Does Your Business Require Specialty Vehicles?

Melbourne, Fla.—When you own a business you may require some of the same insurance coverages that you use for personal travel vehicles on your business’ cars, trucks, vans or other vehicles. Your Businessowners Policy (BOP) does not provide any coverage for vehicles, so you must have a separate policy.

Most states require you to purchase liability insurance for bodily injury and property damage that may result from a vehicle accident occurring while you or someone from your organization is driving on business. Many states also require you to have uninsured/underinsured motorists coverage and/or medical payments coverage (known as Personal Injury Protection (PIP) in some states). You can also purchase physical damage coverage for vehicles your business owns, leases or hires.

Commercial vehicles require a separate policy because they’re typically exposed to more risk than personal vehicles. Commercial auto insurance isn’t just for industrial vehicles like semis or dump trucks. For example, businesses that use a car to run errands, carry tools or transport clients might also need a commercial auto policy.

The types of vehicles usually covered include but are not limited to:

• Electrician

• Janitorial or Cleaning

• Landscaping

• Plumbing

• Painting

• Handyman

• Roofing

• Construction

• Remodeling

• Granite and kitchen Installers

• Pest Control

• Carpenters

• Floor Installers

• Delivery

• Restaurants

• Food Trucks

• Schools

• Church

• Car wash and detailing, and more.

There are three basic parts of every commercial auto insurance policy:

• Physical damage insurance − includes collision and comprehensive coverage

• 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

WHAT IS COVERED?

Bodily injury liability coverage – pays for bodily injury or death resulting from an accident for which you are at fault and in most cases provides you with a legal defense.

Property damage liability coverage – provides you with protection if your vehicle accidently damages another person's property and in most cases provides you with a legal defense.

Combined single limit (CSL) – Liability policies typically offer separate limits that apply to bodily injury claims for property damage. A combined single limits policy has the same dollar amount of coverage per covered occurrence whether bodily injury or property damage, one person or several.

Medical payments, no-fault or personal injury coverage – usually pays for the medical expenses of the driver and passengers in your vehicle incurred as a result of a covered accident regardless of fault.

Uninsured motorist coverage – pays for your injuries and, in some circumstances, certain property damage caused by an uninsured or a hit-and-run driver. In some cases, underinsured motorist coverage is also included. This is for cases in which the at-fault driver has insufficient insurance.

Comprehensive physical damage coverage – pays for damage to your vehicle from theft, vandalism, flood, fire, and other covered perils.

Collision coverage – pays for damage to your vehicle when it hits or is hit by another object.

Discover a full-service provider of commercial insurance products, and services for trucking and commercial auto insurance. We invite you to review our programs: Truck, public transportation, and commercial specialty auto.

Contact one of our local commercial/truck insurance agents from Melbourne Truck Insurance to find out what options are available for your trucking and transportation business in the Palm Bay area, and help you start saving on the protections needed to keep it always afloat. We have the products and underwriting experience that meet the insurance needs of your business.

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