Farmer’s Market, Craft Vendor or Food Cart Insurance

Farmer’s Markets and Vendor Fairs are very popular in the Spokane area and a great way to get started selling your goods without a large overhead. If you’re considering selling produce, food, crafts or other goods from a cart or booth, you may need or want to have insurance. Some venues will even require it. Below is our guide to Farmer’s Market, Craft Vendor and Food Cart Insurance so you can sell your wares with peace of mind.

Why do you need Insurance for a Vendor Market?

The need for insurance always comes down to risk. What risks and liabilities might you face while selling your food, produce, crafts or even hosting a wedding, party or public event? Some possible risks include:

Loss or damage of your products
Personal injury of yourself or shoppers at your booth or guests at your event
Damage to the property you’re renting
Damage to your booth or equipment
General liability (there are a myriad of reasons someone might sue you)

Real World Examples:

Sometimes understanding insurance, when and why we need it can be complicated and confusing. Here are a few “real world” examples of scenarios where you would need insurance for market and vendor events.

Example 1: I have a pumpkin and apple farm at Greenbluff and want to add a farm stand to my property. What kind of insurance do I need?

Farms typically have a hobby farm or traditional farm insurance policy and, luckily, the liability from your farm policy include the farm stand on your property. If you want physical damage coverage for the actual stand itself, then you would need to add it to your policy as a farm building.

Example 2: I sell homemade tie dye shirts online from my home studio. I want to start selling at craft fairs, farmers’ markets and vendor fairs. What Insurance do I need?

Selling exclusively out of your home requires different coverage than selling at a booth, craft fair or “vendor mall.” Both coverage options will want to know how much your inventory is worth and where you’re going to be selling. If out of your home and online only, you can get a home-based policy. For a stand or booth, you will need a business owners policy that will cover liability, products, and property. These policies will have a minimum premium but will cover all locations you are selling from. The market may request a proof of insurance, in which your insurer can provide a certificate.

Example 3: I’ve been baking cookies at home to sell to friends and I want to sell at my local farmer’s market. What insurance should I have to get started?

To get started with selling your baked goods a Farmer’s Market, be sure to check with the administrators of the market and other vendors to see what the insurance requirements are. Send this information to the insurance companies when requesting a quote. Ideally your coverage will include commercial general liability and property insurance for your inventory and all the equipment needed for your business.

Some Venues Require Insurance

Some venues require you to have insurance in order to be a vendor at a market, fair or event. They may require a Certificate of Liability Insurance or other proof of insurance in order to be a vendor. This is a document that details the type of insurance coverage, the insurance company providing the coverage, and the dates and limits of coverage.

In addition to providing proof that you’ve secured Liability Insurance, you may also be required to add the facility/venue as an Additional Insured to your policy. Your Insurance provider will typically email you the certificate for you to forward on to the venue.

What kind of Insurance do I need for my farm, craft or food booth?

A general liability policy is usually sufficient but it’s best to contact us to make sure you’re getting what you need. Our commercial insurance specialist will help you decide which is best for your unique situation. General liability insurance for farmer’s markets, food carts and craft vendors are typically very affordable! It’s worth it to make sure you’re covered.

There are also some self service policies you can purchase yourself online that are very affordable. Here are some options:

For food trailers, food trucks, caterers and food carts: https://www.fliprogram.com/

For weddings, parties and public events: https://rvnaeventinsurance.com/

As usual, we’re always happy to get on a call with you for a free consultation to walk you through the process of finding the right insurance for your Farmer’s Market or vendor fair booth.