Food trucks in Massachusetts typically need commercial auto meeting at least the state’s 25/50/30 minimums, general liability that satisfies event organizers and towns, coverage for the kitchen equipment built into the truck, and workers’ compensation from the first employee. Trucks working several towns often need a separate board of health permit in each, and each may ask for its own certificate of insurance.
This page is for Massachusetts food truck and mobile kitchen operators, whether you park at Boston lunch spots, rotate through brewery lots in the Merrimack Valley or work summer festivals on the Cape. Your restaurant happens to have wheels, and the policy has to insure both.
Permits and paperwork for Massachusetts mobile food
Under 105 CMR 590.010(B), a mobile food operation needs a valid permit from each board of health where it operates, and the commissary and servicing-area provisions of the adopted 2013 FDA Food Code apply. A certified food protection manager, 18 or older, must be the person in charge and hold the Massachusetts allergen awareness certificate. In practice, a truck serving Cambridge on Tuesday, Somerville on Thursday and a Worcester festival on Saturday may be juggling several permits and several certificate requests.
Massachusetts auto minimums for policies written or renewed on or after July 1, 2025 are 25/50/30 (in thousands of dollars), with 25/50 uninsured motorist and PIP of 8,000 dollars per person. Events and municipalities usually require higher liability limits and additional insured wording. Your first hired helper triggers workers’ comp, with no hours threshold. If you plan to serve alcohol at events, talk to the ABCC and local licensing authority first; our Massachusetts liquor liability page explains the insurance side.
What goes wrong on a food truck
- A propane line fitting loosens on a rough stretch of Route 2 and a flash fire damages the kitchen.
- The truck clips a parked car while maneuvering into a tight festival spot.
- A generator fails in August and a full load of marinated chicken spoils.
- A customer waiting at the service window is hit by hot oil splatter.
- The owner’s personal pickup tows the truck and the personal policy denies the claim after a crash.
- A catalytic converter and a cash box are stolen from the commissary lot overnight.
- An employee cuts a hand while prepping in the cramped galley.
Food truck coverage checklist
- Commercial auto — liability and physical damage for the truck or trailer; personal auto policies usually will not fit.
- General liability — customer injuries and foodborne illness at every stop.
- Equipment coverage — griddles, fryers, refrigeration and the kitchen build-out, which auto physical damage may not fully value.
- Spoilage — food lost to a generator or refrigeration failure.
- Workers’ compensation — burns and cuts in tight quarters.
- Additional insured endorsements — towns, event organizers and host breweries ask for them.
- Business income — lost event revenue while a damaged truck is repaired.
- Umbrella — for festivals demanding higher limits.
Pricing factors for mobile kitchens
Carriers price the vehicle (value, age, garaging location), drivers’ records, annual mileage and radius, cooking equipment and fuel (propane, generator), number of events, revenue, and any alcohol service. Helpful steps: keep propane systems inspected and documented, carry a fire extinguisher suited for kitchen fires, secure the truck in a fenced commissary lot, and maintain a clean driving record for everyone behind the wheel. Trailers towed by another vehicle need the towing vehicle insured correctly too. See also food trailer insurance.
Quotes and certificates through an independent agency
Provident Financial Group puts your truck in front of multiple carriers quoted through our agency with one application, including markets that write auto and liability together for mobile food. Once bound, we turn around event certificates quickly. Call (866) 964-6660 with your event calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a separate permit and certificate for every town?
Massachusetts requires a permit from each board of health where you operate, and many towns and events ask for their own certificate naming them as additional insured.
Will my personal auto policy cover my food truck?
Almost never. A vehicle used as a commercial kitchen and for business travel needs a commercial auto policy.
Is the kitchen equipment covered under the auto policy?
Auto physical damage may treat custom equipment inconsistently, so we often add equipment coverage. Read how to get a certificate for a food truck event for the event side.
Do I need workers’ comp if my only helper is my brother?
Yes. Massachusetts has no family-member exemption.
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