Coverages / Liquor liability
Liquor · 2 of 37 trades
Liquor liability
Liability for injury caused by an intoxicated person you served. Required for a liquor licence in some states; excluded from standard GL.
- 1Trades carrying it 2 of 37
- 2Highest injury rate 2.6 per 100
- 3Lowest of them 2.2 per 100
- 4Typical requirer Restaurants and caterers t
What it is for
Standard general liability excludes injury caused by an intoxicated person you served. A business that sells or serves alcohol needs liquor liability, and some states require proof of it to issue or renew a liquor licence. Dram-shop laws in many states make the server liable for what the drinker then does, which is why the limit demanded is often higher than the GL limit.
How it is bought
Liquor liability is bought as an endorsement to a restaurant's general liability package or as a separate policy, and the rating basis is alcohol sales. The licence requirement typically names a minimum limit; in states with strong dram-shop statutes the practical limit demanded by landlords and lenders is higher. Underwriters ask about server training, the ratio of alcohol to food sales, hours and entertainment, and a late-night, high-alcohol-share operation is priced very differently from a dining room that closes at ten. Caterers and mobile operators that serve at events need the same cover and are often asked for it by the venue.
Trades that carry liquor liability
Restaurants and caterers that serve alcohol. On this site, 2 of 37 trades list it, from limited-service restaurants at 2.6 recordable cases per 100 workers to full-service restaurants at 2.2.
What to ask a broker
- What the policy excludes that your work actually involves.
- Which contracts or licences require this line and the limit they name.
- Whether it is a standalone policy or an endorsement, and what the deductible is.
Coverage descriptions are editorial. Legal figures: 49 CFR 387.9 — Schedule of limits, public liability (eCFR). Injury rates: BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, Table 1 (2024), incidence rates per 100 full-time workers. Checked 2026-10-23.