Wondering why your bar would need assault & battery insurance? Your joint is a special place for people that love liquor to socialize or just relax while enjoying their favorite alcoholic drinks. However, when some patrons have had too much to drink, the bar atmosphere can quickly turn chaotic. Even the calmest individuals ever can turn violent when drunk. Any violent altercations due to drunkenness in your establishment could then expose you to injury claims. That’s why your bar needs protection.
Defining Assault & Battery Insurance
Assault and battery insurance is special coverage for the physical and emotional injury suffered in altercations between two or more individuals while on your premises. The assault component covers physical or verbal threats to someone’s safety. Conversely, battery covers physical injury caused due to hitting or unlawfully touching the victim.
A comprehensive specialized insurance policy for your bar can help pay:
- Your defense attorney fees
- Medical costs incurred due to covered personal injury
- Any settlements associated with a covered claim
In all covered violent physical or emotional confrontations in your bar, potential victims/claimants include:
- Two or more patrons involved in the confrontation
- Injured or otherwise hurt bystanders
- Injured employees, such as bouncers
Why Are Bars Liable for Injuries?
In any drunken altercation that results in injury to someone on your premises, your bar is liable because it provided the intoxicating beverage. You may also be responsible for injuries to a bystander or patron as a result of your employee’s intervention in a violent confrontation within your establishment.
Assault & Battery Insurance Coverages
Covered injury-causing confrontations/incidences include:
- Bar fight injuries-These include physical fights involving multiple patrons.
- Mugging– You’re covered if a patron is injured in a mugging incident while leaving your premises. Coverage includes attacks occurring at the doorway, in the parking lot, or other exterior areas within your establishment.
- Non-physical violence and emotional trauma-These include verbal threats or aggression that causes mental suffering. Name-calling, humiliation, leering, and unwelcome sexual gestures are covered too.
- Sexual assault and harassment-Covered claims include physical altercations ranging from forced intercourse and kissing to grabbing and fondling. The policy also covers noncontact incidences like exhibitionism and unwelcome sexual commentary.
Should Your Business Have Assault & Battery Insurance?
If your business is at risk of lawsuits and injury claims due to the incidences covered above, you need special insurance protection. Make sure to discuss your specific assault & battery insurance coverage requirements with your broker or agent to eliminate any doubt.
That said, you should consider getting this specialized business liability insurance if:
- You serve liquor-You’re partly liable for injuries or claims arising from altercations involving your intoxicated guests/patrons within your establishment. Assault & battery insurance protects your business against this liability.
- Many people come to your liquor joint- Crowds or plenty of foot traffic is a recipe for chaos in any liquor serving establishment. Physical and verbal confrontations are likely to occur when a lot of inebriated strangers are constantly brushing up against each other.
- You’ve hired bouncers-There will be times when your security team has to forcibly eject an unruly patron out of your establishment. Somebody could get hurt in the mayhem, and your bar might be held liable. Insurance can cover any resulting injury claims, irrespective of whether the victim is the rowdy customer, one of your security team members, or an innocent bystander.
Consider getting assault & battery insurance if you operate a bar. This policy can protect you when facing injury claims due to drunken altercations in your establishment. To learn more about liability coverage for your liquor joint, contact our experts at RMS Insurance at (516) 742-8585 today! We’re happy to offer you expertly designed policies for your hospitality business.