Workers’ Compensation for Food Trucks

As a food truck owner, you’ve worked hard to bring your culinary dream to reality. From securing and outfitting your truck, to creating the menu, to ensuring your customers have a great experience, you’ve put in countless hours to make your business a success. So, why risk your financial security and the future of your operation by not having the right business insurance? 

Despite everything you do to make your business successful and safe, the reality is that on-the-job injuries happen every day — no one is immune to workplace injury or occupational illness. Unfortunately, the costs associated with even one workplace incident can devastate a small business like a food truck. 

That’s why workers’ compensation for food trucks is here. Workers’ compensation policies can help protect food truck owners and their businesses from the surprise costs of on-the-job injuries.

Workers’ Comp for Food Truck Owners

Food industry professionals face dangers like hot surfaces, wet floors, open flames, sharp knives, and electric food prep equipment every day while they’re on the job. This puts culinary professionals at risk of experiencing serious workplace injuries. In addition, food truck employees also face the risk of experiencing motor vehicle accidents, which can cause injuries ranging from minor to severe.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, food trucks have higher injury and illness rates than what’s commonly found in the broader foodservice industry. In the event that you or one of your employees is injured while working, can you afford to pay for medical bills and treatment costs? If you had to be out of work due to an injury for an extended period of time, do you have the ability to supplement your income? 

Many food truck owners do not have the funds for those kinds of expenses. If that’s the case for you, don’t panic. That’s where workers’ comp for food trucks comes in handy. Regardless of whether you operate your food truck on your own or if you have a small staff, workers’ comp insurance makes it possible for you to cover expenses related to workplace injuries and illnesses. 

Food Truck Injury Risks

You take pride in your work and want to create a safe and successful environment for your team, but the truth is all foodservice businesses face risks. Injuries such as burns, cuts, falls, and strains are all common. For food truck workers, the risks are higher for specific injuries such as sprains, tears, lacerations, punctures, and burns. In fact, fire is one of the most common and dangerous risks to food truck workers. According to information provided at the 2015 National Fire Protection Association Conference, there were 21 injuries and two deaths resulting from food truck accidents in the U.S. between 2011-2015. 

Even though it’s not possible to avoid these threats completely, you can help provide support for yourself, your employees, and your business by getting workers’ comp coverage. Workers’ compensation insurance for food trucks helps you pay for unexpected costs related to on-the-job injuries. Coverage includes compensation for: 

• Emergency medical care including ER visits, ambulance services, or emergency medical treatment
• Continuing medical care including primary care physician visits, medication, rehabilitation, or physical therapy
• Lost wages including temporary or permanent full or partial disability

In addition to being a helpful way to pay for workplace accidents, workers’ compensation is a legal requirement in many states. State laws vary, but most states require business owners to provide coverage if they have one or more employees. 

Restaurateurs who operate in states that require coverage could face financial fines and potentially criminal penalties if they’re found noncompliant with their state’s laws. Between the benefits it provides and the legal requirements it helps businesses meet, workers’ comp for food trucks is a must. 

Risk Management for Food Trucks

It takes time, effort, and a lot of research to launch and run your own food truck, so you’re no stranger to the meticulous planning that goes into ensuring your business is a success. Even though workers’ compensation insurance is a great step in being prepared for workplace accidents, it’s no substitute for being safety-conscious and mitigating risks whenever possible. 

Implementing safety protocols and taking steps to prevent workplace injuries can not only help keep you and your employees safe, but it may even reduce your insurance premiums. Insurance companies favor businesses that prioritize workplace safety. In addition, they are more likely to charge businesses less for coverage if those businesses have a low number of claims.

Cost of Workers’ Comp for a Food Truck

Budgeting is an important aspect of running a business, so when looking for insurance coverage cost will be a factor. How much does workers’ comp for a food truck cost? 

The answer will not be the same for every business. Insurance providers determine how much you’ll pay for coverage using a variety of factors unique to each business. These include how large your business is, the number of employees you have, where you’re located, and the industry your business operates in. 

To get the best idea of what they should expect to pay for coverage, many business owners choose to get quotes from multiple providers; however, this process can be frustrating and time-consuming. Luckily, with the right provider, it doesn’t have to be. 

At Cerity, we are dedicated to providing employers with workers’ comp for food trucks, without the hassles associated with traditional insurance. We created a faster, more affordable way to get the workers’ comp coverage your business needs. Using proprietary tools and modern technology, we provide food truck owners just like you with quick quotes and instant coverage. 

Check out our workers’ compensation quote tool to get your free online quote and experience how Cerity has reinvented workers’ comp insurance.