If you own a small business and use your vehicle for your own personal use, oftentimes a personal insurance policy is all you need for Washington or Oregon commercial auto insurance coverage. That said, if you operate vehicles to transport products or people, require high liability insurance, haul equipment, or have other similar special needs, then a commercial auto insurance policy is probably best for you. A commercial auto insurance policy covers certain legal liability resulting from bodily injury or property damage caused by the vehicles used in your business.

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 motorist’s coverage. However, there are also differences between a commercial auto insurance policy and your personal auto insurance 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.

At Vern Fonk, our commercial vehicle insurance policies cover a great number of vehicles and trailers including:

Private Passenger

SUV
Sport
Luxury
Mini Van
Full Size Van
Step Van (<10,000 GVW)
Delivery Van (>10,000 GVW)

Trucks (up to 40,000 GVW) That are Eligible for Commercial Auto Insurance

Pickup Truck (2×4)
Pickup Truck (4×4)
Pickup Truck (5th wheel)
Catering Truck
Straight Truck
Flatbed Truck
Stake Body Truck
Refrigerated Truck
Dump Truck
Tank Truck
Tractor Cab (Cab only)

Types of Trailers That are Eligible for Commercial Auto Insurance

Utility Trailer (up to 12 feet)
Utility Trailer (greater than 12 feet)
Dry Freight Trailer
Refrigerated Dry Freight Trailer
Dump Trailer
Flatbed Trailer
Livestock Trailer
Other Trailer

Bodily injury liability coverage

The policy pays when you are legally liable for causing bodily injury to another person.

Property damage liability coverage

The policy provides protection if your commercial vehicle accidentally damages another person’s property.

Combined single limit

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 per covered occurrence whether bodily injury or property damage, occurs to one person or several.

Medical Payments or Personal Injury

This policy usually pays for the medical expenses of the driver and passengers in your commercial vehicle incurred as a result of a covered accident regardless of fault.

Uninsured motorist coverage

This policy pays for your injuries, and in some cases, certain property damage caused by the uninsured or a hit-and-run driver. This is for cases where the at fault driver has insufficient insurance.

Comprehensive physical damage coverage

This policy pays for damage to or replacement of your commercial vehicle from theft, vandalism, flood, fire and other covered perils.

Collision coverage

The policy pays for damage to your commercial vehicle from collision or upset regardless of fault, subject to your deductible.