Catering businesses operate in fast-paced, unpredictable environments. Whether you run a commercial kitchen, cater weddings and corporate events, operate a food truck, or prepare meals onsite in private homes, your business faces a wide range of risks.

Because caterers work off-site, transport equipment, and handle food in unfamiliar locations, standard insurers often cannot cover catering businesses properly. Many impose exclusions for off-site cooking, food transport, equipment damage, or liability at third-party venues.

Morgan Insurance Brokers specialises in hospitality insurance and catering insurance, giving you access to a panel of insurers who understand the risks of mobile food operations.

Why Catering Businesses Need Specialist Insurance

Caterers face risks that differ significantly from fixed-location restaurants. Every venue, event, and job brings new challenges.

Common risks include:

• Food transport hazards, such as temperature issues or spoilage during transit
• Slip, trip, and burn risks while working in unfamiliar kitchens or event venues
• Equipment damage during loading, unloading, or while in use
• Food contamination, cross-contamination, or allergen exposure
• Venue property damage, especially when cooking on-site
• Client expectation risks, especially for weddings and corporate events

These risks often fall outside standard business insurance. Working with a specialist broker ensures every exposure is covered.

Business Package Insurance for Catering Businesses

A Catering Business Insurance Package brings your essential covers together into one tailored policy.

Contents and Stock

Covers kitchen fit-out, utensils, appliances, raw ingredients, and stock against fire, theft, and accidental damage.

General Property Cover

Ideal for portable catering equipment, including:

• Portable ovens and grills
• Chafing dishes and bain-maries
• Knives, utensils, and cookware
• Trestle tables, décor, and serving ware
• Coffee machines and beverage dispensers
• Generator units and portable fridges/freezers

This cover protects tools and equipment you take off-site, including accidental damage, theft, or loss anywhere in Australia.

Public and Products Liability

Essential protection if a client, venue guest, or member of the public claims injury or property damage. It also covers allegations of food poisoning, allergic reactions, or contamination, major risks for caterers.

Machinery Breakdown

Covers refrigeration units, bain-maries, ovens, and commercial kitchen appliances if they break down unexpectedly.

Electronic Breakdown

Covers POS devices, ordering tablets, digital thermometers, and temperature monitoring systems.

Goods in Transit

Covers your food, stock, and equipment while being transported between your kitchen, vehicles, and event locations.

Business Interruption

Covers loss of income and ongoing expenses if you’re unable to operate after an insured event such as fire or major equipment failure.

The Risks of Catering at Different Locations

Caterers face added complexity by working across multiple venues, each with unique safety challenges. These risks often cause standard insurers to decline cover.

Hospitality Venues (Function Centres, Hotels, Halls)

• Unfamiliar kitchens and layouts
• Wet flooring creating slip risks
• Shared equipment concerns
• High-volume service pressure

Private Homes

• No commercial ventilation or safe cooking areas
• Tripping hazards and cramped spaces
• Client property damage risks
• Limited access for equipment loading

Outdoor Events & Festivals

• Weather exposure affecting food safety
• Limited power access requiring generators
• Uneven ground increasing fall risks
• Greater risk of theft when site security is low

Corporate Offices

• Building restrictions on heat sources
• Strict safety and compliance regulations
• Risks from moving bulky equipment through office spaces

Because every location presents different hazards, you need insurance that covers any venue, any time — something standard business policies rarely allow.

Management Liability Insurance

Protects owners and management from claims involving employment practices, OH&S breaches, wage disputes, and regulatory actions. Essential for any catering business with staff.

Cyber Insurance

Online bookings, invoices, payment systems, and client data increase your cyber exposure. Cyber Insurance covers ransomware, hacked payment systems, and data breaches including recovery costs and lost income.

Why Standard Insurers Often Decline Caterers

Caterers are viewed as high-risk because of:

• Off-site food preparation
• Mobile operations
• Food poisoning liability
• Expensive equipment frequently transported
• Third-party venue interactions

Morgan Insurance Brokers uses a specialist panel of insurers who understand these risks and provide comprehensive cover without unreasonable exclusions.

Why Choose Morgan Insurance Brokers

We are hospitality insurance specialists with extensive experience covering mobile food operators, caterers, and event-based businesses.

Why caterers choose us:

• Access to specialist hospitality insurers
• Tailored cover for mobile and off-site catering
• Full protection for equipment, liability, and food safety risks
• Expert claims support from start to finish
• Competitive premiums backed by a broker who works for you

Get a Quote for Catering Business Insurance

Protect your catering business with a tailored insurance package designed by hospitality specialists.

Contact Morgan Insurance Brokers today for a free, no-obligation quote.