COMMERCIAL AUTO INSURANCE

What Does My Auto Insurance Cover?

Jan 182022
 

Texas requires everyone to carry liability insurance at all times. The required minimum is 30/60/25. However, you have the option to increase the limits for just a few dollars more per month. Ask us to compare the difference for you! Not all companies offer the increased options. Beware of named driver policies versus the standard policies that allow permissive use. What does this mean? It’s the difference of whether your policy covers only the listed named drivers or if it will extend the liability to any licensed, non-excluded driver whom you allow to borrow your vehicle. ASK, even if state law requires all agencies to disclose if it is a named driver policy! Cheapest isn’t always your best option. You may end up paying more out of pocket in the long run.

What does 30 / 60 / 25 mean?

These numbers represent the maximum pay outs on your policy. If you have 30/60/25, it means you have $30,000 per person, $60,000 maximum per accident for all involved passengers and $25,000 property damage limits. Property damage could be a vehicle or other property you run into such as a fence, light post, building etc. If you cause an accident, your policy will pay up to those limits to the other person(s) for the injuries you caused to them, their passengers and/or their property.

  • Per accident, the amount of insurance you have for the total accident
  • Property damage, the amount of insurance you have to pay for the other property

We recommend you always consider limits above the state minimums. Most new cars cost more than $25,000 and if your insurance limit is used up, the remaining amount will come out of pocket. Imagine if you were to cause damage to a $75,000 luxury vehicle or worse yet, cause a death!

Remember, a personal policy will not cover a commercial vehicle or use of a personal vehicle for commercial use. But a commercial policy will cover a personal vehicle plus it is tax deductible!

Commercial Auto Explained

Jan 182022
 

Basic Coverage at the Lowest Price: Good option for businesses that have a stable driver and vehicle list and is willing to call to add or endorse any drivers within 30 days of hire.

Standard Coverage at a Great Price: Great option for businesses that have frequent changes in their driver list. Adds the Additional Driver Endorsement which allows eligible drivers to be added during the current policy term without notification as long as they were hired 30 days after the policy inception date. You must notify the insurance to add them on at the time of renewal.

Deluxe Coverage is the Best Protection for Your Money: Best option for businesses with frequent changes in their driver list, those that hire or borrow non-owned vehicles, and business required by their customers to carry insurance that covers all owned, hired, and non-owned vehicles (when eligible). This adds the Additional Driver Endorsement as in the standard policy but adds the Non-owned and Hired Auto endorsements provide liability coverage for vehicles rented, leased, borrowed, or hired from an employee, partner, family member, or any other member of the business or household. Also, when eligible, this adds Any Auto Coverage, which provides liability protection for any owned vehicle listed or acquired during the policy period. Any changes made during the year must be added at the time of renewal.

DISCOUNTS THAT CAN BE APPLIED:

  • Business Experience: 3 or more years If the named insured’s current business began three or more years prior to the policy period inception year. Documentation is required. Examples of documentation may include: Three-year loss runs or declaration pages; government filings that show business start date; papers of incorporation or partnership deed; business license or permit; tax registration document (e.g., application for EIN, Form SS -4); three-year-old Schedule C, three-year-old utility bill, canceled check, or invoice; or other similar documentation.
  • Prior consecutive insurance with not lapse in coverage: 1 yr or more if the name insured has had prior policies with no cancellation or expiration in between. Documentation is required in the form of declaration pages. Loss runs are required for a fleet policies (10 or more vehicles).
  • Active General Liability Coverage: Documentation required must be in the form of a current declaration page, regardless of which agency you are insured through.
  • EFT or Pay in Full: If you opt to pay your policy in full or allow to draft your monthly payments, there is usually a higher percentage of discount. How much depends on which company you are insured under.

Commercial Auto Insurance

Jan 182022
 

A personal auto policy usually covers one person driving their own car, but a commercial policy covers an entire business. That could include multiple drivers, multiple vehicles, trucks, and employees with poor driving records. If your vehicle is owned by the business and used for business needs such as deliveries or transporting equipment, you should have commercial auto insurance coverage. Any full-time employees that use the vehicle for business purposes should be listed as drivers on your commercial auto insurance policy.

Commercial auto insurance is a business insurance policy that applies to autos owned by or used in your business that protects your business against liability for damages caused by accidents involving your business autos and provides certain compensation to occupants of your business autos injured in accidents.

There are three basic parts of every commercial auto insurance policy: Liability insurance − includes bodily injury, property damage, uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage. Other coverage − includes medical payments, towing and labor, rental reimbursement and auto loan or lease gap coverage.