If you don’t operate a fleet of business vehicles – or run a business at all – you may never have given commercial auto insurance a thought. But it’s possible you may need a commercial policy even if you don’t fall into these categories,
particularly if you use your own vehicle for work purposes other than commuting. To help avoid confusion, we’ll explain when shopping for commercial auto coverage makes more sense than getting quotes for personal auto insurance in Salem OH.
Who Needs Commercial Auto Insurance?
The following examples show how fine the line between needing personal and commercial auto coverage can be, and can help you see which type you’ll likely need.
Personal Auto Insurance Examples:
- Grabbing morning doughnuts for coworkers;
- Driving friends to a concert;
- Taking weekend road trips;
- Commuting to the construction site where you’re working
The Potential Problem With Transporting People or Goods
Personal auto insurance in Salem OH typically won’t pay to repair damage or treat injuries you sustain while you’re transporting people or goods for money, in large part because the liability and property damage risks are too great.
Driving friends to a concert or grabbing food for co-workers back at the office is covered. But if you use your vehicle, say, to deliver pizzas, you need commercial auto insurance.
Rideshare drivers (such as Uber drivers) are a unique case, and a growing number of insurers offer ridesharing insurance. These policies are often less expensive than commercial car insurance.
It’s Not Where You Drive That’s Important, But Why
There’s no limit to how much you can drive under a standard auto policy, as long as it’s for personal reasons.
But if, for example, you’re a sales manager and regularly use your car to visit stores within your region, or you’re an account representative and frequently drive far and wide to meet – and possibly transport – clients, you probably need commercial coverage to account for the high liability risk your company could face in the event of an accident.
Watch What You’re Carrying
Commuting to a job is one thing, but bringing along heavy tools or equipment is another. For instance, a construction worker hauling a trailer, ladder rack, expensive drills, and other supplies faces a higher chance for property damage and theft than your average commuter and might need commercial car insurance as a result.
Talk To Your Insurer About Which Policy is Right For You
Deciding between commercial and personal auto insurance in Salem OH involves many mitigating factors and questions, so you should discuss the issue with your insurance agent or insurer.
You likely need a separate commercial policy if you use your car primarily or frequently for business. But if you only use it occasionally for business purposes, your insurer might be able to modify your personal auto policy, for an added cost, so that it includes your work-based driving.
Most well-known insurers offer commercial auto insurance. Because it’s typically more expensive than personal auto coverage in Salem OH, getting several quotes is the best way to find affordable rates.
Have questions about which insurance is right for you? Our ultimate goal is to find you the best coverage for less. We’d love to share all the ways we can help you get the coverage you need, knowing you got the best deal possible.
Give us a call now at 330-337-9557 to see how we can help you, or stop by our office in Salem OH.
Hi, my name is Kevin Moore. I was born in San Diego, CA and studied at the University of San Diego. I am passionate about sharing my knowledge with interested people and have years of experience in the field of business, health . information technology.
