Commercial Auto Insurance in Petaluma and the North Bay
All motor vehicles need insurance, regardless of whether they’re your personal car or a fleet vehicle owned by your business. However, whereas standard auto insurance is designed for personal vehicles, business vehicles must be insured a commercial auto insurance policy. This is a unique policy that, while similar to standard coverage, is tailored to commercial vehicle operators.
Who Needs Commercial Auto Insurance
Personal auto policies typically don’t cover business uses of automobiles. If your business’s drivers are in an accident or if your vehicles are damaged or stolen, a commercial auto policy may cover the associated expenses. Additionally, state laws may place requirements on which coverages are necessary.
Commercial Auto Insurance Coverage
Commercial auto insurance typically offers several types of coverage, including:
- Liability coverage—This may provide coverage if your business’s driver is at-fault in an auto accident. It may provide compensation for third-party property damage or bodily injuries, and it may pay for associated legal expenses. Most states dictate minimum amounts of required liability coverage.
- Collision coverage—This may pay for damage to your business’s vehicle after a collision with another automobile or object (e.g., fence).
- Comprehensive coverage—This may help pay for damages or losses after a non-collision incident involving your business’s vehicle (e.g., vandalism, theft or fire damage).
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage—This may provide coverage if the at-fault driver of the other vehicle involved in an accident with your business’s vehicle does not have insurance or does not have high enough limits to cover the cost of the associated damages.
- Medical payments coverage—If your business’s driver is in an accident while driving a company vehicle, this may help pay for the driver’s and their passengers’ medical bills, regardless of fault.
- Personal injury protection (PIP)—Like medical payments coverage, this may provide payments for injuries to your business’s driver or their passengers after an accident. Additionally, PIP may provide compensation for their resulting lost income. This coverage is only available in certain states. Be sure to check whether the state in which your business operates requires drivers to carry this coverage.
Additionally, other policies and endorsements may be available, including:
- Hired/non-owned auto liability insurance
- Roadside assistance
- Rental car reimbursement
Your agent can discuss available options, limits and exclusions and how they may fit with your business’s needs. Reach out to us for more information.
Get Covered Today
Getting the right commercial auto insurance policy for you and your business will require unique considerations, at the experts at Don Ramatici Insurance, Inc. are committed to helping make the process easier. We provide commercial auto insurance benefits to business owners in Petaluma, CA and the surrounding areas, and we’ll work with you to ensure that your plan fits your budget and your coverage needs.
Call us or request your free commercial auto insurance quote now!