Food Truck Insurance: The Complete Guide to Coverage, Events, and Costs
Whether you roll to festivals, office parks, or late‑night hotspots, the right insurance keeps your business cooking. Learn what policies you need, common pitfalls to avoid, and how to get city‑ready certificates fast.
Food Truck Coverage Essentials
- Commercial Auto (Business Auto): Liability for on‑road accidents and physical damage for your truck. Add towing & rental reimbursement where available.
- General Liability (GL): Slip‑and‑fall, customer injuries, and many event/venue requirements. Includes products/completed operations for foodborne illness claims (policy terms apply).
- Business Personal Property & Tools: Cooking equipment, POS, signage—often covered on a mobile inland marine or BPP form so it’s protected away from your base.
- Food Spoilage & Refrigerated Property: Covers stock spoiled by power outage, mechanical breakdown, or temperature change (availability varies).
- Equipment Breakdown: Protection for sudden breakdown of critical systems like refrigerators or generators (where offered).
- Business Income (Interruption): Replaces lost income after a covered loss (e.g., fire) shuts you down during repairs.
- Workers’ Compensation: Required when you have employees; helps with on‑the‑job injuries.
- Hired & Non‑Owned Auto (HNOA): If staff occasionally drive rented or personal vehicles for business errands.
- Liquor Liability: If you serve alcohol at events (where legal), many venues require it.
- Cyber/Data Breach: POS systems store card data; coverage helps with breach costs and notification requirements.
- Umbrella/Excess: Extra limits when festivals or contracts demand higher coverage.
Food Truck vs. Food Trailer: Why It Matters
Food trucks are insured as commercial vehicles. Food trailers need coverage for the trailer itself (physical damage) and liability for towing under the tow vehicle’s auto policy. If you rent different tow vehicles, consider HNOA and ensure the trailer is scheduled correctly.
Events, Cities, and Commissaries: COIs That Get You In
Festivals, municipalities, and private venues often require a Certificate of Insurance with specific language. Common asks include:
- Additional Insured (AI) on GL and sometimes Auto
- Primary & Non‑Contributory wording
- Waiver of Subrogation
- Specific limit requirements (e.g., $1M/$2M GL, $1M Auto)
- Per‑event aggregate or special endorsements when applicable
We issue fast COIs with the right endorsements so you can pass inspection and start serving.
What Does Food Truck Insurance Cost?
Pricing depends on your vehicle value, cooking setup (open flame, fryers), city/venue requirements, claims history, and coverage limits. Bundle strategies (Auto + GL + Property) and safety measures (fire suppression, training, commissary compliance) can help control costs.
Avoid These Common Mistakes
- Buying auto only: You still need GL and product liability for customer injuries/illness.
- Skipping spoilage coverage: A power outage can wipe out inventory in hours.
- Not scheduling the trailer/generator: Unlisted gear may not be covered in transit or at events.
- Missing AI/waiver language: Leads to denied event entry or last‑minute scrambles.
- Underinsuring equipment: Custom builds and wrap costs add up—match coverage to true replacement costs.
- No workers’ comp for staff: Required with employees; protects your team and contracts.
- Ignoring cyber risks: POS breaches are expensive—consider cyber with PCI support.
10‑Minute Pre‑Bind Checklist
- VIN and stated value for truck/trailer; list custom equipment
- Cooking method: grills, fryers, propane, suppression system details
- Event/venue COI requirements (AI, waiver, primary wording)
- Commissary agreement and storage details
- Daily operating radius and garaging ZIP
- Stock value and spoilage needs
- Generator and refrigeration details (maintenance records)
- Employees on payroll → Workers’ Comp
- POS vendor and need for Cyber coverage
- Requested limits and any umbrella requirements
Need Event‑Ready Coverage and Fast COIs?
At JSSR Insurance Agency, we help food trucks and trailers get the right mix of auto, GL, property, and spoilage—plus the endorsements events and cities expect.
Call (209) 701‑6900 Book a Time
JSSR Insurance Agency — Our Knowledge, Your Success.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information and is not a guarantee of coverage. Policy terms and availability vary by carrier and state.
