What insurance does a food truck need in Australia?

Food truck insurance usually starts with public and products liability insurance, because councils, event organisers and site owners may ask to see it before you trade. Other cover depends on the vehicle, the equipment on board and whether you employ staff.

A food truck carries three risks at once: the people around the truck, the food you sell and the vehicle you operate from. Each may sit with a different cover.

Public liability insurance is designed to cover claims that someone was injured or their property was damaged in connection with your business. Products liability insurance is designed to cover claims that a product you made, sold or supplied caused injury or damage after it left your hands. For a food truck, the product is the food.

The two are usually arranged together as public and products liability insurance. Public and products liability cover may include legal defence costs, compensation and any settlement you are legally liable to pay, subject to the policy terms.

Cover depends on the policy and insurer you choose. Check the policy wording and its terms and conditions for what is and isn't included.

What insurance does a food truck need for each risk?

Each cover is subject to the policy terms, conditions and exclusions.

A business pack bundles several covers into one policy, which can include property and contents, theft, business interruption and public liability, depending on the policy. Whether the fit-out, cooking equipment and stock on board sit under the motor policy, a business pack or neither varies between policy wordings. Always check with your insurance broker or the team at upcover.

Why do food trucks need both public and products liability?

Public liability insurance is about what happens around the truck. A power lead runs across the queue, someone trips, and they say your business was responsible.

Products liability insurance is about what happens because of what you sold. A customer eats a meal and later says it made them ill, or that it contained an allergen they were told it did not.

Those are different claims. business.gov.au says "You may need product liability insurance if you make, sell or supply goods, even in the form of a repair or service" (business.gov.au). Through upcover, the two are usually arranged together as one public and products liability policy.

A policy is designed to respond to the activities described on your policy schedule. For a food business, the activity description can carry conditions on how you cook, such as deep frying, and on alcohol service. For a food truck, the schedule may also describe where you prepare food and where you trade, such as markets, festivals or private catering. If a customer makes a claim about an activity your schedule leaves out, the insurer may consider declining it if they were not aware of the activity and would not have accepted it as covered under the insurance policy.

What insurance is required by law?

• Workers' compensation, if you employ workers. Safe Work Australia says "Under Australian law, employers must have insurance to cover their workers in case they get sick or injured because of work" (Safe Work Australia). Each state and territory runs its own scheme, and the laws vary between them (business.gov.au).
• Third party personal injury insurance for the truck. It is often part of the vehicle registration fee (business.gov.au). It is commonly called compulsory third party (CTP) insurance, and some states use another name, such as the TAC charge in Victoria (TAC).

For food trucks, the requirement to hold public liability insurance usually comes from a council, landowner or event organiser (business.gov.au).

Do you need insurance to get a food truck permit?

Food registration and trading approval come from food law and your council. Councils set their own conditions, and some include insurance.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand says that "before you start your business, you need to notify the council where your business vehicle is garaged" (FSANZ). It adds that "you may also need to notify other councils you intend to work in". In New South Wales, the Food Authority says "Local councils are generally responsible for the approval of mobile food vending vehicles" (NSW Food Authority). It also says "The prior consent of every local council in whose area the vehicle will be used for storing, preparing or selling food may be required".

Some councils set an insurance limit as part of that approval, and the limits differ between neighbours.

Checked in September 2026. Councils can change their conditions, so the council or organiser in front of you can confirm the current requirement.

Third party property damage insurance for a vehicle is designed to cover damage the vehicle causes to other people's property. It is commonly an option under commercial motor insurance. A council asking for it may be asking for a certificate from your motor policy as well as your public liability policy.

Event and market organisers set their own conditions too. business.gov.au says "Many market organisers require you to insure your stall in case things go wrong" (business.gov.au). It says "You may need both public liability and product liability insurance", and it suggests checking that your cover includes your set-up and pack-down time. Our guide to market stall insurance covers markets in more detail.

What do food truck insurance claims look like?

The claims examples below come from upcover's restaurants and cafes page and market stall page. The first two are claims made against the business. Stock Damaged in Transit is a claim on the business's own business pack.

Important: These claims are examples only. Cover is subject to policy terms, conditions and exclusions. Policy wordings vary between insurers. Always refer to the policy wording and its terms and conditions for details. If you have questions about a particular possible claim or would like assistance about whether a certain claim might be covered it is always best to speak to an upcover team member or your insurance broker.

If you're concerned about a particular customer service or experience, you can always consider telling your insurer as soon as you become aware of an incident, complaint or circumstance that could lead to a claim. You don't need to wait for a formal demand. Also keep in mind that notifying of a claim late may affect your claim.

You can start a claim through the make a claim page. Admitting liability, incurring costs or agreeing to a settlement before you notify your insurer may affect your claim. Starting a claim does not confirm that your claim is covered; your insurer assesses it under the policy terms, conditions, exclusions and limits.

What affects the cost of food truck insurance?

No single price applies to every food truck. Your price depends on the details you give the insurer, including:

• what you sell and how you cook it, such as packaged food only, coffee, or deep frying and gas on board
• where you trade, such as markets, festivals, private events or a fixed pitch
• your turnover and number of staff
• your claims history
• the limit you choose (the most the insurer may pay, subject to the policy terms) and your excess (the amount you contribute to a claim)
• the value of the truck, and of any fit-out, equipment and stock you insure

The amount you pay may also include GST, stamp duty and fees. Paying monthly may add instalment charges. A liability-only policy and a package that also insures the truck and fit-out are different purchases. Quotes are easier to compare when they include the same things.

Our guide to restaurant and cafe insurance cost includes a row for food vans, food trucks and carts. For pricing across industries, see our guide to public liability insurance cost.

What is commonly excluded from public and products liability insurance?

Public and products liability exclusions commonly include, but are not limited to:

• liability arising from using a registered motor vehicle. Injury to other people caused by the vehicle sits with compulsory third party (CTP) cover. Damage to other people's property may sit with commercial motor insurance, depending on the cover you arranged. How a policy treats a claim connected with a parked food truck, such as a customer hurt at the serving window, varies between policy wordings. Always check with your insurance broker or the team at upcover
• the cost of recalling, repairing or replacing faulty products (product recall exclusion)
• dishonest, fraudulent or wilful acts by you. Dishonesty by an employee may sit under the crime or fidelity section of a management liability policy, designed to cover losses from employee dishonesty, where you arrange one
• liability you take on only because of a contract (contractual liability exclusion)

Important: This list is not exhaustive. Exclusions vary between insurers. Always refer to the policy wording and its terms and conditions for the exclusions that apply to you, and if you have questions you should speak to your insurance broker or the upcover team.

What do event organisers check before you trade?

Organisers and venues may ask for a certificate of currency before they confirm a booking. It confirms a policy is in force and shows the insured name, the policy dates and the limit. Some organisers also ask to be noted on the certificate as an interested party.

Beyond the certificate, the details organisers commonly look at are:

• The limit. The organiser's conditions set any minimum.
• Your activities. Whether your schedule describes the food, cooking and catering you will do at the event.
• Set-up and pack-down. business.gov.au suggests checking that cover includes this time.
• The truck and trailer on site. Damage to the truck itself generally sits outside public liability insurance. Whether your motor policy covers it depends on the cover arranged, such as comprehensive cover, third party property damage cover or fire and theft cover.

Whether stock and equipment are covered away from where you usually keep them varies between policy wordings, so always check with your insurance broker or the team at upcover.

How upcover can help

upcover arranges insurance for food trucks and mobile food businesses, including public and products liability, commercial motor insurance and personal accident and sickness insurance. upcover works with 80+ insurance partners and can arrange quotes from a range of insurers.

• 70,000+ businesses covered across Australia
• 4.9/5 customer rating
• 80+ insurance partners

Get a quote for your food business, or see market stall insurance if you trade at markets.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need public liability insurance for a food truck permit?

The requirement usually comes from the council, landowner or event organiser. City of Sydney asks for $10 million public and products liability and $10 million third party property damage certificates for a principal approval. North Sydney asks for public liability of at least $20 million and third party property damage insurance to the value of $20 million. Each council you trade in can confirm its own conditions.

Does food truck insurance cover food poisoning?

Products liability insurance is designed to cover claims that a product you made, sold or supplied caused injury or damage after it left your hands. For a food truck, that may include claims that your food made someone ill, subject to the policy terms, conditions and exclusions.

Does my personal car insurance cover a food truck?

A personal car policy may not respond if the vehicle is used regularly for business. Commercial motor insurance is designed to cover a vehicle used for business.

How much public liability insurance does a food truck need?

The council, event organiser or site sets any minimum. The City of Sydney asks for $10 million for a principal approval and North Sydney for at least $20 million, and organisers can ask for more. Above any minimum, the limit you choose depends on your work and your sites, which an upcover team member or an insurance broker can talk through with you. Our guide to what level of public liability insurance you need explains the other factors.

Do coffee vans and market food stalls need the same insurance?

They share the public and products liability risks. Vehicle cover depends on the setup: a van or truck is a vehicle used for business, while a stall is not a vehicle, although the vehicle you use to carry it may need its own cover. The activities on the schedule differ, such as coffee only, packaged food or cooking on site, and organisers set their own limits. Our guide to market stall insurance covers stalls in more detail.

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_{Written by upcover's editorial team.}

_{This article provides general information only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It is not legal or food safety advice. Registration, permit and insurance requirements are set by councils, regulators, venues and event organisers and can change, so confirm what applies with the relevant body. Insurance availability and cover are subject to underwriting and the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions of the relevant policy. Read the policy wording and its terms and conditions before deciding. For commercial motor vehicle insurance, also read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), Target Market Determination (TMD) and Financial Services Guide (FSG). upcover arranges insurance products with selected insurers and underwriters and does not compare all general insurers or insurance products available in the market.}