Restaurant insurance cost in Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee — 2026 breakdown
BOP, workers comp, liquor liability, and what actually moves restaurant premium across the three biggest SE restaurant markets.
Updated June 2026 · Reviewed by Winfield Lee, Bettr Coverage (Statesboro, GA)
Short answer
A full-service restaurant in 2026 typically pays
$4,500-$12,000/year for a BOP (property + general liability + business income),
$3,000-$8,000 for workers comp, and
$1,500-$5,000 for liquor liability if serving alcohol. Total all-in for a single-location 50-seat restaurant:
$9,000-$25,000 per year. Georgia is cheapest of the three. Florida is most expensive (hurricane + liquor litigation). Tennessee falls in the middle.
State-by-state 2026 restaurant premium ranges (50-seat full-service, $1.2M annual sales)
| Coverage | Georgia | Florida | Tennessee |
|---|
| BOP (property + GL + biz income) | $4,500 – $9,500 | $7,500 – $14,000 | $4,800 – $10,500 |
| Workers comp ($250K payroll) | $5,000 – $8,500 | $6,000 – $9,500 | $4,750 – $8,000 |
| Liquor liability (with alcohol) | $1,500 – $4,000 | $2,500 – $6,500 | $1,800 – $4,500 |
| Umbrella ($1M) | $1,200 – $2,400 | $1,800 – $3,500 | $1,200 – $2,500 |
| Total annual | $12,200 – $24,400 | $17,800 – $33,500 | $12,550 – $25,500 |
What's in a restaurant BOP
A Business Owner's Policy bundles three coverages into one policy:
- Property — building (if owned), contents, equipment, inventory, food spoilage (typically with a sublimit of $10K-$50K)
- General Liability — slip-and-fall, third-party injury, foodborne illness, product liability
- Business Income — lost revenue if you can't operate due to a covered property loss (typically 12 months actual loss)
BOPs are cheaper than buying the three coverages separately. Restaurants under $5M annual sales generally qualify. Above $5M or with delivery operations, separate policies become more cost-effective.
Workers comp class codes for restaurants
| Class | Description | GA 2026 | FL 2026 | TN 2026 |
|---|
| 9079 | Restaurant NOC — full service | $2.00 – $3.40 | $2.40 – $3.80 | $1.90 – $3.20 |
| 9082 | Hotel — restaurant included | $2.40 – $4.20 | $2.80 – $4.50 | $2.20 – $3.90 |
| 9058 | Restaurant — fast food | $1.80 – $2.80 | $2.20 – $3.40 | $1.70 – $2.65 |
| 7380 | Drivers (delivery) | $5.50 – $9.00 | $6.50 – $10.50 | $5.20 – $8.50 |
| 8810 | Clerical / office | $0.20 – $0.35 | $0.25 – $0.40 | $0.18 – $0.32 |
Liquor liability — the coverage owners skip and regret
Standard restaurant general liability policies exclude liquor liability — coverage for over-service claims. A customer drinks too much at your restaurant, drives drunk, hurts someone in an accident, and the injured party sues both the driver AND the restaurant that served the alcohol. Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee all have Dram Shop laws making restaurants liable in these situations.
2026 liquor liability cost depends on:
- Alcohol as % of total sales — under 20%: cheapest; 20-40%: standard; 40%+: bar/tavern rates (much higher)
- Hours of service — closing at 10pm cheaper than 2am
- Type of alcohol — wine/beer only cheaper than full bar with shots
- Crowd type — family restaurant cheaper than sports bar / nightclub
- TIPS-trained staff — most carriers give 10-15% credit for documented training
Active SE restaurant carriers 2026
- Society Insurance — restaurant and hospitality specialist. Strong in GA, TN. Active in FL but selective.
- FCCI Insurance Group — SE specialist multi-line. Solid on inland restaurants.
- Cincinnati Insurance — multi-line bundles. Good on full-service with property exposure.
- Auto-Owners — mid-market BOP, multi-line bundles.
- Westchester (Chubb) — larger and upscale restaurants, fine dining.
- Markel — specialty, unusual occupancies (concert venues, late-night clubs).
- AmTrust — small commercial BOP.
- USLI — liquor liability specialist via wholesale.
- EMPLOYERS Insurance — small WC under $25K premium.
What kills a restaurant insurance quote in 2026
- Prior assault/battery claims on the premises or in the parking lot
- Alcohol sales over 50% of revenue without TIPS-trained staff
- Prior slip-and-fall claims over $25,000
- Kitchen equipment without UL300 fire suppression
- Deep frying without automatic shutoff
- Hours of operation past 2am
- Valet parking (adds auto liability exposure)
- Live music with crowds over 75 (becomes entertainment occupancy)
- Prior food-borne illness claims
- Any prior incident involving a minor with alcohol
- Under 2 years in operation (limited loss history — most carriers want 36 months)
Get a 2026 restaurant quote from active SE markets →