Frequently Asked Question:

Do Bars Need Assault and Battery Coverage?

Insurance Type
Related Industries
Related Coverages
General Liability

The Short Answer

In practice, yes. Fights are a common source of bar claims, and many liquor and general liability policies exclude assault and battery or cap it at a low sublimit, so bars generally need it confirmed or added separately.

The Full Answer

Assault and battery is one of the most frequent claim types for bars, and it is also one of the most commonly restricted. A patron injured in a fight can sue the bar for failing to prevent it, and the policy you assumed would respond may not.

Where bars find gaps:

Full exclusions. Some carriers exclude assault and battery entirely on bar policies, which leaves the bar paying defense costs from its own funds.

Low sublimits. Others provide coverage but cap it far below the main liability limit, so a serious injury can exceed it quickly.

Security staff. Claims alleging excessive force by a bouncer often fall under the same restriction, even if the security guard is your employee.

Defense costs. On some forms, legal defense reduces the available limit, so a contested claim can use up coverage before any settlement.

How Liberty structures your protection: We read the assault and battery wording on every bar quote, ask carriers for the limit and defense terms in writing, and place a dedicated or higher-limit form where the standard one falls short.

Related Questions

Yes — restaurants process card payment data through point-of-sale systems daily, and a breach affecting customer payment information typically isn’t covered under general liability, which is why cyber liability is now considered standard for the industry.

A restaurant’s own commercial auto policy typically doesn’t cover an employee’s personal vehicle, so restaurants using employee-owned cars for delivery generally need hired and non-owned auto liability coverage.

Typically no — standard business interruption coverage is triggered by direct physical damage to the property, so a closure ordered for a health code violation alone usually isn’t a covered event unless it follows a covered loss.

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