Choice Insurance Agency
Liquor Liability Insurance in Massachusetts
Offering customized insurance solutions in Massachusetts and beyond.
What is liquor liability insurance?
Similar to how adults should consume alcohol responsibly, businesses selling alcohol are expected to do so in a responsible manner. Irresponsibly overserving customers can result in an expensive lawsuit if the customer is involved in an altercation, accident, or other incident. Liquor liability insurance may help Massachusetts businesses selling alcohol protect themselves from this type of risk.
Liquor liability insurance generally gives businesses selling alcohol specialized protection for certain alcohol-related lawsuits. A policy might pay legal fees and any settlement for a covered suit.
When do Massachusetts businesses need liquor liability coverage?
Liquor liability coverage is normally a prerequisite to obtaining a liquor license in Massachusetts. Most businesses selling alcohol in the state should expect to get coverage.
Getting a policy isn’t just to meet licensing regulations, though. Coverage can provide important protection against what could be expensive lawsuits. To see just how valuable coverage could be, consider how a fight between intoxicated customers could result in multiple lawsuits:
- Each customer directly involved in the fight could file a lawsuit, claiming the business overserved the other person.
- One or more bystanders could file a lawsuit if they’re accidentally injured during the altercation.
- A driver may sue if the altercation moves onto the street, and someone’s vehicle is damaged during the fight.
- Anyone witnessing the altercation might file a lawsuit because they suffered emotional distress for their safety.
Even if such lawsuits are successfully defended against, the lawyer and court fees can still be quite expensive. Having liquor liability coverage may help businesses manage such costs.
Quotes Available in Massachusetts & Other States
What kinds of claims can liquor liability cover?
Exactly what a liquor liability policy covers is determined by that policy’s coverages, terms, and conditions. Depending on those details, policies might protect against claims arising from:
- Basic “slip and fall” accidents where a drunk customer sustains injuries
- Sexual assault perpetrated by a drunk customer
- Non-sexual assault by a drunk customer
- Public fights or brawls involving at least one drunk customer
- Car accidents caused by a drunk customer after they leave
- Hospitalization of a drunk customer for alcohol poisoning
Are slip and fall accidents covered by general liability if the person is intoxicated?
General liability insurance normally covers slip-and-fall accidents when the injured customer is sober. Any accidents involving an intoxicated customer are normally excluded from general liability. Thus, liquor liability coverage for slip and fall accidents is often quite important.
An insurance agent specializing in liquor liability can help businesses make sure their policy has the slip and fall coverage they need, as well as other important protections.
Can businesses bundle liquor liability with other coverages?
Yes, liquor liability coverage can usually be bundled quite easily. It’s regularly purchased alongside general liability and other protections, typically through a commercial package policy.
What do businesses pay for liquor liability policies?
The cost of a liquor liability policy varies based on several factors. These often include the percentage of sales from alcohol, annual revenue, types of alcohol sold, and any recent insurance claims, among many other details.
To get an accurate quote, businesses can compare policies with the help of an independent insurance agent. An independent insurance agent can request quotes from multiple insurance companies.
Where can Massachusetts businesses find good liquor liability insurance?
If your business sells alcohol in Massachusetts, contact the independent insurance agents at Choice Insurance for help with liquor liability insurance. We’ll make sure you find a policy that meets the state’s licensing requirements, and gives your business the protections it should have.
Contact Us
Have questions or need a quote? No problem! Send our team a message and we’ll reach out shortly with the answers you need.
Send us a Message!
