Like all businesses, wineries face significant operating liabilities that could turn into big problems at the drop of a hat. Rather than relying on your net profits to fund your recovery, you should be able to turn to your insurance benefits to cover the costs. It’s a stabilizing benefit that ensures that you can recover from problems without a significant financial loss.

Your commercial insurance portfolio will include benefits that will pay your recovery costs in the event of unexpected, unavoidable accidents in your business. But those benefits will be tailored to the winery industry and your operations, specifically. Your winery’s liabilities are always going to be unique even when compared to those faced by your nearest competitor.

There are multiple insurance options from which your winery can benefit. At minimum, you need:

• Property Insurance: If something damages physical property – such as your building or possessions - then this coverage can help you repair or replace them.
• General Liability Insurance: This covers the business in the event it causes property damage or bodily injuries to another party, such as a client or vendor.
• Liquor Liability Insurance: Given that you manufacture and often serve alcoholic beverages, you must be prepared for a few intoxicated customers. If they leave your winery and then cause harm to others, then the injured party might take action against your business. This coverage helps you compensate them.
• Business Interruption Insurance: This helps you pay the bills if you must temporarily close after a damaging accident.
• Commercial Auto Insurance: When the company owns vehicles, this coverage will provide the requisite physical damage, liability and other benefits to help the company afford the costs of wrecks or other vehicle hazards.
• Workers Compensation Insurance: If an employee gets hurt on the job, they are often eligible for workers compensation coverage. It will provide them supplementary income during their recovery.

Other essential, industry-specific perks include:

• Product liability insurance
• Equipment breakdown insurance
• Special events insurance
• Employment practices liability insurance (EPLI)
• Commercial auto insurance
• Commercial kitchen and catering coverage
• Estate dwelling insurance
• Pollution liability insurance
• Wine contamination coverage

All in all, running a winery means dealing in a sensitive and valuable commodity, one that could create significant financial challenges that in the event of a problem in operations. Customized insurance will be there to assist you in ways that will make sure you can face every challenge with a minimal financial loss to yourself. Consider it a long-term solution to a short-term problem.