Workers Comp for Restaurants: What You Need to Know

Worker's comp is rarely one of the first insurance policies that restaurant owners think about. Restaurant owners are some of the busiest people that I know.

They have so much going on. Their business is dynamic. It can be frustrating and rewarding.

There's so much passion and love that go into restaurants, and at the same time, there are so many little nuanced details that are annoying.

I talk to many restaurant owners I know, and my clients and I have friends who own restaurants. Although I have never owned a restaurant, I've worked in many. I was a server.

So I get that it is this crazy passion versus the frustrations of running a restaurant. But at the same time, it is also how you make your living.

You aren't taking any of the brain cycles that go into running a restaurant and spending them on your workers' comp. I can understand why it doesn't get thought about. It gets disregarded.

workers comp for restaurants is a very dynamic policy

But what I want you to know, if you're taking the time to read this blog, is that workers comp for restaurants is a very dynamic policy.

You often have multiple job functions. You have the hosts, cooks, servers, bartenders, admin staff, and management.

Depending on how many restaurants you have or how big your restaurant is, you may have a separate person who answers the phone, does bookings for large events, and things like that.

All these different positions can either be lumped into one restaurant class code, which is often not the most cost-effective way to do it, or they can be broken out. Depends on how well you handle your payroll.

READ NEXT: How Much Is Workers Comp?

have the processes and procedures in place

Oftentimes you have people coming in and out during different times of seasons.

If you are in a town like Saratoga, New York, which has a large influx of people during the track season and summertime, then your staff ramps way up.

During the winter time, it ramps back down. In other parts of town, say if you own an Italian restaurant in Albany, you'll have a nice steady flow throughout the year.

The key here is that there are ways to position your worker's comp so that you're not being overcharged and you're not being misclassified.

It is also so that you're not sending dollars to your workers' compensation company that should be in your pocket, either going back into your business or are your reward for running a great restaurant.

You don't want those going to a workers' compensation carrier if they shouldn't be.

The only way to make that happen is to have the processes and procedures in place that allow your workers' compensation to work for you.

That's what we do here at Rogue Risk. We specialize in workers' comp. Restaurants are one of the industries that we do a lot of work in.

We're very familiar with how you operate and how to help you position your worker's comp so that it is cost-effective and not a headache.

That's really what our role is. So if you're looking for this kind of relationship, regardless of where your insurance is today, we would love to sit down and talk to you about it.

We can help work through the challenges you may face and ensure you're not being overcharged for worker's comp.

I mean, that's really what it is at the end of the day. The policy serves a particular purpose in your business and you want to ensure you have the coverage you need and that you're not overpaying.

READ NEXT: How To Maximize The Discounts On Your Worker's Compensation Insurance

The Rub

Ultimately, workers comp for restaurants is a essential and necessary form of coverage for any business operating in the food industry.

It protects employers legally and provides peace of mind knowing that their employees are financially protected should they sustain an injury from working in the restaurant.

All in all, having workers comp in place will result in a healthier environment for your staff.

This is where we come in at Rogue Risk.

If your current insurance professional has never addressed issues like this with you before, I’d encourage you to reach out to us today.

• You can call or text us at 518.960.6600
• Click here to contact us via email.

I look forward to introducing you to a new viewing of your insurance program.

Thank you,

Ryan Hanley