Fast food restaurants in Georgia typically need workers’ compensation, since nearly every location regularly employs three or more people, general liability for dining room and drive-thru injuries, property and business income for fryer and grease fires, and hired and non-owned auto for any delivery done in employees’ cars. Franchise agreements and landlord leases often dictate the limits, so compare quotes against those documents.
This page is for independent burger, chicken and taco restaurants in Georgia as well as franchisees operating a single unit or a small group. Long hours, a drive-thru lane, high-volume fryers and a large hourly crew make the exposure different from a sit-down restaurant.
Workers’ comp and auto rules for a Georgia QSR
Georgia requires workers’ compensation for employers regularly employing three or more people, and regular part-time staff count. Coverage is bought from private carriers; Georgia has no state fund, and a restaurant that cannot find voluntary coverage can turn to the Georgia Workers’ Compensation Assigned Risk Plan administered by NCCI. NCCI, the rating bureau, lists a separate classification for fast food restaurants, code 9083, distinct from the general restaurant code, so make sure your payroll is classified correctly.
Delivery changes the auto picture. Georgia’s minimum auto liability is 25/50/25 (in thousands of dollars), which is often all an employee’s personal policy carries. If crew members deliver in their own vehicles, even just for large orders, hired and non-owned auto protects the restaurant. Orders handed to third-party couriers shift much of that exposure, but review the platform’s merchant terms.
Drive-thru, fryer and late-night exposures
- A customer’s car jumps the drive-thru curb, strikes the menu board and damages the building’s exterior.
- A fryer boils over during a filter change and a crew member suffers burns to both hands.
- A robbery at closing time injures the shift manager and the cash drop is taken.
- A guest slips on ice tracked in from the parking lot during a rare Georgia freeze.
- A grease buildup in the exhaust duct ignites and spreads, closing the store for weeks.
- A group of former employees alleges unpaid breaks and retaliation.
QSR coverage checklist
- Workers’ compensation — required in Georgia at three or more regular employees; burns, cuts, slips and assaults drive fast food claims.
- General liability — covers customer injuries inside, in the parking lot and in the drive-thru lane.
- Commercial property — protects the building or build-out, fryers, hoods, signs and drive-thru equipment.
- Business income and extra expense — keeps revenue and payroll going after a covered fire or other loss.
- Hired and non-owned auto — covers the restaurant when employees deliver or run errands in personal vehicles.
- Crime coverage — addresses employee theft and money lost in a robbery.
- Employment practices liability — responds to harassment, discrimination and retaliation allegations.
- Umbrella liability — adds limits above general liability and auto that franchisors often require.
How carriers look at a fast food location
Underwriters review annual sales, hours of operation, especially overnight service, drive-thru lanes, fryer count and suppression system, building age, crime in the area and loss history. For workers’ comp, payroll by classification and your experience modification shape the premium. Franchise brands may bring their own insurance requirements and sometimes preferred programs.
To improve pricing, keep hood cleaning and suppression inspection records, use drop safes and limit cash in drawers after dark, install cameras and good lighting in the lot, train crews on fryer filtering, and set up a return-to-work program for injured employees. These steps reduce claims and show the underwriter what you are doing about them.
Comparing fast food quotes with Provident Financial Group
Provident Financial Group is an independent agency. One application reaches multiple carriers, and we lay out the results side by side so you can compare how each handles your drive-thru, delivery and franchise requirements. After binding, we issue certificates of insurance for landlords and franchisors. Call (866) 964-6660. See the national fast food insurance guide and our Georgia restaurant insurance hub.
Frequently asked questions
Which workers’ comp class code applies to a Georgia fast food restaurant?
NCCI lists code 9083 for fast food restaurants and 9082 for other restaurants. Your carrier assigns the class based on your operation, so describe it accurately on the application.
What if no carrier will offer us workers’ comp?
Georgia has an assigned risk plan administered by NCCI for employers who cannot obtain voluntary coverage. Read more on Georgia restaurant workers’ comp.
Does our general liability cover a car hitting the drive-thru?
Damage to your building is a property claim, and the driver’s auto insurer may be responsible. Injuries to people on your premises may involve your general liability.
What coverage do franchisors usually require?
Most franchise agreements set minimum limits and require the franchisor to be named as additional insured. See our franchise restaurant insurance guide.
Compare fast food coverage now: Get Multiple Quotes within minutes.