Food Truck Insurance in Tennessee

Common risks for food trucks

• Accidents while driving between events
• Fires from fryers and propane
• Customer burns or allergy claims
• Equipment breakdown in the middle of an event
• Event venues requiring proof of insurance

Coverages food trucks often consider

• Commercial auto A food truck generally needs commercial auto. Ask how cooking equipment built into the truck is covered.
• General liability Festivals and venues usually require general liability with them named as additional insured.
• Tools and equipment (inland marine) Covers tools and gear that travel to job sites or customer locations, or sit in your truck.
• Spoilage Covers food or other perishable stock lost to a power outage or equipment breakdown.
• Workers’ compensation Pays medical bills and lost wages if an employee is hurt on the job, and includes employer’s liability.
• Special event coverage Short-term liability or cancellation coverage for a single event or season.

Not every business needs every coverage. The right mix depends on your work, your contracts, and your budget. All coverage is subject to underwriting and the terms of the policy.

What a claim could look like

For example, imagine a propane line on your truck leaks at a Franklin festival, and a small flash fire damages the vendor tent next to you. A claim like that may involve your general liability and your commercial auto, depending on the facts and policy terms.

This is a hypothetical example for education only. Whether any claim is covered depends on the facts and your policy terms.

Tennessee rules to know

Commercial plates. In Tennessee, a vehicle with a commercial license plate must be covered under a commercial auto policy, according to the Tennessee Department of Revenue.

Workers’ comp. Most Tennessee employers outside construction and coal mining must carry workers’ compensation once they have five or more employees, full- or part-time, per the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Even below that number, many owners choose to carry it.

We can review your requirements and help you shop workers’ compensation and the other coverages above with carriers that write food trucks, subject to underwriting.

Certificates of insurance

Festivals, breweries, and event organizers almost always ask food trucks for a certificate naming them as additional insured. Request them a few days ahead.

A certificate of insurance shows your coverage on the day it’s issued. If a contract asks for additional insured status or a waiver of subrogation, the policy usually needs an endorsement, not just a line on the certificate. Our certificate of insurance checklist walks through what to check.

What affects the cost

• The type of work you do and how it’s classified
• Annual revenue and payroll
• Number of employees and any subcontractors
• Where you work and the value of your equipment or property
• The limits and deductibles you choose
• Your claims history and years in business

We can’t promise a price ahead of time, but we can compare options and explain the trade-offs in plain English.

How Eric can help food trucks

Restaurants, trucks, and caterers serving Nashville, Franklin, Murfreesboro, and Mt. Juliet often need certificates for festivals, venues, and landlords. As an independent agent affiliated with Hutsenpiller Insurance, Eric can review what you have, read your contract requirements with you, and help you shop options with more than one carrier. See how an independent agent works for you.

Related guides

• Food and Beverage Business Insurance in Tennessee
• All business types we can help
• Business insurance in Middle Tennessee
• General liability insurance
• Commercial auto insurance
• Certificates and additional insureds explained
• What drives commercial auto costs
• Small business insurance checklist (PDF)
• Certificate of insurance checklist (PDF)