Commercial Auto Insurance
Whether you are driving a single car with your own small business or operating a fleet of trucks, having the right coverage for your commercial vehicles can give you the protection you need when the unexpected happens. This coverage is especially critical for companies whose employees use their own cars to deliver goods or services, run errands, or make sales calls; you could be liable for any accidents those employees cause. The fact is that even if you and your employees are very safe behind the wheel, you share the road with people who are not.
Commercial Auto Insurance is required by law and will protect you and your employees in the event of any covered accident involving one of your work vehicles. This coverage pays for the same types of protection your personal auto insurance covers such as comprehensive and collision, uninsured and underinsured motorists' coverage, as well as liability. Commercial Auto Insurance can also help with repair costs if your work vehicle is damaged by theft, weather events, and vandalism. Your coverage can also help pay legal expenses if you're sued by the other driver in a wreck.
There are many ways you can get more customized protection for your business that will suit your specific circumstances. For example, you can tailor your commercial auto policy to protect your tools, merchandise, equipment, and materials while in the vehicle or on the work site by including inland marine coverage.
Another option for additional protection is rental reimbursement coverage to make sure that even if your work vehicles are having repairs done, you will be able to keep everything running smoothly.
Speak with your Mountcastle agent to learn what options are available and to best determine which add-ons might benefit your company.
Commercial Auto Insurance FAQs
Perhaps. This situation would largely depend on whether driving is an important part of conducting your business or if you do not typically drive the car as a part of your business activity. Sometimes insurers will allow this type of incident to be covered by a personal lines policy in dealing with limited business use of your car. If driving plays a large role in your business, then a commercial policy will most likely be required.
While commercial auto insurance covers up to the limits of your policy, any high-value items might warrant additional coverage such as that offered by inland marine insurance. This type of policy covers high-value items when they are being transported by land or temporarily warehoused by a third party. This will also cover your liability for cargo that may be damaged or lost while being transported by your vehicles.
Some states offer a telematics feature that incorporates GPS in monitoring the locations and safe driving habits of your employees. You can also get coverage specific to leases and loans. This will cover amounts you owe under the terms of a lease or loan contract.