Office Christmas Party and Liquor Liability Exposure

Posted by Felicia A. Williams Nov 12, 2008

The end of the year has rolled around and you find that you are one of the fortunate few whose business actually showed a profit this year. That’s no easy task in the current economic climate.

To celebrate the business’s good fortune, you decide to have an end of the year Christmas party. It’s your chance to thank all of your employees for their efforts throughout the year. After all, a business is only as good as its product/service and employees.

As you make arrangements for the location, DJ and caterer, you should first consider whether or not you intend to serve alcohol. It is, after all, a holiday party. A little holiday cheer goes a long way to keeping everyone in a festive mood.

The Right Type of Liability Insurance Coverage

If you do decide to serve alcohol, the next thing you should consider is the extent of your liability when it comes to alcohol. Is it covered under your business insurance policy? Do you have the right type of coverage? Is a standard general liability policy adequate or should you purchase host liquor liability coverage or liquor legal liability?

Proactive Measures to Reduce the Liquor Liability Exposure

Even if you do have the right liability insurance in place, have you implemented an “alcohol safety” plan? What would you do if one of the guests has too much to drink?

If you’re not quite sure of the answers to the above questions, read the article Liquor Liability: How To Protect Your Business When it Comes to Alcohol. It offers an explanation of the coverage and tips for implementing an alcohol safety plan.