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If you own any kind of business, you probably know that a business owner’s policy (BOP) is an essential tool in your insurance arsenal. However, this is not the only type of business insurance you need.
Business Auto Insurance
Your BOP doesn’t provide any vehicle coverage, so you’ll need a separate policy if you want business auto insurance. (Trust us, it is!)
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You may have heard from other well-intentioned business owners that your personal auto insurance covers business use. In most cases, this is not true.
At first glance, the difference seems simple: one is personal insurance and the other is business vehicle insurance. However, there are some important differences in how these two types of insurance work.
As you would expect, personal car insurance is for your personal vehicle. Often the company name will not adequately capture the car.
Your personal auto insurance will cover you, your medical expenses, and your vehicle if you get into an accident. They cover your commute, but most policies don’t cover accidents that happen while commuting, for example.
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Because of the higher risk, commercial auto insurance tends to have higher prices than a personal policy. On the other hand, there can also be high limits.
And speaking of limits, in a commercial policy you’ll usually have a consolidated single limit (CSL) instead of separate limits for bodily injury and property damage like you would in a personal policy.
Where commercial auto insurance really competes with a personal policy is in coverage. Your business policy will protect your small business assets if an injured third party sues your business (which your personal policy will not).
In some areas, the difference between personal and commercial auto insurance becomes a little clearer. Here are some examples of the “grey area” between commercial and personal auto insurance.
Auto Insurance Business Concept
Realtors who use their personal vehicles for business purposes to deliver customers door-to-door are generally fine with personal auto insurance as long as the vehicle is classified as “business use.” This ensures that you get the right estimate and coverage for your needs.
Pizza delivery drivers are almost never covered by personal auto insurance because the job is considered too dangerous. (You’re more likely to run into a stop sign if you’re trying to deliver eight pizzas in 30 minutes or less!)
In some cases, the pizzeria that employs them offers liability coverage, but it’s usually protective.
Against lawsuits, not employees! So if Kenny accidentally hits a pedestrian or hits a BMW, he’s still on the hook for his legal fees and car repairs.
What Is Business Auto Insurance?
Ride-sharing drivers have some coverage from the company they drive for (usually Uber and Lyft), but they don’t always provide unlimited coverage. These companies have certain time periods that determine if you are covered and, if so, what your limits are. Uber and Lyft only provide coverage when you’re logged into the app and working. However, this is “continuous” coverage, which means they will only choose your personal auto policy after their work.
As with all insurance matters, there is no formula for determining whether you have coverage. It is best to speak with an independent insurance agent beforehand to determine the right level of coverage for you.
If you’re still wondering whether or not you need commercial auto insurance, here are some questions to help you decide:
If your vehicle is registered under a company name, your personal car insurance policy may not cover it. Look at a commercial insurance policy.
How Hired And Non Owned Auto Insurance Helps Business
If the vehicle exceeds a certain weight, you will not be able to include it in your personal insurance policy. Vehicles that weigh more than five tons or can tow more than one ton require commercial insurance.
If someone other than you drives to work (and in some cases one or two immediate family members), you’ll need commercial auto coverage.
If you only use the vehicle for transportation between work and home, taking out personal car insurance should be sufficient. But if you regularly transport goods, equipment or people as part of your job duties, a personal policy won’t make the cut.
Personal auto insurance limits are fine for personal use, but when it comes to your business, the stakes are high.
Does Business Auto Insurance Cover A Trailer I Pull?
Of course, the best way to find out the difference between personal and business auto insurance is to contact your insurance agent so they can review your coverage options.
Every person, company and situation is unique and you will have different coverage limits, premiums and risk levels than other companies, even in the same industry.
As an individual and as a company. That’s why you’ll find us asking all sorts of questions that you might think aren’t important – but they are! Click now for a free quote or call today with any questions. We are always happy to help.
Jason joined HLI with his parents in 2006 and earned his Masters of Management with an emphasis in risk management and insurance from Florida State University in 2009. He has held leadership roles in several industry associations to stay abreast of industry trends and developments. In addition to insurance, he is an aviation enthusiast and private instrument pilot. Insurance doesn’t have to be complicated. Not even commercial auto insurance. If you have a vehicle business in North Carolina, whether it’s cars, trucks, or vans, you need auto coverage.
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But as all business owners know, knowledge is power. Knowing something your competitors don’t can be the difference between success and failure.
Finding and knowing what commercial auto insurance is, what you need, and how to get it can be a huge help to your business.
So let’s look at the things you need to know to ROCK commercial auto insurance and help your business grow.
Fortunately, there are many similarities between commercial auto insurance and personal auto insurance in North Carolina. You’re probably pretty familiar with the passenger car (and if not, check out this guide).
Business And Commercial Insurance
For starters, there are two basic forms of commercial auto insurance, just like there are for passenger cars: liability coverage and bodily injury coverage (which most people call compensation and collision).
Liability Coverage – Just like a personal vehicle, liability coverage protects your business from accidents and lawsuits caused by the actions of you and your employees. If someone representing your company drives a company vehicle and causes an accident or other damage, this coverage helps protect you by paying for damages or legal costs.
Bodily Injury Liability – This covers injuries, illnesses or other medical conditions that may have occurred because you caused an accident. If you injure someone, they can also pay for medical bills, hospital stays, and lawsuits for their injuries.
Property Damage – You or your employee’s driver damages another person’s property. If your careless driver crashes into someone’s mailbox, he’s the one to cover.
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Liability is very important in commercial auto insurance because people may feel differently about suing a company instead of an individual. It may be hard to look someone in the eye and take them to court, but suing a “company” can sometimes seem like a harmless way to make money.
What about the actual body part of the car? The following two coverages cover your business vehicle.
Collision coverage – Collision coverage comes to your rescue when you have damage to your business vehicle due to a collision with something, usually another vehicle.
Comprehensive coverage – This coverage protects your business vehicles that are physically damaged – unless the damage is caused by a collision. Things like theft, killing an animal, or breaking a windshield are all classic comprehensive claims.
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This basic framework protects you from accidents that you cause or may happen to you. The coverage also protects you against vehicle damage and loss of people or property.
The biggest difference when it comes to reviewing and understanding your policy is: commercial vehicle coverage.
The symbols are the way insurance companies classify the different types of vehicles that companies can use their cars, trucks and vans for.
As we can see from the table above, the type of work you do and the way you use your company vehicles determine your car sign.
Non Fleet Commercial Auto Policy
Note: This is not a complete list of all symbols, but a sample to show you what the symbols are and how they are used.
So, as you can see, one of the main differences between your personal car insurance and your business car insurance is whether you have a shop, a sales company, a dealership, a delivery service, a transport company or your own brewery in different ways of keeping and using the vehicle. There are different types of coverage that can have different prices.
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