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Dedication to the Highest Quality of Service

Martin & Zerfoss is your Risk Management, Insurance and Bonds Agency serving Nashville and throughout Tennessee. We specialize in Brewery & Distillery InsuranceCharter School InsuranceChurch InsuranceCommercial Bank InsuranceAffluent Personal Lines InsurancePersonal Lines InsuranceEmployee Benefits & HR Consulting and Non-Profit Insurance.

Personal Insurance

Insurance tailored to fit your life.

Business Insurance

Comprehensive coverage for your business.

Group benefits & HR Consulting

Benefit for your valued employees.

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About Us

Insurance in Nashville and Throughout Tennessee

Have you ever wondered where people go when they want someone to trust in the insurance business? We take pride in the fact that after 40 years we have developed a long list of trusted clients that won’t go anywhere else.

At Martin & Zerfoss, we believe our clients’ financial security and quality of life deserve the utmost dedication, expert advice and personal attention from a trusted partner. As your insurance advisor, we help you make smart decisions – protecting you from the unexpected and planning for the predictable.

We are Building Relationships
Our Specialties

Brewery & Distillery
Insurance

Serving up the perfect insurance protection.

Charter School
Insurance

We do our homework to keep you covered.

Church
Insurance

Pray for the best. Prepare for the worst.

Commercial Bank
Insurance

Invest in a secure future.

Affluent Personal
Lines Insurance

Custom solutions for your unique risks, assets and lifestyle.

Employee Benefits &
HR Consulting

Added benefits for your valued employees.

Non-Profit
Insurance

You help others. We help you with your insurance.

Homepage - Client Testimonial

“The information and service that the people at Martin Zerfoss have provided has been an invaluable resource for our company. They are easy to work with and are extremely knowledgeable and responsive to our needs. I’d recommend them to anyone!”

Aletha Karls
FISHBOWL SPIRITS

There’s more to insurance than the price of the policy.

Explore our interactive graphics and learn about your unique risks and the related insurance solutions.
Brewery
Liquor Liability
Risk Factor

If a patron is over-served at your establishment, you may be held responsible and liable for damages or injuries related to the patron’s intoxication.

Solution

Liquor liability insurance covers defense costs and damages to persons and property caused by intoxicated patrons. Training staff to recognize patrons who pose a liquor liability risk is a key risk control measure to consider.

Spoilage, Contamination, and Product Recall
Risk Factor

If a batch of beer is contaminated or in some way unfit to serve, breweries have much to lose, including the cost of additional materials, production time, disposal of product, and loss of revenue. If the batch makes it to store shelves, it becomes even more costly, both in direct revenue and brand reputation.

Solution

Seek coverage for spoilage, contamination, and product recall to help offset the costs associated with these events.

Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI)
Risk Factor

It’s estimated that three out of five businesses will be sued by their employees. Companies are vulnerable during the pre-hire process, actual employment, and during a reduction in workforce. Claims can arise in any size operation. You can do everything right and still be sued.

Solution

Coverage comes in the form of a standalone policy. This coverage is critical to your risk management strategy as it protects against discrimination, wrongful termination, sexual harassment, and other employment-related allegations.

Equipment Failure
Risk Factor

There is a high risk of equipment breakdown in the brewery business. When machines don’t work, beer can’t be brewed. You lose valuable time and profits while repairs are being made.

Solution

Mechanical breakdown is typically not covered under a commercial property insurance policy. Rather, obtaining systems breakdown coverage addresses this exposure.

Cyber Liability
Risk Factor

Customers or employees who entrust you with private information, such as credit card or social security numbers, put you at risk. If this data is lost, stolen, or compromised, you may be legally obligated to alert those affected by the breach.

Solution

Securing a cyber liability policy can cover expenses associated with compliance requirements, such as data breach notification, securing legal counsel to advise on incident response, credit monitoring services, public relations expenses, and paying for regulatory defense and penalties arising from privacy law violations.

Environmental Liability
Risk Factor

Environmental liability exposures are not just for oil companies, nuclear power plants, and industrial mining operations. Breweries have wastewater and waste management concerns. Depending on the location of the brewery, previous use of property may also be an issue.

Solution

Strict liability laws apply to the brewing industry. Court-ordered injunctions, fines, and cleanup costs can be crippling. Almost all commercial liability policies contain some type of pollution exclusion. Coverage exists for this exposure through a standalone policy.

Premises Liability
Risk Factor

If open to the public, you are responsible for the well-being of visitors. This exposure is amplified if you offer brewery tours.

Solution

Given the possible hazards guests can be exposed to, it is important to keep tours confined to safe areas and preplanned routes. General liability insurance provides coverage for bodily injury, physical injury, or other personal injury related claims.

Workers' Compensation
Risk Factor

Workers' compensation coverage is required by law. There is high demand for craft beer, but demand can lead to haste. Haste leads to accidents, accidents lead to injuries, and injuries lead to increased workers' compensation costs.

Solution

Promoting workplace safety and managing exposures can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of workplace injuries. Proactively addressing high risk scenarios helps control workers' compensation costs.

Property
Risk Factor

Brewing equipment is a significant financial investment. Couple that with an above-average exposure to loss, and selecting the correct coverage here is critical.

Solution

Commercial property insurance will indemnify you for property damaged or destroyed due to a covered loss. Selecting an adequate limit of insurance that responds to as many perils as possible negates that risk.

Business Auto Insurance
Risk Factor

Automobile exposures are significant, especially if you handle your own distribution.

Solution

Employees need to be trained and aware of the exposures associated with driving for the brewery. Business auto insurance provides coverage for damages arising out of the use of automobiles for business purposes. A fleet safety program is a critical risk management strategy.

Supply Chain
Risk Factor

As the brewing industry grows, supplies may become increasingly difficult or competitive to acquire. Making sure you have the adequate amount of Chinook hops for your spring seasonal can be the difference between having product to sell or not.

Solution

Diversifying suppliers, maintaining dialogue with back-up suppliers, monitoring the resource environment, and negotiating forward contracts can prevent disruption in production. Insurance coverage for contingent business income can be also obtained.

Special Events
Risk Factor

Breweries often participate in numerous events throughout the year. Many insurance policies contain what’s known as a designated premises endorsement. At a high level, this limits coverage to the premise named on the policy (the brewery). Participating in Craft Beer Expo or 5k Fun Run? Liability associated with events like those may not be covered.

Solution

Make sure you have coverage that extends to any events in which you wish to participate.

Crime
Risk Factor

What do you do if one of your trusted employees is found guilty of doing something dishonest as it relates to his or her work with you?

Solution

Crime coverage can be obtained in your commercial property insurance policy, but coverage is very limited. Consider a standalone policy as well.

Bonds
Risk Factor

If a bonded brewery fails to pay taxes appropriately, the bond amount can be used to pay the owed taxes as well as any other fees that might accompany the unfulfilled payment.

Solution

The brewer's bond is the cost of admission. They are known by a number of names; alcohol tax bonds, liquor license bonds, ATF bonds, and TTB bonds, but they all perform the same function. Government agencies that regulate breweries require bonds to ensure all taxes are paid appropriately. A knowledgeable insurance provider can help you navigate the bonding process.

Brewery
Liquor Liability
Risk Factor

If a patron is over-served at your establishment, you may be held responsible and liable for damages or injuries related to the patron’s intoxication.

Solution

Liquor liability insurance covers defense costs and damages to persons and property caused by intoxicated patrons. Training staff to recognize patrons who pose a liquor liability risk is a key risk control measure to consider.

Spoilage, Contamination, and Product Recall
Risk Factor

If a batch of beer is contaminated or in some way unfit to serve, breweries have much to lose, including the cost of additional materials, production time, disposal of product, and loss of revenue. If the batch makes it to store shelves, it becomes even more costly, both in direct revenue and brand reputation.

Solution

Seek coverage for spoilage, contamination, and product recall to help offset the costs associated with these events.

Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI)
Risk Factor

It’s estimated that three out of five businesses will be sued by their employees. Companies are vulnerable during the pre-hire process, actual employment, and during a reduction in workforce. Claims can arise in any size operation. You can do everything right and still be sued.

Solution

Coverage comes in the form of a standalone policy. This coverage is critical to your risk management strategy as it protects against discrimination, wrongful termination, sexual harassment, and other employment-related allegations.

Equipment Failure
Risk Factor

There is a high risk of equipment breakdown in the brewery business. When machines don’t work, beer can’t be brewed. You lose valuable time and profits while repairs are being made.

Solution

Mechanical breakdown is typically not covered under a commercial property insurance policy. Rather, obtaining systems breakdown coverage addresses this exposure.

Cyber Liability
Risk Factor

Customers or employees who entrust you with private information, such as credit card or social security numbers, put you at risk. If this data is lost, stolen, or compromised, you may be legally obligated to alert those affected by the breach.

Solution

Securing a cyber liability policy can cover expenses associated with compliance requirements, such as data breach notification, securing legal counsel to advise on incident response, credit monitoring services, public relations expenses, and paying for regulatory defense and penalties arising from privacy law violations.

Environmental Liability
Risk Factor

Environmental liability exposures are not just for oil companies, nuclear power plants, and industrial mining operations. Breweries have wastewater and waste management concerns. Depending on the location of the brewery, previous use of property may also be an issue.

Solution

Strict liability laws apply to the brewing industry. Court-ordered injunctions, fines, and cleanup costs can be crippling. Almost all commercial liability policies contain some type of pollution exclusion. Coverage exists for this exposure through a standalone policy.

Premises Liability
Risk Factor

If open to the public, you are responsible for the well-being of visitors. This exposure is amplified if you offer brewery tours.

Solution

Given the possible hazards guests can be exposed to, it is important to keep tours confined to safe areas and preplanned routes. General liability insurance provides coverage for bodily injury, physical injury, or other personal injury related claims.

Workers' Compensation
Risk Factor

Workers' compensation coverage is required by law. There is high demand for craft beer, but demand can lead to haste. Haste leads to accidents, accidents lead to injuries, and injuries lead to increased workers' compensation costs.

Solution

Promoting workplace safety and managing exposures can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of workplace injuries. Proactively addressing high risk scenarios helps control workers' compensation costs.

Property
Risk Factor

Brewing equipment is a significant financial investment. Couple that with an above-average exposure to loss, and selecting the correct coverage here is critical.

Solution

Commercial property insurance will indemnify you for property damaged or destroyed due to a covered loss. Selecting an adequate limit of insurance that responds to as many perils as possible negates that risk.

Business Auto Insurance
Risk Factor

Automobile exposures are significant, especially if you handle your own distribution.

Solution

Employees need to be trained and aware of the exposures associated with driving for the brewery. Business auto insurance provides coverage for damages arising out of the use of automobiles for business purposes. A fleet safety program is a critical risk management strategy.

Supply Chain
Risk Factor

As the brewing industry grows, supplies may become increasingly difficult or competitive to acquire. Making sure you have the adequate amount of Chinook hops for your spring seasonal can be the difference between having product to sell or not.

Solution

Diversifying suppliers, maintaining dialogue with back-up suppliers, monitoring the resource environment, and negotiating forward contracts can prevent disruption in production. Insurance coverage for contingent business income can be also obtained.

Special Events
Risk Factor

Breweries often participate in numerous events throughout the year. Many insurance policies contain what’s known as a designated premises endorsement. At a high level, this limits coverage to the premise named on the policy (the brewery). Participating in Craft Beer Expo or 5k Fun Run? Liability associated with events like those may not be covered.

Solution

Make sure you have coverage that extends to any events in which you wish to participate.

Crime
Risk Factor

What do you do if one of your trusted employees is found guilty of doing something dishonest as it relates to his or her work with you?

Solution

Crime coverage can be obtained in your commercial property insurance policy, but coverage is very limited. Consider a standalone policy as well.

Bonds
Risk Factor

If a bonded brewery fails to pay taxes appropriately, the bond amount can be used to pay the owed taxes as well as any other fees that might accompany the unfulfilled payment.

Solution

The brewer's bond is the cost of admission. They are known by a number of names; alcohol tax bonds, liquor license bonds, ATF bonds, and TTB bonds, but they all perform the same function. Government agencies that regulate breweries require bonds to ensure all taxes are paid appropriately. A knowledgeable insurance provider can help you navigate the bonding process.