Commercial Auto Insurance
Personal auto policies exclude business use. Don't find out at claim time.
What is commercial auto insurance?
If a vehicle is used for business — deliveries, job sites, client visits, hauling tools or goods — it needs commercial auto coverage. Personal auto policies exclude most business use, and carriers investigate usage at claim time. The worst possible moment to discover you have the wrong policy is after your employee causes a serious accident in a company truck.
Commercial auto also carries higher stakes: businesses are sued for more, and 'nuclear verdicts' against commercial vehicle operators have driven contract requirements up. Most business contracts now require $1M combined single limit. We structure fleets of one vehicle to fifty across multiple carriers, including the hired and non-owned coverage most businesses don't realize they need.
What it covers
- Bodily injury and property damage your business vehicles cause to others
- Physical damage to your own vehicles — collision and comprehensive
- Medical payments / PIP for drivers and passengers
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist protection
- Hired auto — liability when you rent or borrow vehicles for business
- Non-owned auto — liability when employees drive their personal cars on company business
- Permanently attached equipment, and optional towing, rental reimbursement, and downtime coverage
What it doesn't cover
- Cargo and customers' goods in transit (motor truck cargo coverage)
- Tools and inventory in the vehicle (inland marine / property coverage)
- Employee injuries on the job (workers' comp)
- For-hire trucking operations without proper filings (we handle those separately)
Coverage components explained
1Liability (Combined Single Limit)
Commercial auto liability is usually written as a combined single limit — commonly $1M — covering bodily injury and property damage together. Most contracts and many landlords specify $1M CSL as a minimum.
2Physical Damage
Collision and comprehensive for owned vehicles, at actual cash value or agreed/stated value. For work trucks with upfits — racks, lifts, wraps, toolboxes — make sure declared values reflect the upfit, not just the bare chassis.
3Hired & Non-Owned Auto (HNOA)
The most commonly missing coverage in small business. If your employee causes an accident running a business errand in their own car, your business can be sued — HNOA protects the business. It's inexpensive and often attachable to a BOP or GL policy.
4Driver Schedule & MVR Monitoring
Who drives matters as much as what they drive. We help you set driver eligibility standards and review motor vehicle records, which keeps premiums down and underwriters comfortable.
5Coverage Symbols
Commercial auto policies use numeric symbols defining which vehicles are covered. Symbol 1 ('any auto') is the broadest; cheaper policies quietly use narrower symbols that exclude newly acquired or borrowed vehicles. We make sure your symbols match how you actually operate.
When you need commercial auto coverage
- Your business owns, leases, or registers any vehicle
- Vehicles haul tools, equipment, materials, or products — even a personal pickup used daily for work
- Employees drive their own cars for deliveries, errands, or client visits (you need HNOA)
- You rent vehicles or trucks for business use
- A contract requires a $1M auto liability certificate
Frequently asked questions
I use my personal truck for my business. Isn't my personal policy enough?
Probably not. Personal policies exclude most commercial use — hauling tools to job sites, deliveries, transporting clients. If the carrier determines the loss occurred during business use, the claim can be denied entirely. A commercial policy on that vehicle often costs less than people fear, and it actually pays when you need it.
What is hired and non-owned auto coverage, and do I need it?
If any employee ever drives their personal car for a business task — bank runs, supply pickups, client visits — your business is exposed when they cause an accident, because plaintiffs sue the employer. HNOA covers the business's liability in exactly that scenario. It's one of the cheapest, most frequently missing coverages we see.
How much liability should my business carry on vehicles?
$1M combined single limit is the practical floor — it's what contracts demand and what serious accidents cost. Businesses with bigger fleets, heavier vehicles, or more assets should layer a commercial umbrella above it. State minimums are not a serious option for a business with anything to lose.
Are my tools and cargo covered if the van is broken into?
Not by the auto policy — it covers the vehicle, not its contents. Tools and equipment need an inland marine (contractor's equipment) policy; goods you haul for others need motor truck cargo coverage. We typically package these alongside the auto policy so there's no gap.
Let's find the right commercial auto coverage for you
Answer a few questions and a licensed advisor will compare quotes across our carrier lineup — usually back to you within one business day.