Commercial Auto Insurance

What Is Commercial Auto Insurance?

Commercial auto insurance helps cover the costs of an auto accident while you or an employee uses a company-owned car for business. This coverage can help pay for property damage and medical expenses – even in the event of a fatal accident.

Commercial auto insurance can help protect your business if, for example:

An employee hits a pedestrian while driving a vehicle for business. The pedestrian requires medical treatment that results in costly medical expenses.

You swerve off the road while driving to work in a company car and take out a residential mailbox.

An employee drives to work in a company vehicle, hits another car and totals it.

Get a commercial car insurance quote today to learn how you can protect your business while on the road.

What Does Commercial Auto Insurance Cover?

Although coverage availability and requirements vary by state, these are some of the common types of commercial auto coverages available to business owners.

Bodily Injury Liability Coverage helps pay for the other driver’s medical expenses.

Property Damage Liability Coverage pays for damage that you or your employees cause to someone else’s property.

Collision Coverage helps pay to fix or replace your business car if you hit something, like another car or pole.

Comprehensive Coverage can help pay for car damages caused by theft, fire or natural disasters.

Medical payments coverage can help pay for medical expenses for your employees and their passengers in the event of an accident, such as medical treatments and rehabilitations, dental care or funerals.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage helps pay for you or your employees’ medical expenses or to fix your car if the other driver lacks enough liability coverage.

Rental Car Coverage offers liability coverage while you or your employees are driving a rental vehicle for business. Many rental companies have loss damage waivers or a collision damage waiver that you can sign to avoid paying for property damage to a rental car.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP), also known as no-fault insurance, can help cover medical expenses, lost wages or funeral costs after an accident, no matter who is at fault.

Hired and non-owned auto insurance offers lawsuit liability coverage if you or your employees are involved in an accident with a personal, rented or leased car that was used for business errands. However, this type of commercial vehicle insurance coverage will not pay for damages to your car.

Who Needs Commercial Auto Insurance?

Consider commercial auto insurance if your business:

Owns, leases or rents vehicles, such as cars and trucks

Has employees who drive their own vehicles for business

Has employees who operate leased, rented or owned company vehicles

What Is the Difference Between Commercial and Personal Auto Insurance?

As a business owner, you need to have the right auto insurance coverage to protect your business’ vehicles and any employees involved in an accident with your business autos.

Commercial auto insurance – you’ll need this coverage if you’re using a vehicle for business reasons. Typically, all of your business employees with a valid license would be covered under this policy as additional insureds. Commercial auto insurance usually offers more comprehensive coverages, like higher limits and liability coverage.
Personal auto insurance – when you’re driving your car for personal reasons, including commuting to and from work, you’ll need this type of auto insurance coverage. In most cases, only you and your immediate family members are covered under personal auto insurance policies. The coverage limits also tend to be lower.

If you’re still unsure whether commercial auto insurance is right for your business, we can help. Speak with one of our representatives at 855-860-9763 for more detailed information.

How Much Does Commercial Auto Insurance Cost?

The amount of premium you’ll pay for a commercial car insurance policy is heavily dependent on your industry and the types of vehicles your business operates. Typically, contractor-based businesses such as landscapers, electricians, carpenters and some construction jobs will have a higher monthly fee than other professions. Several factors can influence the cost of your auto insurance coverage, like the:

Type of business you have
Type of vehicle your employee drives
Driving record of your employees’
Type of load the company vehicle is carrying
Location of your company
Amount of liability coverage you choose

Choose The Hartford for Commercial Car Insurance

Unique, Customized Coverages

All business owners face unique risks. We can work to customize policies to help meet the specific needs of your business. If you have damaged business autos due to a covered loss, our various commercial auto coverages can protect your business in many ways. Our downtime loss coverage can help cover your business' lost income. Our rental reimbursement coverage can help cover the costs to rent a car and our towing coverage can help cover towing expenses if your car is inoperable.

Superior Commercial Auto Insurance Claims

Our experienced claims specialists are ready to help expedite a claim anywhere in the U.S. They’re dedicated to getting you back on the road – and back to business – as fast as possible.

Get Extra Business Auto Protection at No Additional Cost

Our commercial auto insurance offers extra protection for your business at no additional cost. This includes:

Coverage for electronic devices
Gap coverage for leased and loaned vehicles**
An additional 10% actual cost value, up to $2,500, for total loss vehicles replaced with a hybrid, electric or natural gas vehicle

More Resources for Commercial Auto Insurance

If you already have commercial auto insurance, learn about other business insurance and workers' compensation coverages we offer. Call 855-829-1683 to speak to one of our specialists.

The Hartford has partnered with Via Transportation, Inc. as it expands from the U.S. into Canada, offering commercial auto ride-sharing coverage to protect its drivers and passengers. For more information about the coverage, read the policy.

** Gap coverage for lease and loaned vehicles not available in all states.