California Commercial Auto Insurance

Commercial Auto Insurance insures your vehicles for physical damage and liability coverages for amounts, situations, and usage not covered by a personal auto policy. This type of business insurance covers a variety of vehicles and is also referred to as commercial car insurance, truck insurance, or fleet insurance. Our agents at Su Casa Valley Insurance will help you find the best coverage you need for your business.

Why do you need California Commercial Auto Insurance? - In general, if an auto is used in tasks related to the operator's occupation, profession or business, other than commuting, a commercial policy is necessary.

If you are using your auto to transport goods or people for a fee or if you use your auto to conduct a service, you may need a commercial auto insurance policy.
A commercial auto policy may be appropriate if you need higher limits of liability because of the nature of your work.
Hauling a considerable weight in tools or equipment or towing a trailer used to conduct your business may require a commercial auto insurance policy.
A commercial insurance policy may be needed if employees operate the auto or if ownership is in the name of a corporation or partnership.

What does Commercial Auto Insurance cover? - Commercial auto insurance, like your personal auto policy, provides similar coverages such as liability, collision, comprehensive, medical payments (or personal injury protection) and uninsured motorists coverage to California businesses. However, there are also differences between a commercial auto insurance policy and your personal auto policy that may include eligibility, definitions, coverages, exclusions, and limits.

Most Commercial auto policies are "named driver only" policies, meaning only those drivers listed on the policy can operate a covered auto.

What are the coverages?

Bodily injury liability coverage – pays for bodily injury or death resulting from an accident for which you are at fault and provides you with a legal defense.
Property damage liability coverage – provides you with protection if your car accidentally damages another persons property. It also 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 car 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 or replacement of your car from theft, vandalism, flood, fire, and other covered perils.
Collision coverage – pays for damage to your car when it hits or is hit by another object.

Providing Commercial Auto Insurance in California

With many different options, commercial car insurance can be confusing. We can help you with your commercial vehicle insurance needs in Fresno California including the Fresno County, Kern County, Kings County, Madera County, and Tulare County areas. So contact one of the agents at Su Casa Valley Insurance for your California commercial auto insurance needs.

Why You Need Commercial Auto Insurance

Having auto insurance is a necessity to protect you in case of an accident. But whether you own a business or work for yourself, there are certain situations where you need commercial auto insurance. Here is more about when you need it and why you need it.

When it comes to drivers, vehicles and purposes, personal drivers don’t have the same kinds of car insurance concerns as do businesses.

Transporting Goods or People for a Fee

Whether you drive a limousine or taxi or own a business that supplies those types of vehicles that transport people or goods for a cost, then you need to have commercial auto insurance to protect passengers and transported items in case of an accident. The same thing applies if you use your vehicle to conduct a service such as a flower delivery service or a mobile dog groomer.

One of the only areas where this does not apply is if you work for a ride-sharing company like Uber or Lyft. In that case, the company supplies you with commercial auto insurance only when you are on the clock. However, some people still get commercial insurance because according to Cars.com:

Both companies cover your car in the event of a collision or comprehensive claim (e.g., vandalism), but only if you have collision and comprehensive policies in your personal policy. Uber covers up to the cash value of your car with a $1,000 deductible; Lyft caps the maximum at $50,000 with a $2,500 deductible.

Company Vehicles

For obvious reasons, if your company has vehicles that are driven by employees then you need commercial insurance. This covers vehicles like company trucks that are outfitted with work equipment, flatbeds, refrigerator trucks, and more or even simply trucks or cars that are driven by employees for work purposes.

Also, if the vehicle ownership is in the company's name or of a corporation or partnership, this is another area that requires commercial auto insurance in most cases.

Coverage

There are quite a few areas that commercial auto insurance covers.

Collision Coverage. This is for damage if the auto is hit or hits something else.
Bodily Injury Liability Coverage. Not only provides legal defense but pays for bodily injury or death where the accident was the fault of the driver of the company vehicle.
Comprehensive Physical Damage Coverage. This coverage is for replacement or damage from things like flood, theft, fire, vandalism, and other perils.
Property Damage Liability Coverage. Legal defense and coverage when another person's property is damaged.
Combined Single Limit (CSL). 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.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage. This is for damage or injuries when you are not at fault but the other motorist is either uninsured or in cases of a hit and run.
Medical payments/No-Fault or Personal Injury Coverage. This is for medical payments for the driver and passengers in the case of an accident.

At Su Casa Valley Insurance you are treated like family by a family owned business. The following locations are served: Visalia, Tulare, Selma, Hanford, and Fresno. When you need to learn more about commercial auto insurance, call today for an insurance quote and get the best insurance possible for your needs.