Commercial auto insurance
It covers the vehicles, drivers, and liability that follow work trucks and fleets. For many businesses with vehicles it is the single largest line, so it is worth shopping properly across multiple A-rated carriers.
For the vehicles that do the work
Coverage for business vehicles and the people who drive them
A vehicle used for business does not belong on a personal auto policy. Once a truck is hauling tools, making deliveries, or carrying a crew, a personal insurer can deny the claim. Commercial auto covers the liability of operating, the physical damage to the vehicle, and the exposure from employees driving rented or personal cars for work. Because it is often the biggest line for a business with vehicles, small differences in how it is written add up.
What it covers
The parts of a commercial auto policy. What you carry depends on your vehicles, your drivers, and what your contracts require.
Auto liability
Bodily injury and property damage you cause with a business vehicle, plus the legal defense that follows. The coverage most states and contracts require.
Collision
Damage to your vehicle from an accident, whoever is at fault, so a wrecked truck does not stop the work.
Comprehensive
Damage from theft, vandalism, fire, weather, and other events that are not collisions.
Hired & non-owned auto
Protection when employees drive rented vehicles or their own cars for work. Cheap, and easy to overlook until a claim.
Medical payments / PIP
Medical costs for you and your passengers after an accident, regardless of fault, where the coverage applies.
Uninsured motorist
Covers your losses when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough of it, which is more common than owners expect.
What commercial auto does not cover
Commercial auto covers the vehicle and the liability from driving it, not what you carry in it. The tools, equipment, and materials in the truck are covered under inland marine. An employee's own injury on the job is workers compensation. We place those alongside the auto policy so a truck accident, a stolen trailer of tools, and an injured driver are all handled rather than argued over.
For businesses that run vehicles as part of a larger operation, we build the auto line into the whole program instead of treating it as a standalone.
Commercial auto FAQ
Do I need commercial auto instead of a personal policy?
If a vehicle is owned by the business, or used mainly for work such as hauling tools, making deliveries, or carrying employees to jobs, it belongs on a commercial auto policy. A personal auto insurer can deny a claim once it learns the vehicle was in business use, which is a costly surprise. When it is a gray area, we help you sort it out.
What is hired and non-owned auto coverage?
Hired and non-owned auto covers the business when employees drive rented vehicles or their own cars for work. Without it, an employee running an errand in a personal car can leave the business exposed in an at-fault accident. It is inexpensive and often added even when the business owns no vehicles of its own.
Does it cover my employees as drivers?
Yes, permitted drivers are covered while using a covered vehicle for business. Carriers rate the policy in part on your drivers' records, so who is on the policy affects both eligibility and price. We keep the driver list accurate to avoid a coverage dispute later.
Can I cover tools and equipment in the truck?
The tools and materials you carry are covered under inland marine, not the auto policy. Commercial auto covers the vehicle and the liability from operating it. We place the two together so a stolen trailer of tools and a truck accident are both handled.
Tell us what you drive and we'll bring back options to compare
A few minutes to start. We shop commercial auto across multiple A-rated carriers and fit it into the rest of your coverage.