipment, Office furniture and fixtures, etc.  Property also includes any Tenant Improvements & Betterments you've made, such as walls you've built, cold storage rooms, etc.  



Another key component of the property policy is Equipment Breakdown (loss of refrigeration, power surges, mechanical breakdown, etc.)  You can't produce income if your equipment goes south, power goes out or you lose your water supply.  If your equipment fails or is damaged, the equipment breakdown coverage will pay to repair or replace the equipment/s, INCLUDING business income (lost income + continuing expenses) during repairs.



          Various items to consider:

          -  Transit/Cargo (Covers goods enroute to customers)

          -  Spoilage & Contamination

          -  Product Recall

          -  Beer Leakage

          -  Backup of Sewer & Drains

          -  Owned/Leased Kegs

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Employee Dishonesty & Other Crime Coverages: No one wants to think about employees stealing from them, but some of the largest claims we've seen in our insurance careers involve employee theft.  In addition, other potential crime losses involve robbery, burglary/theft of money (other than employee theft), forgery of checks, computer fraud and extortion.

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Automobile Coverage:  We provide coverage for your company owned vehicles, as well as liability coverage for the exposure your company has when employees drive their own (or rented) vehicles while on company business.  We can provide routine monitoring of employees, or prospective employees, driving records to help you make educated decisions about your drivers.

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Excess Liability:  Provides additional protection over and above your general liability and automobile liability limits by adding higher limits.  The more your earning power and assets increase, the more you have at risk, and therefore, the more you need to protect.  Excess insurance is often referred to as Umbrella liability; it is protection that pays beyond the maximum paid by your primary insurance policy when damages or losses exceed that amount.  ​

 

Workers Compensation:  In virtually every state you're required to carry Workers Compensation Insurance for 1 or more employees.  For work comp purposes, employees are classified under a specific code that is based on their job description.  Typical class codes in California are 8810 (Clerical Office Employee), 2121 (Breweries), 8742 (Outside Salespersons), and 9079 (Restaurant/Tasting Room); each code has a rate that is charged for each $100.00 of payroll.  Workers compensation insurance pays for lost wages and medical expenses of an employee who is injured on the job.  Specific laws vary by state, but key features are consistent - employees are automatically entitled to receive certain benefits when he/she suffers an occupation disease or accidental injury arising out of and in the course of employment.  



Directors and Officers Liability (D&O):  This is liability insurance that provides protection for the directors and officers (D's and O's) of your company in the event they are sued as a result of the performance of their duties as they relate to the company.  A very important aspect of this coverage is that it provides defense coverage, even if the allegations are false.  We urge our client to explore this coverage option, especially if they have outside investors, as these types of claims are becoming more and more common.



Employment Practices Liability (EPLI):  Provides protection for an employer against claims made by employees, former employees, or potential employees.  It covers discrimination (age, sex, race, disability, etc.), wrongful termination of employment, sexual harassment, and other employment-related allegations.  You typically need this insurance as soon as you start to hire employees.  Most investors and directors require you carry this coverage as part of your D&O Liability since they can also be liable in suits relating to the employment practices.