Norwest NSW
Bottle Shop Insurance
A bottle shop carries a lot of stock that's easy to sell and easy to steal, behind a lot of glass, with cash and customers coming through the door till late. On top of that, you're serving alcohol, and that brings its own set of responsibilities.
A standard shop policy won't cover all of it. Bottle shop insurance is put together around the way liquor retail actually works.
Looking for a local broker? Talk to insurance brokers in Norwest about bottle shop cover.
Who it suits
Cover for liquor retail businesses
Drive-through bottle shops
Bottle shops attached to pubs, clubs or supermarkets
Specialty wine, craft beer and spirits retailers
Liquor businesses with delivery or online sales
What it can cover
- Stock. Fire, storm, water damage and theft of wine, beer and spirits, including high-value bottles.
- Theft and break-in. Stolen stock and damage to doors, shutters and locks.
- Cash and hold-up. Money on the premises and in transit, usually with limits and conditions.
- Glass. Shopfront windows, doors and display glass.
- Breakage. Bottles broken in the shop, in storage or while being moved, in some policies.
- Refrigeration and spoilage. Stock lost when a cool room or fridge fails.
- Public liability. A customer slips, a pallet falls, a delivery goes wrong.
- Liquor liability. Legal liability linked to the sale or supply of alcohol.
- Business interruption. Lost profit while you can't trade after an insured event.
- Fit-out and equipment. Shelving, coolrooms, POS systems and signage.
- Cyber. POS, card payments and customer data.
- Workers' compensation. For your staff. This is compulsory if you employ people.
What to check
- Theft conditions. Insurers often ask for alarms, CCTV, roller shutters or locks, and may reduce a claim if they weren't in use.
- Stock value. Include your Christmas and event peaks, not just an average month. High-value wine and spirits may need to be listed.
- Delivery. If you deliver, stock on the road and driver risks need their own cover. See our Goods in Transit page.
- Hold-up and staff safety. Check whether cash cover includes robbery and what it needs from you.
- Responsible service of alcohol. In NSW, staff who sell alcohol generally need RSA training, and insurers expect it. It also helps in a claim.
- Liquor liability wording. Many public liability policies limit or exclude alcohol-related claims.
- Licence conditions. Your trading hours and licence conditions can affect your cover.
Case study
An example
On a Saturday night, a bottle shop in Sydney's north-west is broken into after closing. The thieves force the roller door and take $22,000 of spirits and premium wine. The door and a window are damaged. If the shop met its alarm and locking conditions, theft cover can respond to the stock and the repairs. If business interruption is included, it can also help while the shop is closed for repairs. If the alarm wasn't switched on and the policy required it, the insurer may reduce or decline the claim.
Illustrative example only. Cover depends on your policy wording.
Contact us
To put a quote together, we'll ask about:
We're based at Suite 2.02, 2-8 Brookhollow Ave, Norwest NSW. Call 02 8660 2305 or email admin@idealbrokers.com.au.
Alcohol-related liability is often treated separately — see our liquor liability page.
Ideal Insurance Brokers, Norwest NSW 2153. Ideal Brokers Pty Ltd (CAR No. 001262504 | ABN 65 623 205 952) is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Metrix Connect Pty Ltd ACN 635 286 136 as the trustee for the Metrix Connect Hybrid Trust ABN 55 742 327 931 | AFSL No. 525491. This page contains general information only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Read the Product Disclosure Statement before buying.
Bottle shop insurance FAQs
Usually not fully. Liquor stock, theft conditions and alcohol-related liability are often treated differently, so check the wording.
Only up to the limits in your policy. Rare or high-value bottles may need to be listed.
That's where liquor liability and public liability come in. Check that your policy doesn't exclude it. See our Liquor Liability page.
Only with spoilage and breakdown cover. See our Food Spoilage page and our Kitchen Equipment and Breakdown page.
Tell us. Delivery vehicles, drivers and stock in transit need to be looked at.
Some policies cover cash and property taken in a hold-up, with conditions. Staff injury sits under workers' compensation. We'll explain what yours says.
Yes. The venue's policy may not cover your stock or liability, so check how the two fit together.