Business Insurance Checklist for Shops, Cafés and Restaurants

Shops, cafés and restaurants welcome customers for most of the day, which exposes them to particular risks for both property and liability. In a shop, the display window and stock come first; in a restaurant, it is the kitchen equipment and customer safety. Whether you are a local owner or a foreign entrepreneur who has opened a café in Sarıyer or Levent, this guide offers a practical checklist to use when taking out or renewing a policy. For a broader view of which insurance to prioritise, see our guide insurance priority order for SMEs.

Before you start: describe your business correctly

The first and most important step in business insurance is declaring your activity correctly. A clothing shop, a dry cleaner, a café, a restaurant with an open kitchen or a bakery may be placed in different risk groups by insurers. Details such as whether you use open flames, fryers or a tandoor, and whether you use bottled gas or mains gas, should be given in full at the quote stage. An incorrect description can harm the claim payment.

Property checklist

• Building or tenant improvements: if the premises are rented, insure your decoration, counters, shelving and installation work with a declared value.
• Fixtures: tables, chairs, shelves, the till and furniture.
• Stock: goods for sale in shops, food and drink stock in restaurants. Where stock varies by season, set the value with the busy period in mind.
• Kitchen and machinery: consider machinery breakdown cover for hobs, ovens, dishwashers, coffee machines and refrigerators.
• Cold room and fridge contents: some policies offer separate cover for goods spoiled because the refrigeration system fails.
• Electronic equipment: cash registers, card payment terminals, computers and camera systems.
• Glass and shop windows: glass breakage cover is especially important for shops with large windows.
• Signs and advertising boards: check whether exterior signs are included in the policy.

Risk checklist

Alongside the basic covers, make sure these risks are included for your business:

• Fire, lightning and explosion
• Internal water and flooding
• Theft, including theft from the till or safe
• Storm, hail and snow load
• Earthquake
• Strikes, lockouts, riots and civil commotion
• Malicious acts and vandalism

Liability checklist

For businesses that serve the public, liability covers matter at least as much as property covers:

• Third-party liability: protects against claims from customers who slip on a wet floor, are injured by a falling shelf or have another accident on the premises.
• Product liability: harm caused by food and drink served in restaurants and cafés may be assessed under liability cover, depending on the policy terms; ask about this separately.
• Employer’s liability: protection against claims employees may bring after a workplace accident.
• Tenant’s and neighbour liability: damage to the building owner or neighbouring businesses from a fire or leak starting in your premises.

Business interruption: the silent loss

When a shop has to close after a fire or flood, rent, salaries and other fixed costs continue, but income stops. Loss of profit or business interruption cover can pay for the losses caused by the disruption after an insured loss, according to the policy terms. It is worth considering especially for businesses with high rent and staff costs.

Before renewing your policy

1. List the decoration and equipment investments made over the past year.
2. Update your stock and fixture values.
3. Tell the insurer about any change in your activity.
4. Keep records of fire extinguisher checks and hood and chimney cleaning.
5. Describe your security measures, alarms and cameras.
6. Review liability limits according to how busy your business is.
7. Get quotes from different insurers and compare the covers.

When comparing quotes, look at the limit and deductible of each cover separately. Two covers with the same name can have different scope in different policies. For example, whether glass breakage cover includes display windows, interior partitions or the sign can vary from policy to policy. So before choosing the cheapest-looking quote, make sure the items that matter for your business are really covered.

For businesses that are opening or changing hands, the policy should be in force before trading begins. This is when decoration and equipment spending peaks, and a fire or theft at this stage can cause a serious loss before any income comes in. If you take over an existing business, remember that the previous owner’s policy does not pass to you; a new policy must be issued. Seasonal businesses, or those closed in winter, should say so at the quote stage, because long closures can affect how theft cover is assessed.

Being ready for a claim is part of the checklist too. Keep a copy of the policy at the premises and on your phone, and make sure staff know what to do in a fire or leak. Keeping invoices, stock records and fixture lists in order is the fastest way to document your loss, shortening the loss adjuster’s process and helping you reopen sooner.

See the options on our business insurance page. As Ailenizin Sigortacısı, we have served shop owners and businesses since 1996 by comparing quotes from several insurers. For a quote that suits your business, call +90 530 375 89 61 or message us on WhatsApp; English-speaking support is available.