Best BOP Insurance for Restaurants in 2026

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A restaurant BOP combines three essential coverages into one policy: general liability (for customer injuries and property damage claims), commercial property (for your building, equipment, and inventory), and business interruption (for lost income when a covered event forces you to close). Buying these separately is both more expensive and more administratively complex.

Restaurant BOPs are available for most independent and small-chain restaurants. High-revenue operations (above $5 million annually) and restaurants with significant bar revenue may need individually underwritten policies rather than a packaged BOP.

Quick Summary

Provider	Best For	Monthly Cost
Next Insurance	Small independent restaurants wanting digital BOP	$90/mo
The Hartford	Full-service restaurants with significant property exposure	$130/mo
biBerk	Budget-conscious restaurant operators	$80/mo
Hiscox	Restaurant groups and multi-location operations	$110/mo
Simply Business	Comparing multiple restaurant BOP quotes	Varies

Monthly estimates for a 40-seat full-service restaurant in Texas with $500,000 revenue and $200,000 in business personal property. Rates vary significantly by location, property value, and alcohol service.

Why We Picked These Providers

Restaurant BOPs are written by most major commercial carriers, but the scope of coverage in the property and business interruption components varies significantly. These five represent the best combination of digital accessibility, coverage scope, and pricing for independent and small-chain restaurant operations.

Provider Reviews

Next Insurance

Next Insurance offers a restaurant BOP through their digital platform that bundles GL and commercial property. Coverage handles most restaurant formats including full-service, quick-service, cafes, and bakeries.

Best for: Independent restaurants with $1M or less in annual revenue. Restaurants that want digital certificate issuance and a fast application process. Operations with straightforward property exposure.

What it costs: $90 to $180 per month for most small restaurant BOPs. Premium is driven by GL risk class, property values, and whether alcohol service is included.

One thing to watch: Next Insurance's BOP property sublimits may be limited for restaurants with significant commercial kitchen equipment (exhaust systems, walk-in coolers, commercial ranges). Confirm that equipment replacement cost coverage meets your actual equipment values.

Affiliate link: Get a restaurant BOP quote from Next Insurance

The Hartford

The Hartford has one of the strongest restaurant BOP programs in the market. Their restaurant property coverage includes equipment breakdown (covering commercial kitchen equipment failures), spoilage coverage (for refrigerated inventory lost in a power outage), and business interruption with an extended indemnity period.

Best for: Full-service restaurants with significant kitchen equipment and refrigerated inventory. Operations where a covered loss (fire, equipment failure, water damage) would require extended closure. Restaurants that want the broadest property and BI coverage available.

What it costs: $130 to $250 per month for most full-service restaurant BOPs. Higher for restaurants with alcohol service, multiple locations, or high property values.

One thing to watch: The Hartford's restaurant BOP application requires more detail than digital-first carriers. Expect questions about fire suppression systems, hood cleaning schedules, and electrical panel age for full-service operations.

biBerk (Berkshire Hathaway)

biBerk offers restaurant BOP at competitive rates for quick-service and lower-complexity restaurant operations. Their A++ AM Best rating provides strong financial security behind the policy.

Best for: Quick-service restaurants, cafes, and bakeries with lower property values and straightforward operations. Budget-conscious restaurant owners with clean loss histories.

What it costs: $80 to $150 per month for most simple restaurant BOP operations. biBerk typically prices 15 to 20 percent below The Hartford for comparable lower-complexity restaurant coverage.

One thing to watch: biBerk's restaurant BOP has limitations on bar-heavy operations and restaurants with alcohol as a significant revenue portion. Confirm your alcohol service percentage is within their appetite before applying.

Hiscox

Hiscox writes restaurant BOPs with particular strength for restaurant groups and multi-location operations. Their ability to write multiple locations on a single policy simplifies the insurance management burden for growing restaurant chains.

Best for: Restaurant groups with 2 to 5 locations. Catering businesses operating alongside a main restaurant. Food businesses with a combination of dining and retail operations.

What it costs: $110 to $200 per month for most restaurant BOP accounts. Multi-location pricing may provide savings compared to separate policies per location.

One thing to watch: Hiscox's restaurant BOP underwriting for multi-location operations requires more information at application and may take longer than single-location quotes. Plan for 24 to 48 hours rather than instant coverage for complex restaurant group applications.

Simply Business

Simply Business aggregates restaurant BOP quotes from multiple carriers. Useful for restaurant owners comparing prices across several providers simultaneously.

Best for: Restaurant operators who want to benchmark multiple BOP options without applying separately to each carrier.

What it costs: No additional fee. You pay the carrier rate selected.

One thing to watch: Restaurant BOPs vary significantly in their property and business interruption coverage scope. A lower-priced BOP may have narrower BI coverage (shorter indemnity period, lower limits) than a more expensive one. Do not compare solely on premium.

How We Evaluated These Providers

Property coverage depth. Restaurant property insurance is not just about replacing equipment. Equipment breakdown (when a commercial refrigerator fails), spoilage (when refrigeration fails and you lose inventory), and building improvements are all relevant. We evaluated the depth of property coverage in each carrier's restaurant BOP.

Business interruption coverage. Restaurant BI coverage should cover lost revenue during repairs after a covered loss. The indemnity period (how long BI pays), the definition of "necessary suspension of operations," and the exclusions are critical. We evaluated BI coverage terms across carriers.

Liquor liability availability. Standard GL and BOP typically exclude liquor liability. Restaurants serving alcohol need this added as an endorsement. We noted which carriers include or easily add liquor liability to their restaurant BOP.

Financial strength. AM Best ratings: Next Insurance (A-), The Hartford (A+), biBerk/Berkshire Hathaway (A++), Hiscox (A), Simply Business varies.

Equipment breakdown coverage. Commercial kitchens depend on refrigeration and cooking equipment. Equipment breakdown coverage (a separate coverage from property that addresses mechanical and electrical failure) can be the difference between a manageable claim and a catastrophic one. We noted which carriers include it in the base BOP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does business interruption coverage pay for restaurants?

BI covers lost net income and continuing expenses (rent, payroll for key employees, utilities) for the period your restaurant cannot operate following a covered loss. Most policies require a physical damage trigger: your restaurant must have suffered covered property damage (fire, water damage, covered equipment failure) that forces closure. The BI period continues until the property is repaired or a maximum indemnity period is reached.

Does a restaurant BOP cover food spoilage?

Some BOPs include spoilage coverage, others do not. The Hartford includes spoilage as part of their restaurant BOP. Other carriers offer it as an endorsement. Spoilage coverage pays for refrigerated or frozen food inventory lost due to a power outage or mechanical breakdown of refrigeration equipment.

Can I add liquor liability to a restaurant BOP?

With most carriers, yes, as an endorsement. The Hartford and Next Insurance offer liquor liability endorsements on their restaurant BOPs. Some carriers price alcohol-serving establishments differently from non-alcohol operations at the BOP level. Confirm liquor liability availability before purchasing if you serve alcohol.

Does the BOP cover my restaurant equipment?

Yes, business personal property (BPP) coverage within the BOP covers commercial kitchen equipment, fixtures, furniture, and inventory at replacement cost. Confirm the BPP limit matches your actual equipment values. Underinsuring equipment is the most common restaurant insurance mistake.

How much business interruption coverage does a restaurant need?

The standard recommendation is coverage equal to 6 to 12 months of gross revenue. A restaurant earning $600,000 annually should have at minimum $300,000 in BI coverage, ideally $600,000 with a 12-month indemnity period. Most standard restaurant BOPs have lower default limits. Review and increase BI limits at purchase.

Sources

• Next Insurance restaurant BOP: next.insurance
• The Hartford restaurant insurance: thehartford.com/restaurant-insurance
• biBerk restaurant coverage: biberk.com
• National Restaurant Association: restaurant.org
• AM Best ratings: ambest.com
• Insurance Information Institute: iii.org