Most Common Risks for Catering Vehicles  

Catering vehicles seem to be everywhere these days, from stadium car parks to dual carriageway sidings. Due to the often low prices as well as the convenience they provide, they often garner a loyal customer base.  So it’s not surprising that an increasing number of entrepreneurs are attracted by this potentially lucrative industry niche. However, what many don’t realise is how expensive insurance can be for this kind or business. 

Vehicular Risks

High premiums are of course calculated according to the level of risk which is involved in insuring an individual or company. And unfortunately, catering vehicles present quite a few. To begin with they are physical entities which are vulnerable to road accidents, theft, flood, wind damage as well as breakdowns. Which have the potential to keep the truck out of action for extended periods as repairs are performed 

Operator Risks

In addition to risks associated with vehicle damage, there are also operator risks. Things like slips, trips and falls are unfortunately all too common in the industry. In addition injuries caused by the equipment can occur frequently such as smoke inhalation as well as back injury from heavy lifting. There is also the danger of fire or explosion, often due to the gas/propane canisters used for the cooking equipment. A recent spate of accidents in the US provides a sobering example of just how common these types of incidents can be.  

Liability Risks

There are numerous liability risks associated with the food industry. In fact this is one of the biggest risk areas. For instance, a customer may slip or fall while standing in line to buy food. There’s also a risk to patrons standing in line near busy roads – food trucks are often located near high traffic areas.  

And as many unfortunates will attest, food hygiene can sometimes be found wanting, despite there being more stringent regulations in place these days. This can result in rather unpleasant physical side-effects for the consumer which in turn can result in actions against the proprietor. 

Even if good hygienic standards are in place, food spoilage can also have a similar effect on patrons. Unfortunately, this can occur quite easily due to a build-up of pathogenic bacteria such as salmonella and e-coli – this is often due to food being left out at certain temperatures. Risks arising from food spoilage or poor hygiene can be guarded against by observing good handling practices. But these don’t always prevent consumer illness brought about by allergies, no matter how many notices are put in place. 

So there’s no doubting the amount of insurance risks in the catering industry. While this may be off-putting for some, there are plenty of measures which can be put in place to minimise the chances of these occurring. Like any business, it’s a good policy to prepare for the worse. That way, you’re covered when something does go wrong. 

Check out our Catering Van Insurance page if you'd like more information!