The Right Craft Brewery Insurance Agent for the Job

Q. If you have a brewery insurance claim … how many people do you need to handle it?

A. One—if you have the right insurance agent.

There are quite a few brewery insurance programs available out there, and some of the better known programs are actually wholesalers. If you’re insured by one of those programs and you have a claim, that means you have to contact your agent, who contacts the wholesaler, who then contacts a third party to deal with your problem.

Beall Brewery Insurance doesn’t use a wholesaler product to insure craft brewery clients. Principal Richard Beall works directly with the insurance company to customize the insurance package for each craft brewery client. It is Beall’s relationships—with the company, with the underwriter, with the claims representatives—that make his clients’ claims experiences run so smoothly.

For instance, when one craft brewery discovered that a double batch of one of its most popular brews had been contaminated and was not saleable, brewery staff contact Beall directly. Beall himself contacted the insurance company and kept an eye on the claims process, ensuring that it would be expedited.

And when the brewery received payment—within two weeks of filing the claim—the check was for six figures. That was also thanks to Beall, who had made sure the brewery’s customized insurance plan included coverage not just for the cost of ingredients that made up the contaminated batch of beer—but that the valuation of contaminated beer would be based on selling price, so it would include the brewery’s profit.

“There are a lot of craft brewery insurance choices available,” says Beall. “But when you’re shopping around, be sure that you’re dealing with an agent who’s very involved in the craft beer industry—who understand the business, the exposures, how a craft brewery operates, and how the equipment works.

“The right insurance agent can make a tremendous difference in your business.”

For more than 25 years, Beall Financial and Insurance Services, Inc., has been helping corporations and individuals protect their most important assets. The agency’s client base covers a spectrum of niche businesses, such as craft breweries, that require specialized insurance packages and knowledge. With California offices in Redlands and Newport Beach, Beall Financial and Insurance Services serves clients nationwide.