Riot and civic commotion coverage is automatically included in all standard admitted commercial property insurance policies, but the country is not accustomed to the widespread looting and vandalism we've recently experienced.(Credit: boyphare/Shutterstock)

Protests have made headlines across the nation in recent weeks. The New York Times reported recently that somewhere between 15 to 26 million people in the United States have participated in the protests over the last few weeks, peaking on June 6 with a half million people in nearly 550 locations across the country. While the majority of protests were peaceful, rioting and looting broke out in a few cities.

In Minneapolis, rioters broke into The Town Talk Diner & Gastropub, one of the area's most popular diners. They raided the bar, removed hand-painted banquettes and scorched pillows, which triggered the sprinklers. In Los Angeles, restaurants and bars across the city were looted and vandalized, leaving these businesses in a precarious position.

Riot and civic commotion coverage is automatically included in all standard admitted commercial property insurance policies, but the country is not accustomed to the widespread looting and vandalism we've recently experienced. As a result, most business owners likely hadn't given the coverage much thought until now.