Essen – a city of culinary delights and constant change. Whether in a trendy restaurant in the southern district , a traditional inn in Rüttenscheid , or the canteen of a large company in the city center – your work in the kitchen is demanding, fast-paced, and requires utmost concentration. But where there's work, there are bound to be accidents, and in a commercial kitchen, damage can quickly occur: a burnt sauce, a broken fryer, or even a small kitchen fire.

As a cook or apprentice in the hospitality industry in Essen, you bear a great deal of responsibility. Small oversights can not only significantly disrupt operations but also lead to costly liability issues. Especially during your apprenticeship, there's a lot of uncertainty: Who pays if the expensive convection oven is damaged? And what happens if you, as an apprentice, cause the damage?

The good news: With the right precautions and support, you're optimally protected. We'll show you how to avoid typical pitfalls in Essen's restaurant scene and how to act quickly and correctly in an emergency.

🛡️ Step-by-step: How to protect yourself and report damages correctly

Prevention is the best protection, but if it does happen, the right approach is crucial.

1. Clarify insurance coverage during training

• Personal liability insurance (PLI): Be sure to check whether you, as an apprentice, are still covered under your parents' PLI (often until you complete your first vocational training). If not: Take out your own policy immediately! This covers damages you cause in your private life, but is also often crucial for damages at work that were not caused by your professional activities.

• Business liability insurance: Damages that you cause in the course of your professional activities are usually covered by the employer's business liability insurance .

• Limited liability for trainees: Please note: As a trainee, you are generally not slight negligence . In cases of ordinary negligence, you are liable proportionally, and in cases of gross negligence or intent, you are fully liable. The courts take your level of training and the amount of your training allowance into account. Therefore, it is crucial that the company has adequate business liability insurance!

Act correctly in the event of damage

• Safety first: In case of fire, injury, or imminent danger: Call emergency services immediately (112)! Secure the accident scene without endangering yourself.

• Securing evidence: Document the damage comprehensively and in detail . Take photos or videos from different perspectives. Note the date, time, exact location, and the people involved.

• Notification to the company: Inform your supervisor or trainer immediately.

• Submit a damage report: To your own insurance company (e.g. personal liability insurance) or via the company's business liability insurance.

🤝 Your strong team: The support of Risk-BOT and Roland

When an insurance claim becomes complicated, you need a strong and independent partner. Risk-BOT and Roland are there for you to optimally represent your interests – especially in Essen's regional restaurant scene, where proximity is key.

• 🤖 AI-powered initial assessment: Risk-BOT offers a fast, AI-powered analysis of your claim. You receive an initial assessment of whether and to what extent a claim exists.

• ✅ Completeness check: Is the damage report correct and are all documents present? Our team checks your documents to ensure the process runs smoothly.

• ⚖️ Help with rejections or disputes: If your insurance company rejects your claim or only pays an insufficient amount, Roland your experienced partner. We review the reasons for the rejection and handle all correspondence.

• Specialized advice in disputes with insurers: Legal expertise and industry knowledge are particularly important when dealing with issues of negligence or liability in apprenticeships. We provide you with specialized advice to enforce your rights.

🍴 Practical example from Essen: The charred stovetop

Imagine this: in a restaurant on Lake Baldeney, trainee Mia leaves a pot on the stove during the busy evening rush. A call from the front of house distracts her. The sauce burns, the stovetop is charred and has to be replaced (damage: €2,500).

• Mia's situation: Mia acted out of slight negligence ("It can happen to anyone" under stress).

• Solution: Due to the legal situation regarding trainees and the minor nature of the negligence, Mia is generally not liable. The business liability insurance covers the damage. If the case were disputed, Mia's boss or Mia herself could have the case reviewed via Risk-BOT to ensure that the company's insurance pays out and Mia is not held liable.

Members can open a claim ticket at any time and check its processing status at: https://risk-bot.de/schaden-melden-schnell-sicher-richtig/