NAICS UNIVERSITY · Free research for insurance agents
Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers
NAICS 424820 · United States · 2022 edition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of wine, distilled alcoholic beverages, and/or neutral spirits and ethyl alcohol used in blended wines and distilled liquors.
Start the review with product liability.
For Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers, the saved research highlights product liability, inland marine / cargo, commercial auto. Confirm how these arise in the actual operation, what controls are used and whether additional services change the proposed coverage.
Questions to ask
- What is the approximate total value of inventory held in warehouse at any given time, and is any of it temperature-controlled?
- How many vehicles are in the delivery fleet, and are any owner-operators or contract drivers used?
- Does the operation distribute any neutral spirits or ethyl alcohol used in industrial or blending applications?
- What states does the distributor operate in, and are there any state-specific dram shop laws that might affect liquor liability exposure?
- Has the business had any product liability, cargo theft, or workers' compensation claims in the past three to five years?
- For Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers, what should the underwriter know about distribution of high-proof neutral spirits or ethyl alcohol used in industrial applications?
- For Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers, what should the underwriter know about significant prior product liability or cargo theft losses?
- For Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers, what should the underwriter know about delivery operations extending into high-crime corridors with elevated cargo theft exposure?
Activities described by this code
Other activities to examine
Census classification reference
For educational purposes only. AI-generated insurance research and automated logic can contain errors. Independently verify classification and coverage decisions.
Compare another operationInsurance operations research — draft
Wine and distilled alcoholic beverage merchant wholesalers purchase wine, spirits, and neutral alcohol from producers or importers and resell to licensed retailers, restaurants, bars, and other licensed establishments. Day-to-day operations typically involve warehouse receiving and storage of large bottle and case inventories, order picking and staging, and delivery via owned or leased truck fleets. Some operations also manage temperature-controlled storage for premium wine inventory.
Questions to investigate
- What is the approximate total value of inventory held in warehouse at any given time, and is any of it temperature-controlled?
- How many vehicles are in the delivery fleet, and are any owner-operators or contract drivers used?
- Does the operation distribute any neutral spirits or ethyl alcohol used in industrial or blending applications?
- What states does the distributor operate in, and are there any state-specific dram shop laws that might affect liquor liability exposure?
This insurance research was generated in April 2026. It has not received a complete human review. The October 12, 2026 audit checked codes and titles only, not descriptions or coverage assertions.