Restaurants and bars often see a welcome uptick in foot traffic during the holiday season. But increased traffic comes with heightened insurance risk. More guests during periods of inclement weather means more opportunities for slip-and-fall incidents. Based on NEXT’s data, we see slip-and-fall incident claims increase by 25 percent during the winter months. These accidents tend to occur in familiar trouble spots: slick entryways, icy sidewalks and poorly maintained parking lots. Holiday parties often amplify the risk, as guests tend to drink more and wear less practical footwear, factors that increase the chances of slipping on slush or tripping over wet floor mats." Meanwhile, slip-and-fall claims are growing more expensive to settle, driven by rising medical costs and increased attorney involvement, particularly in litigious markets like New York City. So, how can restaurant operators protect themselves? You can’t control the weather or a claimant’s legal tactics, but you can control how well your business, staff and insurance coverage are prepared to manage winter risk. Get Liability Coverage Fundamentals Right Many restaurant operators assume that simply having insurance is enough to eliminate winter slip-and-fall risk. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. There are two key areas to review with your agent or broker: 1. Correct Business Classification How you describe your business on your application matters. If you operate as a full-service restaurant but you’re insured as a coffee shop, there may be exclusions or misclassification issues that affect coverage. In a worst-case scenario, a material misrepresentation (e.g., not disclosing that you…
