Contractors
Back to ContractorsCommercial Vehicle Insurance for Contractors
Your truck or van is how your crew, tools and materials get to every job. Commercial auto insurance helps protect your pickups, cargo vans and box trucks and the people who drive them, from a fender-bender on the way to a job to a ladder that falls off a rack and damages another car. A personal auto policy may not respond when a vehicle is used mainly for business.
What It Covers
Liability
Helps pay for injuries and property damage to others when you or an employee is at fault in an accident while driving to a job, a supply house or between sites.
Physical Damage
Collision and comprehensive coverage can help repair or replace your work vehicle after a crash, theft, vandalism or storm, after your deductible.
No-Fault (PIP)
In New York, personal injury protection helps pay medical expenses and certain lost wages for injured drivers and passengers, regardless of who caused the accident.
Upfitted Equipment
Ladder racks, shelving, toolboxes and other equipment permanently attached to the vehicle may be covered as part of it, sometimes only when declared. Loose tools usually need tools and equipment coverage.
Who Needs It
- Contractors with pickups, cargo vans, box trucks or dump trucks used for the business.
- Trade businesses whose employees drive company vehicles to job sites.
- Contractors who tow trailers with equipment or materials between jobs.
Optional Coverages
- Hired & Non-Owned AutoHelps protect your business when employees use their own cars or rented trucks for work, such as a run to the supply house. It is usually added as an endorsement.
- Rental ReimbursementMay help pay for a replacement truck or van while yours is being repaired after a covered claim, so your jobs keep moving.
- Trailer CoverageTrailers you own can be listed on the policy for liability and physical damage, depending on the carrier. Equipment carried on them is usually insured separately.
Working with us
How We Help
- 1
Tell Us What You Need
Share a few details about you, your property or your business. It only takes a few minutes, online or by phone.
- 2
We Shop the Market
As an independent brokerage, we compare options from multiple top-rated carriers to find the right fit.
- 3
Review and Get Covered
We walk you through your options in plain language, answer your questions and help you choose with confidence.
Frequently asked questions
Common Questions
Are the tools in my van covered by commercial auto?
Generally, no. Commercial auto is designed to cover the vehicle and equipment permanently attached to it, not loose tools and materials inside. Tools stolen from a van are typically covered under a tools and equipment (inland marine) policy, depending on its terms.
My truck is in my name, not the company’s. Do I still need commercial auto?
Often, yes. If you use the truck mainly for work, carry tools and materials, or let employees drive it, a personal auto policy may limit or deny coverage. Some carriers can write a commercial policy for a vehicle titled in the owner’s name, so it is worth reviewing with an agent.
Can my helpers drive the work truck?
Usually, drivers you permit to use the vehicle can be covered, but carriers review driving records and may require every regular driver to be listed. Drivers with recent violations or little driving experience may be excluded or may raise the premium. Keeping your driver list up to date helps avoid gaps in coverage.
Ready to Get Started?
Get a personalized Commercial Vehicles quote or speak with one of our experienced agents.