Your Distillery Isn't Ordinary. Your Insurance Shouldn't Be Either.
I don't just insure distilleries. I understand them.
Most Insurance Agents Have Never Set Foot in a RICkHouse.
Distilleries aren't just manufacturers. They're aging facilities, tasting rooms, event venues, and brand experiences, all under one roof. Each stage carries exposures most agents have never thought about.
Maturation Risk & Barrel Value
A barrel of whiskey doesn't have the same value at five years as it did at five months. Yet many insurance policies fail to properly account for the increasing value of aging spirits. Without appropriate valuation provisions, a significant inventory loss could leave your distillery collecting far less than you expected.
Distillery Operations
From grain delivery to bottling, every stage of production presents unique risks. Flammable liquids, specialized equipment, and complex manufacturing processes create exposures that ordinary commercial insurance programs may not adequately address. Does your coverage reflect how your distillery actually operates?
Tasting Rooms & Events
Opening your doors to the public introduces an entirely different set of exposures. Tastings, cocktails, private events, and off-site festivals can create liability concerns beyond your production operations. Liquor Liability, General Liability, and event-specific coverage all play important roles. Does your insurance protect everything your distillery does beyond making spirits?
The coverage gaps you don't know you have.
These aren't hypothetical risks. They're the coverage problems InsuranceMan finds in real distillery policies, over and over again.
Barrel Value Underinsurance
Your aging spirits may be among your most valuable assets. Does your insurance reflect their value today, or what they were worth when they first went into the barrel? The valuation provisions in your policy can make an enormous difference when a loss occurs.
Ask InsuranceMan About This →Product Contamination & Recall
One contaminated batch can create a costly chain reaction. Lost product, testing, disposal, and potential recalls can quickly add up. Product contamination and product recall are not the same coverage, and neither is automatically included in a standard liability policy. Do you know where your protection begins and ends?
Ask InsuranceMan About This →Equipment Breakdown Mid-Batch
When critical equipment fails mid-production, the repair bill may be the least of your worries. Lost product, interrupted operations, and missed orders can quickly become the bigger expense. Equipment Breakdown coverage may address the equipment itself, but does your policy also protect against the resulting business income loss or spoiled product?
Ask InsuranceMan About This →Liquor Liability Gaps
Serving alcohol creates exposures that your General Liability policy may not cover. Whether you operate a tasting room, host private events, or serve cocktails, Liquor Liability deserves special attention. And here's the kicker: having the coverage doesn't necessarily mean you have the right limits or protection for every operation. When was the last time someone actually checked?
Ask InsuranceMan About This →Hired & Non-Owned Auto (HNOA)
If you and your employee use personal vehicle to deliver samples, pick up supplies, or visit accounts and an accident occurred while conducting company business, your distillery could find itself named in the lawsuit. Personal auto insurance may not adequately protect your business. Does your distillery carry Hired & Non-Owned Auto Liability coverage?
Ask InsuranceMan About This →
BEHIND THE EMBLEM IS 25+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. AND A WHOLE LOT OF PROOF.
"After more than two decades in insurance, I have learned one thing: The most expensive insurance policy isn't necessarily the one with the highest premium. It is the one that does not respond the way you were told it would when you need it the most. My job is to make sure you understand what you are buying, what it covers, and what it doesn't before you ever have a claim."
Tuesday Morning Insurance Tidbits
Straight talk about distillery insurance. No jargon. No sales pitch. Just what you need to know.
Your Coverage Deserves a Second Opinion From Someone Who Actually Knows Distilleries.
A second opinion costs you nothing. An uncovered claim could cost you everything. Let InsuranceMan find the gaps before they become losses.
Tell InsuranceMan about your situation.