Insurance For Grocery Stores In Canada
Do you own a grocery store in Canada and are looking for information on how much grocery store insurance costs? Grocery store insurance is actually a package of customizable coverages put together to specifically address the needs of your business. That means that whether you own a small, corner grocery store or a large chain with multiple locations, your grocery store insurance cost will be tailored to your operations and you won’t be stuck paying premiums for insurance you don’t need, while making sure you are fully protected from the risks that come with running a grocery store or several grocery stores.
Insurance for grocery stores in Canada requires expertise because of the wide range of retailers in Canada. From the independent local grocer on the corner to the Loblaws giant, grocery stores in Canada are a diverse breed. Insurance for grocery stores in Canada can’t possibly be standardized. Insurance for grocery stores must be customized. Owners will need many of the same types of insurance as other retail store owners, but the concerns might be different.
Loblaws was opened in 1919 in Brampton and it now has over 2,300 retail stores under the Loblaws name. Metro has nearly 400 locations in Quebec and Ontario. And Longo’s owns more than 30 stores in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area. These giants set the stage for what many people expect from a grocery store in Canada. However, many people prefer a smaller, more local option that can be found at independent grocers and markets. Whatever the size of your grocery store, insurance is essential to protecting your business. Getting insurance for grocery stores in Canada is as simple as contacting ALIGNED Insurance for a free quote.
Why Should Insurance For A Grocery Store Be Customized?
Insurance for grocery stores must be customized based on the size of the store, the number of employees, and the concerns of the owner. Your insurance should be much different from a Loblaws store if you have a smaller store with a few part time employees. There’s no need to be over-insured for risks that don’t concern you. In addition, it’s important that you’re covered based on your location. Some stores have different coverage needs based on the proximity of other stores and businesses. Customizing your grocery store insurance means that you won’t be paying a higher premium for insurance benefits that don’t apply to your store. Talk to an experienced broker at ALIGNED Insurance to discuss the insurance that your particular store requires.
What Types Of Insurance Does A Grocery Store Need?
Below are some of the coverages that are common for grocery stores in Canada that help them mitigate those risks. Click on the title to be taken to the product page for more information on each type of coverage. Your grocery store insurance cost will be based on how much coverage you need as well as other factors like store size, number of locations and the products/services you offer, to name a few.
Commercial General Liability Insurance
Commercial General Liability Insurance is a type of insurance that every retail store needs. You will be covered for any potential bodily harm that might come to a customer of your store. You want to be covered if someone slips on a puddle of water, or gets hit by an item falling off the shelf. It does this by providing your grocery store coverage for the legal costs that come with lawsuits alleging that your products, services or business practices caused personal injury or property damage. Those costs can include lawyer’s fees, defence costs, out-of-court settlements and awards for damages. CGL insurance can also cover the costs that come from legal claims of false advertising. Remember, regardless of whether a lawsuit is frivolous or not, it can still cost a lot of money to deal with.
Product Liability Insurance
Product Liability Insurance is insurance for product default or malfunction. Product liability coverage is usually an extension of General Liability insurance and is likely to be added to your grocery store insurance cost. Even if you didn’t make the products that are on your grocery store shelves, you still carry a certain amount of responsibility, and liability, if a customer becomes ill or is physically injured due to a product purchased at your store.
If you do make and supply your own products, you will also need Product Recall Insurance that not only covers you from liability for your own products but it can also cover the costs of recalling your products if you need to. Those costs can include the recall expense, replacement costs, lost profits and brand rehabilitation expense.
Property Insurance
What would you do if there was a fire at your grocery store? Or a flood? Or any other natural disaster that damaged your store and all the products inside? Commercial Property insurance is crucial for grocery stores and will probably be added to your grocery store insurance cost. You can rest assured that no storm can put your business under. It can cover the costs to repair or replace your grocery store and everything inside it. This type of insurance may vary greatly between locations given that some areas are more at risk of natural disasters. Your store can be protected from weather related damage and other possible damage to your property.
You will also want to consider Business Interruption coverage to help you with your bills and expenses while your store is under repair and Extra Expense coverage to help you set up a temporary store so that you lose as little business as possible after a disaster.
Crime Insurance
If you have employees, this coverage should be a part of your grocery store insurance cost. It can protect you from theft, credit card fraud, forgery, counterfeit and other types of fraud that employees are sometimes capable of. Nobody expects these things to happen but they do, and your grocery store needs to be protected from the losses that come from employee dishonesty.
Equipment Breakdown Insurance
Equipment Breakdown Insurance can cover your costs to repair or replace broken equipment such as coolers and freezers if the damage was caused by an insured peril. More importantly, it can also cover the costs and lost profits of product going bad because of equipment failure. Think of how much money you would stand to lose if a thermometer or freezer motor suddenly gave out and caused all of the produce in your cooler to spoil. Or the goods in your frozen foods section to defrost. Having Equipment Breakdown coverage is well worth the cost and should be added to your grocery store insurance plan.
Commercial Vehicle Insurance
Several grocery stores are now offering delivery services. Even if your store doesn’t, you will need Commercial Vehicle Insurance as part of your grocery store insurance package if any part of your business requires the use of a vehicle. If you use a vehicle for business purposes and are involved in an accident, personal Auto Insurance will not cover you for the accident.
How Do I Get Insurance For A Grocery Store In Canada?
If you want to get started fast, you can get insurance right away with ALIGNED Insurance Online Insurance Products. If you’d like to keep it simple, but still benefit from customized insurance, contact ALIGNED Insurance at tel:18662870448.
It’s important that you have all the coverage you need when you purchase insurance for grocery stores in Canada. It’s also important that the cost of your insurance works for the size of your business. Don’t waste time filling out endless quote information for multiple insurance companies. Let us from ALIGNED Insurance do the leg work for you, so you can go back to running your grocery store.
