General liability insurance provides a business with financial protection from customer injury claims. If you own a restaurant, this is an important type of business insurance to have. 
Even in the best situations, mistakes can occur, and people can become ill from your food. If they do, it is often your business’s responsibility to help make up for any financial losses they have. Often, general liability can help you combat these claims. Your insurer will help you handle the situation. It is your job, though, to minimize the likelihood that this will happen again.
What Coverage Do You Have?
Most restaurants and other food-service businesses maintain general liability insurance. This plan can help cover the cost of food poisoning claims. It may cover the medical costs of the individual. It may cover other damages related to the customer’s injury.
Product liability is a secondary type of coverage. If you sell a product, customers should be able to count on it to be healthy. Product liability insurance can help cover costs related to defective food that causes food poisoning. Be sure you have this type of coverage in place. Your business insurance agent can discuss with you the exact amount of coverage you need. At times, you might need to increase your coverage. This may be necessary if you have numerous claims or are in a high-volume location.
Preventing Food Poisoning
How can you prevent customer illness from occurring? Not only does it put people at risk, but it is also bad for your organization’s reputation. Here are some tips:
- Work with your local health department to understand local food codes and regulations. Most will offer a book for you to use to track temperatures and other food safety measures. Follow this closely.
- Be vigilant from the start. Check the condition of any product coming in off trucks. Be sure items get proper cooling and storage right away. Do not let food sit out.
- Teach your team proper food handling procedures. Monitor them. Provide ongoing feedback.
- Be sure to use proper sanitization methods. Your local health department can help you to plan for this, too.
- Train cooks and linemen to verify the quality of food before they serve it.
- Always be working to improve food handling at your location. Take a course. Work with your local community college to learn about methods for improving.
Food poisoning could happen at any time, at no fault of yours. Your general liability insurance is here to help you to cover losses that you least expect. However, proper management of food is always a critical step in managing your business. It might help you avoid the problems after all. Call Buschbach Insurance today at 708.423.2350.