Food Truck Insurance in San Diego
Protect Every Mile and Every Meal with Food Truck Insurance
Herriot & Mijailovic is an independent insurance agency servicing food truck businesses in San Diego. We have coverage for any potential risk, such as general liability, commercial property, commercial auto, business owners policy (BOP), worker’s compensation insurance, and many others.
Contact us today for a free quote and affordable insurance for your food truck, submit the form or call our agents on (619) 296-0005.
The number of mobile food vendor businesses has rapidly spiked in San Diego in the past few years and our company is proud to help many of them protect their booming businesses. If you are planning on starting your food truck business, it is crucial to ensure that you, your employees, your clients, and your truck are insured against any hazards that may arise. If you need assistance from expert insurance agents who have been in the market for many decades, turn to us without hesitation.
With decades of experience, Herriott & Mijailovic agents understand the unique insurance needs of mobile dining businesses, enabling us to provide certificates promptly. As we represent insurance companies like Hartford, Nationwide, Safeco, Progressive, Nationwide, and FirstComp, we can shop around for the most suitable policy for you at competitive rates. As a boutique style agency, we deliver high-quality, personalized service.
Why Choose H&M Insurance Agency?
As an independent insurance agency, we act on your behalf and our main priority is to safeguard what matters most to you. Working with us means receiving considerate attention from experienced insurance officers who will assess your situation, answer your questions, provide advice on the best coverage for your needs.
- 50 years of combined experience
- San Diego’s trusted insurance advisors
- Comprehensive selection of products and services
- Free quotes and affordable policies
- Ongoing advice and periodic reviews
- Authorized to sell major suppliers like Nationwide, Travelers, Safeco
What Is Food Truck Insurance?
From Belgium’s breakfast waffles and ice cream to hearty barbeque meats and healthy vegan options, food trailers have a delicious dish for everyone’s taste buds and for every meal of the day. But running such restaurant on wheels entails taking on a certain level of risk. As a business owner, apart from the enthusiasm and dedication to succeed, you must also shield your company’s assets by purchasing insurance policy that will enable you to recover quickly in case things go wrong.
At the most basic level, food truck insurance helps you manage unpredicted risks with minimal financial losses. This way, you are able to continue operating your lunch van even after accidents like fire, theft, or liability issues arise. Adequate policy package provides financial security and peace of mind knowing that your small business has not been significantly impacted so you can keep your kitchen on wheels open.
Common Insurance Risks for Food Vans in San Diego
As your food truck falls into many different categories at the same time, it has its own set of unique risks that have to be insured. What this means is that you have to be extra careful when choosing the coverage in order not to leave any gaps. Thoroughly review your operational risks to identify major vulnerabilities. For skilled guidance and assistance, talk to our knowledgeable agents who can review your policies and provide professional advice on the best coverages to fill potential gaps.
- Operational risks – Equipment failure (grill, hood, mixer, power generator), fire, burns, cuts
- Food safety risks – Cross-contamination, allergies, foodborne illnesses, food spoilage
- Natural disasters – Wildfires, storms, flood
- Vehicle-related risks – Collisions, theft, vandalism
- Liability risks – Slips and falls, property damage, lawsuits
NOTE: All food handlers operating in San Diego County must carry either a Food Handler Card or complete a Food Handler Test. The requirements for food handling permits in San Diego County are different from requirements in the state of California. For more information visit Food Handler Program.
What Insurance Do I Need For My Food Truck Business?
When you own a mobile kitchen, you can take your business to many different locations and you don’t have to rent or own a brick-and-mortar property. Because of the unique nature of your business, you have to carry several coverages such as general liability, commercial auto, and restaurant insurance.
The most common coverages for mobile kitchen businesses are listed below.
Commercial auto insurance
Your business is inside your vehicle. When driving is fundamental part of your business and you use your specially designed vehicle to store, prepare, cook, and serve food, standard auto insurance is not sufficient. You have to use commercial auto insurance to protect yourself against hazards that can cause your restaurant trailer to shut down.
Commercial auto coverage serves to help you cover the costs caused by:
- Car collisions
- Theft
- Vehicle breakdown
General liability insurance
General liability insurance provides protection against a wide range of food truck risks including injuries, accidents, and damages. What this means is that if your client gets hurt or if someone’s property gets damaged and you are held liable, you will have financial protection with this coverage. This insurance may also be mandatory for your mobile food truck permit.
General liability can help offset the following:
- Costs of medical care & treatments
- Repair or replacement of damaged property
- Legal fees and judgments
Worker’s compensation insurance
Workers’ compensation insurance is coverage for injuries at work. It helps pay for expenses caused by incidents that happened during work. This type of coverage is mandatory in the state of California for all food van employers that have one or more employees working for them.
Worker’s compensation coverage helps pay:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Employer liability lawsuits
Business owner’s policy
Business owner’s policy, also referred to as BOP, bundles two basic coverages General liability and Commercial property into a single policy. It is typically offered at a discounted price and can include endorsements such as Equipment breakdown or Data breach insurance.
It helps cover you from claims of:
- Product liability
- Personal injury
- Theft
Commercial property insurance
Commercial property insurance insures you against damages to your own property inside the trailer. It is another vital coverage as it protects the ingredients you use for preparing meals, as well as any furniture and assets you may carry with you inside the truck.
This coverage helps pay losses caused by:
- Damaged inventory
- Stolen supplies
- Lost equipment
Optional Coverages
The aforementioned coverages represent basic (minimum) protection for a typical food truck, but there are other coverages you may also consider adding in order to fill all the gaps and have rock solid protection.
- Liquor liability insurance – Intended for any establishment that serves, sells, or distributes alcohol. It also insures you from bodily injury and property damage claimed caused by an intoxicated individual that has been served alcohol by you.
- Product liability – Shields you from claims of illnesses or injuries caused by consuming your food products. (allergies or food poisoning)
- Business interruption insurance – Covers lost income and expenses due to covered perils like property damage or equipment breakdown.
- Food spoilage insurance – Reimburses expenses of spoiled food due to power outage or equipment malfunction.
How Much Does Insurance For Food Service Trucks Cost?
The cost of food truck insurance varies based on several factors:
- The type of truck
- Location
- The type of equipment you use for cooking
- Whether or not you have employees
- The value of assets you want to insure
- Number of employees
- Specific risk you’re facing
- Amount of liability & deductions
Bear in mind that insuring expensive furnishings and kitchen equipment will typically cost more than insuring regular priced (or used) equipment.
In California, there are also liability minimums that commercial auto insurance must meet, but many food truck operators opt for higher limits or extra coverage to better protect their businesses.
- $5,000 for property damage
- $15,000 for one person injury/death
- $30,000 for injury/death of more than one person

Simple Ways To Cut Insurance Cost Down
There are several ways to lower your premium cost and they include:
- Regular annual risk assessment review to determine whether any changes can be made to reduce the cost
- Consult with an agent to make sure your current policy is of suitable size for your business
- Check if you qualify for multi-policy discount
- Bundle several policies together
Who Needs Food Truck Insurance?
Any business that makes, serves, and sells food from a vehicle should obtain adequate insurance coverage. This includes businesses of all types serving popular cuisines, from American and Italian to Korean and Thai. Desserts and beverages are also often sold in food trailers.
- Mobile food trucks
- Street food trucks
- Fast food trucks
- BBQ food trucks
- Burger food trucks
- Ice cream trucks
- Catering vehicles
- Vendor vans
- Mobile concession stands
- Lunch trucks
- Hot dog stands
- Taco trucks
- Donut trucks
- Dessert food trucks
- Brunch trucks
- Fried chicken trucks
- Pretzel trucks
- Vegan food trucks
- Coffee shop on wheels
- Mexican mobile vendors
- Smoothie catering trucks
- Mediterranean cuisine vans
- Belgium waffles
- Pizza catering kitchens
Call (619) 296-0005 For Best Food Truck Insurance in San Diego
Whether you’re selling pretzels at local fairs, or fruit smoothies on the plaza, we know how important it is to safeguard your small enterprise. Enjoy the benefits of your kitchen on wheels and let H&M shield you for unpredicted hazards. With decades of professional experience in delivering customized policies, we have been recognized as trustworthy and reliably by many owners in the food industry sector in San Diego. If you need professional assistance and advice, feel free to give us a call. We will gladly help your business thrive.