The manufacture of beer is a volatile industry, with both micro- and larger breweries facing significant risks which are specific to the production, storage and transportation of craft beer. All breweries should have general business insurance policies such as public liability insurance to cover the cost of legal action if a third party is injured on your premises, but specific protection for equipment and goods is also required to ensure adequate risk management. These more specialist policies are typically best procured from an insurance provider with experience in the brewing industry to ensure that they meet your exact needs.
Storage of Ingredients
When brewing beer, the quality of the ingredients that are used are paramount to creating a popular and profitable product. When storing ingredients, breweries face a variety of risks which can spoil the ingredients, including sudden increases/decreases in temperature and contamination of yeast cultures. The resultant income loss of spoiled stock can be devastating to a growing business, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Manufacturing
During the manufacturing process, breweries should warrant that their equipment is insured in case of damage. Brewing machinery is expensive, and it could take months for replacement equipment to arrive; how much lost revenue would you suffer if your equipment broke down? Equipment breakdown coverage covers the cost of repairs to the machines that your business depends upon and reimburses you for business interruption costs.
Manufacturing warehouses also carry increased health and safety risks, and it is imperative that your staff are fully trained, and you are insured against claims made against you regarding accidents in the workplace.
Storage of Product
Due to the delicate nature of craft beer, some product may be stored in refrigeration facilities at a controlled temperature. If your brewery stores your beer at a third-party facility, you aren’t in control of how the product is treated and stored, and so may wish to consider specialist cover for casks and kegs stored anywhere in the UK to protect yourself from loss of income due to damaged product.
Expanding your Business
To expand your business, you may want to invite the public into your brewery for tours. These events can help to put your brewery on the map and create an extra source of income by bringing tourism to your local area. However, these events carry inherent risk, including injury or property damage as a result of over-consumption, which won’t be covered by more generic insurance policies.
Expanding your business and showcasing your products at festivals and exhibitions is another great way to introduce your business to a new audience. However, transporting and storing your goods at festivals and exhibitions can increase the risk of loss of stock. Insuring your stock at festivals and events can cover the cost of cancellation and replacement stock as well as damaged equipment, while employer’s liability insurance will cover the staff manning the festival or event stand.
Why Choose Robison?
Without tailored insurance policies, breweries are at risk of covering costs such as shipping recalled product back to the brewery, destruction of contaminated products, replacement equipment and replacement products for goods damaged during transit.
Robison is an experienced business and personal insurance broker based in Petersfield, specialising in sourcing specialist insurance cover for breweries and distilleries throughout the South. Our highly trained staff are on hand to offer support and guidance for your brewery, benefiting from a wealth of experience working with businesses in the brewing industry. Whether you are looking for public and product liability insurance or cover for stock at festivals or events, our team can offer tailored advice and services no matter your requirements. To arrange an audit, call our team on 01730 265 500 or email us at hello@robison.co.uk.
