How do I get catering insurance for one day, and does it cover food poisoning?
Buy a single-event caterer or food vendor policy with general liability plus products-completed operations. The products part is what responds to foodborne illness, allergen and foreign-object claims. One 2026 industry estimate puts basic one-day catering liability at around $50 to $100, commonly $150 to $300+ for bigger events. Add liquor liability if you serve alcohol, add the venue as additional insured, and remember that your own equipment and staff injuries aren't covered. The one-day event insurance guide has the wider picture.
- Food-related claims fall under products-completed operations, so confirm it's on the policy and not excluded.
- Venues typically require $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate, with the venue as additional insured.
- Serving alcohol makes you a server in the business. Host liquor won't cover you; full liquor liability will.
- Service complaints (cold food, late arrival), damage to your own equipment and employee injuries are excluded from GL.
- Regular caterers usually save with an annual policy; one-day cover suits occasional or pop-up work.
What One-Day Catering Insurance Covers
• Products-completed operations: claims that your food made someone ill, triggered an allergic reaction or contained a foreign object.
• Damage to rented premises: fire or water damage to the kitchen you borrowed.
The commercial general liability guide explains how these parts fit within one policy. Product liability is covered in more depth in product liability insurance.
An undeclared nut or shellfish ingredient can produce a serious injury claim. Label everything, document substitutions, and make sure products-completed operations isn't sub-limited to a trivial amount.
Alcohol and Caterers
Paperwork the Venue Will Want
Illustrative Case: The Shrimp Skewers
Scenario: A home-based caterer works a 70-guest engagement party on a one-day GL policy. Two guests are taken ill the next day, and one alleges food poisoning from shrimp skewers and sues for medical costs and lost wages.
Resolution & Judicial Outcome: Because the one-day policy included products-completed operations, the insurer appoints defence counsel and handles the claim within the policy terms. A competing quote the caterer had considered excluded products cover, which would have left the claim uninsured.
What You Should Do: Step-by-Step Action Plan
Critical Mistakes to Avoid
- Buying GL that excludes or barely covers products-completed operations.
- Serving alcohol without liquor liability.
- Expecting GL to cover your own equipment or staff injuries.
- Skipping allergen labels on buffet items.