Insurance for Connecticut Breweries, Wineries, and Distilleries: Taproom, Product, and Spoilage

Short answer: A Connecticut brewery, winery or distillery needs products liability for what it bottles and cans, liquor liability for its taproom or tasting room under Connecticut's Dram Shop Act, property and equipment breakdown for brewhouses, stills and cooling, spoilage and contamination coverage for inventory, business income, product recall, workers' compensation, and auto or cargo coverage for distribution.

Taproom and tasting room

On-site service creates dram shop exposure: under C.G.S. 30-102, a seller can be liable for injuries caused by an intoxicated person it served, up to $250,000 per injured person. General liability excludes this for businesses that serve alcohol, so liquor liability is essential, ideally with assault and battery coverage. See liquor liability and the Dram Shop Act. Food trucks and events on site should carry their own coverage naming you.

Products and recall

• Products liability for injury from foreign objects, contamination or exploding bottles and cans.
• Product recall for the cost of retrieving and destroying a batch, and lost profits, which general liability excludes.
• Distributor and retailer contracts often require additional insured endorsements.

Equipment, inventory and spoilage

• Equipment breakdown for brewhouses, glycol chillers, stills, bottling and canning lines.
• Spoilage and contamination for beer in fermenters, wine in barrels and spirits aging, typically excluded or limited on standard forms.
• Inventory valuation: decide whether aging spirits and wine are valued at cost or selling price, and insure accordingly.
• Distilleries carry a heightened fire exposure; fire suppression and storage practices drive underwriting.

Vineyards and farms

Wineries with vineyards need farm or crop coverage for vines and grapes, which commercial property excludes, and should consider agritourism exposures from tours, events and pick-your-own visitors.

New England Insurance, an independent Connecticut agency in Bridgeport since 2012, places coverage for Connecticut craft beverage producers. See manufacturing coverage or request a review.