Insurance for breweries

Our insurance for breweries is designed to meet the unique risks that come with operating a business in the brewery or brewpub sector.

People have been brewing beer for thousands of years, but today breweries are a complex business that require specifically crafted insurance.

While it remains a highly competitive industry, owning or operating a brewery can be highly rewarding for those with a passion for brewing, especially as customers embrace unique flavours and creative brews. But if you own or operate a brewery, you also face a wide range of risks unique to your industry.

Whether your brewery is starting out or expanding operations, brewery insurance can help you manage your risks and protect your bottom line with confidence.

We offer solutions for:

Breweries

Nanobreweries

Microbreweries

Craft breweries

Brewpubs

Pop-ups

Trade shows

Farmers markets

Why brewery owners trust us

Federated Insurance has been protecting Canadian businesses of all sizes for more than 100 years. We believe that knowing your business matters, so whether you own a local nanobrewery or run a large national brewery, we’ll provide you with a tailored insurance solution that pinpoints your unique risks and helps you mitigate them.

At Federated Insurance, we provide:

  • Customized insurance solutions designed for breweries
  • Dedicated advisors who work with you directly
  • Expanded coverage options
  • Flexible payment and deductible options
  • Quick, no-hassle renewals

Common risks that brewery owners face

While brewery owners and operators understand the risks of a contaminated batch or equipment malfunction, they need to consider all the risks that come with running a business, from fire and floods to slips and falls. Here are some key areas of risk that brewery owners and operators should be aware of:

Equipment breakdown:

Craft breweries typically rely on specialized equipment and machinery, from steam boilers and grain hoppers to cooler rooms. If a key piece of equipment breaks down or a flood damages your machinery, it could take a while to source the right components or find niche technicians to repair or replace your equipment.

 

Commercial liability:

While most beer ends up in kegs, some of it may end up on the floor, whether it’s because of a spilled drink or a leaky hose. If a customer or employee slips and falls on a wet floor, causing injury, it could lead to a costly lawsuit.

Product recalls:

If a spoiled batch hits store shelves — say, after being improperly stored by a third-party cold storage facility — you’ll have to issue a product recall and notify the public. This alone can be a significant expense. But this expense can balloon if you also have to hire a public relations agency for damage control.

Cyber risks:

Any business, even a small one, is a target for cybercriminals. As a brewery owner and operator, you likely have credit card information on file, as well as intellectual property (such as your secret beer recipes). That means you’re at risk from data breaches, malware, ransomware, and other cyberattacks that could impact your business.

Quality control:

When it comes to beer — particularly craft beer — customers demand consistency. Poor quality control in brewing, bottling, or storage could lead to inconsistent quality, contaminated batches, or mislabelled products. But some of these risks aren’t entirely within your control. For example, if you’re a nanobrewery, you may rely on third parties to store your beer offsite or deliver your product to customers. If the temperature isn’t maintained in a cold storage facility or cold delivery truck, your product could be compromised.

Liquor liability:

If you serve your beer on-site — whether you offer tastings during tours, serve draft beer in a taproom, or operate a fully licensed restaurant — you could be held liable if someone is over-served and injures themselves or other customers. Most provinces have mandatory responsible service programs for employees who handle liquor, so you’ll need to ensure employees have completed any mandatory programs.

Insurance for breweries

At Federated Insurance, our toolbox is filled with options designed to ensure that your brewery is properly protected. Our representatives are committed to continuously evaluating your changing risks and tending to your business needs with services such as:

Commercial general liability insurance

The right CGL coverage can help safeguard your brewery if you’re found legally liable for bodily injury or property damage to a third party on your property, such as a slip and fall on a wet brewery floor.

Read More

Commercial property insurance

This coverage can help you recover if your building, equipment, furnishings, inventory, and/or supplies are damaged or destroyed during a natural catastrophe such as a fire, flood, or earthquake, or because of theft or vandalism.

Read More

Business interruption insurance

If you’re forced to shut down operations following a covered loss — say, to repair your brewery after a flood — this coverage can help with your loss of net income so you can continue paying normal operating expenses and expedite your return to business.

Read More

Equipment breakdown insurance

The right coverage can help protect you from costly repairs and production delays if there’s a sudden, accidental breakdown of vital equipment or machinery.

Commercial auto insurance

 Whether you have just one delivery truck or a whole fleet, commercial auto coverage can help ensure you’re not leaving your business vulnerable to costly risks and expensive losses. Standard commercial auto insurance can also provide replacement car coverage, if you need to rent a temporary car for day-to-day operations after an accident.

Read More

Cyber insurance

If your business is the victim of a data breach or cyberattack, this coverage can help with expenses related to data recovery and customer breach communications.

Read More

Value-added services for your wholesale or retail business

Once you become a Federated Insurance customer, you’ll have access to an array of value-added services for your wholesale or retail business, including:

Superior claims handling

Our claims professionals are skilled in handling claims in the wholesale sector. They’re available 24/7 to resolve your claim and get your business back up and running as quickly as possible.

Dedicated advisors

Our Commercial Insurance Specialists use their expert knowledge and experience to develop a tailored insurance program that fits the unique needs of your business, and they’ll provide support along the way.

Loss prevention expertise

You’ll have access to our highly-trained loss prevention consultants who can answer your questions and provide you and your employees with valuable safety advice.

Safety programs

We have the tools to help you create, implement and maintain safety programs, with a focus on identifying, communicating and mitigating risks.

Trauma assistance

You can count on our confidential, one-on-one counselling services to help you cope with a traumatic loss.