Commercial auto insurance in Florida

Commercial auto insurance covers vehicles that a business owns or uses for work, mainly liability for injuries and property damage, plus optional collision and comprehensive coverage. Triple-I says the major coverages mirror personal auto, including medical payments and uninsured motorist coverage, but a business auto policy differs in many technical respects. A business owners policy does not cover vehicles.

It depends on the vehicles' size, age and theft and safety ratings, how they are used, who drives them, and the limits you choose, so there is no single price. Triple-I notes insurers ask how vehicles are used, who will drive and whether employees use their own cars, and that avoiding accidents is the best way to keep premiums down. A licensed agent can quote your actual vehicles and drivers.

Generally yes if your business owns the vehicle or you use it mainly for work, because a personal auto policy may not respond. Triple-I says there is no personal auto coverage for a business-owned vehicle. Florida also requires PIP and property damage liability on registered vehicles, and commercial vehicles with a gross weight of 26,000 pounds or more have higher liability minimums (s. 627.7415).

It depends on the policy wording and how each vehicle is listed, so tell your agent how the vehicle is really used. Triple-I notes many owners use one vehicle for business and pleasure, and that a business-owned vehicle should list the business as principal insured. Many owners keep a personal auto policy for their own cars, while a personal car used mainly for work may need commercial coverage.

A fleet's vehicles can be listed on a single commercial auto policy, with coverages chosen vehicle by vehicle. Policies can also apply to broader groups, such as all autos the business owns, or all autos it owns, hires or leases. Tell your agent when you add or remove a vehicle or driver so coverage and premium match. Box, tow and dump trucks are covered in our truck insurance section.

Hired and non-owned auto (HNOA) coverage is liability protection for your business when it is sued over accidents involving vehicles it does not own, such as rentals or employees' personal cars used on work errands. Triple-I says it applies as excess over the driver's own personal auto limits, which matters if those limits are low. A licensed agent can explain whether you need it.