Our state is a driving state. We love our vehicles in Texas. We NEED our vehicles in West Texas. Commercial auto coverage helps protect your business in Midland, Odessa, or surrounding areas in West Texas.
Sometimes you and/or your employees need to drive vehicles owned by your company. Sometimes, you need to cover employee-owned vehicles as they conduct company business with commercial auto coverage.
When it comes to insuring vehicles for business purposes, a commercial auto policy provides the necessary coverage. This type of insurance is designed to protect businesses that utilize vehicles for their operations.
Vehicles Covered
Here are some of the different business purposes for which vehicles can be covered under a commercial auto policy.
Cars
It doesn’t matter whether you provide a sedan for sales representatives or a fleet of company cars for executives. Commercial auto insurance can provide coverage for cars used in business operations.
Vans
From delivery services to transportation companies, vans are commonly used for various business purposes. A commercial auto policy can ensure that these vehicles are protected in the event of an accident or damage.
Pickup Trucks
Many businesses, such as construction companies and landscaping services, rely on pickup trucks to transport equipment and materials. Commercial auto insurance can cover these trucks for both liability and physical damage.
Box Trucks
These larger vehicles, often used for moving and freight services, can also be covered under a commercial auto policy.
Service Utility Trucks
Companies that provide services such as plumbing, electrical work, or maintenance often use service utility trucks. Commercial auto insurance can provide the necessary coverage for these specialized vehicles.
Food Trucks
A booming industry, food trucks require specialized insurance coverage. A commercial auto policy can protect both the vehicle and the business owner.
Commercial auto insurance covers a wide range of vehicles for business purposes. It remains important to note that coverage for semi-trucks and tractor-trailers is not offered. These vehicles require separate insurance policies due to their unique nature and the risks involved.
Types of Insurance Coverage
Commercial auto insurance for business owners in Midland and Odessa provides financial protection for companies that use vehicles for their business operations. There are several types of insurance coverage options available to help businesses mitigate the risks associated with operating commercial vehicles.
By understanding the various types of insurance coverage available, business owners can make informed decisions to tailor their commercial auto insurance policies to their specific needs.
Let’s take a look at some of the coverage available.
Property Damage
Property damage coverage is an essential component of commercial auto insurance in West Texas. This coverage offers financial protection to businesses for damage caused to another person’s vehicle or property due to accidents.
In the unfortunate event of an accident where your business vehicle causes damage to someone else’s property, property damage coverage helps cover the costs of repairing or replacing the damaged property. This coverage can include damage caused to other vehicles, buildings, fences, or any other property that may be affected by the accident.
Commercial auto insurance also provides coverage for non-collision damages. These can occur due to various situations such as vandalism, fire, certain weather events like hail or storms, and even impacts with other objects like trees or telephone poles.
Having property damage coverage ensures that your business is protected financially and can help cover the expenses for repairing or replacing damaged property. It gives you peace of mind knowing that you are covered in case of any unforeseen accidents or incidents.
When selecting a commercial auto insurance policy in West Texas, it is crucial to carefully review the coverage options. You want to ensure that property damage coverage is included. By doing so, you can safeguard your business from potential financial losses and focus on your day-to-day operations without worrying about the costs of property damage.
Bodily Injury
Bodily injury coverage is a crucial component of commercial auto insurance policies. This coverage protects the policyholder from the legal and financial repercussions that may arise if they cause injuries to others in an accident.
Accidents happen, and when they do, bodily injury coverage ensures that the injured party receives the medical care they need. It also provides financial compensation for their pain and suffering, lost wages, and other related expenses. Without this coverage, the policyholder would be personally liable for these costs. These costs can accumulate quickly and result in significant financial strain.
It is important to note that bodily injury coverage does not apply to intentional or expected injuries. It is designed to protect against accidents rather than intentional harm. Additionally, coverage limits and options may vary depending on the specific commercial auto insurance policy.
Uninsured Motorists
Let’s face it. A lot of uninsured or underinsured drivers fill the roads of West Texas and across the Lone Star State. Not everyone follows the rules.
Uninsured motorist coverage is designed to provide financial protection for businesses in the event of an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver. This coverage helps cover medical expenses, property damage, and legal fees that may arise from such accidents.
In the unfortunate event of a collision with an uninsured driver, uninsured motorist coverage helps cover medical expenses for injuries sustained by the driver or any passengers. Additionally, it helps repair or replace damaged property, such as the business vehicle involved in the accident. Moreover, it can potentially cover legal fees in case the business needs to defend itself against an uninsured driver.
Having uninsured motorist coverage is especially beneficial for businesses in West Texas, where the number of uninsured drivers tends to be higher compared to other areas. By including this coverage in their commercial auto insurance policy, businesses can ensure that they are financially protected in case of accidents involving uninsured motorists.
Medical Expenses
This coverage provides financial protection for bodily injuries sustained in car accidents and the resulting medical expenses for both drivers and passengers.
Unlike personal car insurance policies, commercial auto insurance covers medical expenses regardless of fault in the accident. This means that if you or your employees are injured in a car accident while conducting business operations, the medical expenses for treatment and care will be taken care of by the insurance company.
The coverage for medical expenses in commercial auto insurance policies includes not only immediate treatment costs such as ambulance fees and hospital bills, but also ongoing medical care, rehabilitation services, and prescriptions.
Various factors contribute to the cost of commercial auto insurance. These factors often include the type of vehicle being insured, the number of vehicles in a company’s fleet, the driving record of the employees, the purpose of the business vehicles (e.g., food trucks, dump trucks), and the coverage limits and deductible amounts chosen for the policy.
Physical Damage
Physical damage coverage is an essential component of commercial auto insurance. This coverage is designed to protect business vehicles and trailers against theft and damage caused by non-collision events.
When it comes to commercial auto insurance, physical damage coverage provides financial protection in case of theft or damage to vehicles or trailers. This coverage extends to various specific hazards, including vandalism, fire, and certain weather events.
Comprehensive physical damage coverage is a type of insurance that protects against a range of specified hazards. Examples of these hazards include theft, vandalism, fire, hail, windstorm, and falling objects. By having comprehensive coverage, business owners can ensure they have financial protection in case their vehicles or trailers are damaged or stolen in situations outside of collisions.
Comprehensive Coverage
This coverage helps safeguard these vehicles from damage caused by incidents such as theft, fire, vandalism, and more that are not caused by other vehicles on the road.
Commercial vehicles are often expensive investments for businesses, and the financial consequences of damage or loss can be significant. Comprehensive coverage ensures that these vehicles are protected from a range of risks. It provides necessary peace of mind for business owners.
Whether it’s a fleet of delivery trucks, food trucks, or even specialized vehicles like dump trucks, comprehensive coverage helps mitigate the financial loss caused by events beyond the control of the insured party.
For example, if a commercial vehicle is stolen or damaged in a fire or by vandalism, comprehensive coverage can step in to cover the repair or replacement costs. This coverage goes beyond standard liability insurance, which mainly protects against damages caused to others.
By adding comprehensive coverage to a commercial auto insurance policy for your Midland or Odessa business, you can ensure that their vehicles are safeguarded against a variety of perils, offering vital financial protection to their valuable assets.
Mike Lively Insurance Agency Insures Your Business
A proper commercial or business insurance policy will take into account coverage for your commercial vehicles to make sure you decrease your risk and liability on and off the road.
With this coverage in place, you have the confidence to go about your business.
If you call West Texas, own a business, and need commercial auto coverage in Midland or Odessa, reach out to Mike Lively Agency today for a look at your existing business insurance policy.
