How Much Is Commercial Insurance

How Much Does Commercial Insurance Cost

The cost of business insurance depends on a variety of factors, including what industry youre in, how many employees you have, where you operate and whether youve filed claims in the past.

Like most insurance policies, youll pay a monthly or annual premium for commercial insurance coverage. During the claims process, youll have to pay the deductible. Typically, the higher your deductible, the lower your premiums.

Commercial insurance policies also have limits, which are the maximum amount the insurance company will pay out in one year. Policies with higher limits typically cost more.

Compare quotes from several commercial insurance providers to find the best coverage for you.

What Factors Affect General Liability Insurance Premiums

These four factors influence general liability insurance premiums the most:

• Building size. Bigger buildings invite more opportunities for accidents to happen. So if you operate in a larger facility with more foot traffic, you could pay more.
• Location. Businesses operating in high-risk areas with higher crime rates may pay more for liability insurance.
• Size of payroll and annual revenue. The higher your expenses or operating costs, the more you can expect to pay for liability insurance.
• Claims history. If youve filed general liability claims in the past, it could increase your premiums.
• Policy details. Coverage limits, deductibles and other policy details affect your business insurance cost.

Whats The Difference Between Commercial And Personal Auto Insurance

At first glance, personal and commercial auto policies look similar. Both include bodily injury and property damage liability, comprehensive and collision coverage, as well as various options like roadside assistance depending on the carrier.

However, the differences between personal and commercial auto insurance are important and could save you from paying thousands of dollars in damages due to inadequate or non-applicable auto insurance.

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How Do You Find The Most Affordable Quotes For Commercial Auto Insurance

Business owners can shop for commercial auto insurance the same way a regular driver does -by shopping around and receiving multiple quotes. From there, itâs all about comparing and contrasting. By now, youâre already aware of some factors that insurers look for, like vehicle safety features, good employee driving records, and safe vehicle storage. Now is your chance to see how both local and national auto insurance providers price them by gathering quotes.

A good shopping philosophy to go by when dealing with insurance is to compare discounts and how much a given insurance provider will take off the total quote. Another aspect to consider is the state you choose to operate your business out of. States price their commercial auto coverage differently. A notable example is that California commercial auto insurance is cheaper than that offered in Minnesota.

In conclusion, commercial auto insurance is often a requirement for those who use the road for work purposes. These can be delivery services, ridesharing services, regular drives to worksites or clients , or equipment transportation for a job. After reading this, youâre now aware of the costs of commercial auto insurance and what exactly determines them. Once youâve assembled your team of drivers and company vehicles, itâs time to start shopping for the commercial auto insurance policy that you arenât just able to afford but can still earn a profit while maintaining them.

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What Does Commercial Van Insurance Cover

Exactly whats covered depends on your policy level and type, but commercial van insurance can covers:

• the loss or damage of your van due to theft, fire and vandalism

• accidental damage of your van and/or the vehicles and possessions of third parties in the case of a motoring accident

• some or all of the legal fees if you make a claim or have a claim made against you

• personal accidents, meaning a pay out from your insurer if youre injured and you cant recover the cost from a third party

• medical expenses for injuries to yourself, your passengers and/or third parties in the case of a motoring incident

• Optional extras you choose, like legal protection, breakdown cover and courtesy vans

If you have the wrong van insurance and need to make a claim, your cover could be invalid and youd have to pay for damages yourself

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The Insurance Coverage You Choose

The type of auto coverage you buy will also have a big impact on your commercial auto insurance costs. You can choose auto liability only, or comprehensive coverage.

Auto liability coverage is required by law in most states and protects you if you or your employee are to blame for an accident in your commercial vehicle. Auto liability is your lowest cost option, and provides limited coverage to help pay for:

• Physical damage to other vehicles or property damage
• Medical expenses from bodily injury to another party

If you opt for comprehensive auto insurance, your coverage will increase but so will your insurance rates. In addition to whats covered under auto liability coverage, comprehensive commercial auto insurance covers theft and damage due to weather, vandalism, or fire.

Additional coverage options like roadside assistance, rental reimbursement, or collision coverage can further increase your premium. For an accurate auto insurance quote, make sure to provide details about your insurance needs.

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Rates Vary By Coverage

The graph below depicts the average price per insurance policy. Please remember that the following cost estimates are just a general price reference, and to understand the exact rates for your business, youll need to fill out a simple form to get a free estimate. Well compare quotes from over 30 top companies to find you the best coverage at the right price.

Professional Liability Insurance: $56$117/month

If your business provides professional services or advice, professional liability insurancealso called errors and omissions insuranceprotects you against work performance claims, including errors, omissions, and negligence. For instance, a realtor who fails to note mold in a basement can be liable for damages. Average professional liability insurance costs range from about $56 to $117 per month. Different states have different requirements regarding which industries and professions need professional liability insurancesome states require real estate agents to carry E& O insurance while others dont, for exampleso check with an insurance broker in your area to see what you need.

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What Does Commercial Auto Insurance Cover

A commercial auto insurance policy typically provides many of the same coverages as auto insurance for individuals, including these coverage policies:

• Auto liability, which protects you and your company by paying for bodily injury or property damages you may become legally liable for as a result of a covered automobile accident.
• Uninsured and underinsured motorists coverage, which pays for medical expenses, loss of income and other damages owed to you, your employees or your passengers when an accident is caused by an uninsured or underinsured motorist
• Medical payments,which pays medical expenses, up to your coverage limit, for you, your employees and your passengers arising from motor vehicle accidents regardless of who is at fault.
• Collision coverage, which pays for damage to your vehicle from another vehicle whether you hit another vehicle or object, another vehicle hits you, or your vehicle rolls over regardless of who is at fault .
• Comprehensive coverage, which can help pay for damage to your vehicle from something other than another vehicle like vandalism, theft, weather events and accidents involving animals .
• Rental reimbursement, which pays for a rental vehicle if your vehicle is in an accident.

A commercial auto policy also can include coverage for cars you borrow or rent, as well as coverage for employees who use their cars for your business.

Can I Cover More Than One Vehicle

If you operate more than one vehicle as part of your business, fleet insurance may be a good option. There are also mini fleet options available, which are designed to cover businesses with between one and four vehicles. Youll need to check the small print as policies vary. Some will include a wide range of cover as standard, others will offer additional protection for extra payment, and others will only offer basic cover. What you need will depend on your business, but some of the options to look out for include:

• Employers liability insurance
• Insurance for driving in Europe
• Breakdown cover

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Meet The Regulatory Requirements

Does your state have minimum business insurance requirements? This should be an excellent place to start. For instance, Connecticut requires all businesses to invest in workers comp insurance. Ensure you comply with this, but this is just a starting point ensure you stick out your neck for other business insurance coverage options.

Furthermore, consider your lenders requirements concerning business insurance if you have a business loan or mortgage. Again, your lenders requirements only protect a portion of your business. It would help if you considered other business policies for all-rounded protection.

What Is A Combined Single Limit

Unlike personal auto policies that have separate limits for bodily injury and property damage liability , the BACF commonly has a Combined Single Limit . This creates higher limits for both bodily injury and property damage coverages, including per occurrence limits. Although you can purchase other limits, the most common commercial automobile CSLs for a small business are $500,000 and $1,000,000.

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Can Commercial Auto Insurance Be Combined With Other Types Of Business Insurance

Yes, its possible to combine commercial auto insurance with other types of business insurance. This can include general liability and commercial property insurance. In some cases, this can reduce overall expenses, particularly when working with insurance companies that offer discounts for insurance bundling. If an insurance company doesnt provide information on bundling upfront, you can ask as part of the quote process.

Do I Need A Business Auto Policy

Your insurance agent will ask in detail how you use vehicles in your business who will be driving them whether you own, rent or lease and whether you and your employees are likely to be driving their own cars for your business. The answers to these questions will indicate the types of coverage you need.

In general, only a BACF can provide the level of liability protection a business needs. In todays litigious society, many insurers recommend a business auto coverage limit of $1 million with $500,000 as the minimum that even a small business needs to cover the potential damages in a serious accident.

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Building And Equipment Age

The older your property is, the more it will cost to insure. If you do have an old building, one way to decrease insurance rates is by investing in maintenance and renovation. For example, getting rid of old electrical wiring and installing new wiring can help make your building safer and decrease your insurance premium. If you have done any maintenance work and renovation on your building and equipment since the last time you purchased property insurance, make sure that your insurer knows about it when the time comes to renew your policy.

Workers Comp For The Self

The cost of workers compensation insurance relies on a variety of factors, including where you perform you work, how many employees you have, and what you do for a living. The higher the risk, and the higher your payroll, the more expensive your insurance policy will be.

Rates are very specific and can vary greatly from business to business. The cost of this policy is calculated by the following equation:

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How To Lower The Cost Of Your Business Insurance

The best way to save money on your business insurance is to have very few claims made against your policy.

Insurance companies reward businesses that are diligent about worker and customer safety but will ding those with a history of accidents, workplace injuries or negligence lawsuits.

You can often earn discounts on your business insurance if you take the following steps:

• Bundle your coverage. Most insurance providers offer discounts if you buy several policies at once.

• Prepay your annual premium. Your insurer may offer a discount if you pay annually rather than monthly.

• Adjust your deductibles. Typically a higher deductible equals a lower premium.

• Invest in workplace safety. Minimize your risk profile by offering formal safety training and keeping up with routine facility maintenance.

What Coverage Do I Need If My Employees Use Company Vehicles For Personal Use

Some businesses let employees drive company vehicles home and use them for personal purposes in the evenings or on weekends. So long as these vehicles are scheduled on your business auto policy and the appropriate coverage auto symbols are shown on the “Declarations” page, you have coverage for owned autos taken home by employees.

Employees own personal auto policies will not cover their use of a company car unless the car has been specifically borrowed as a temporary replacement for the employees own car while it is unavailable. In addition, employees who lease, hire, rent or borrow autos for their personal use are not covered by their employers business auto policy.

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Example : Chiropractic Clinic

For 8 years, Stephanie has been renting space for her chiropractic clinic in Old Longueuil. Her business’s annual earnings are $110,000 and her contents and equipment are worth $50,000.

As a member of the Ordre des chiropraticiens du Québec, she pays the group rate the Ordre negotiated with The Personal.

Her insurance coverage includes:

• All-risk property insurance covering fire, theft, vandalism and water damage
• Equipment breakdown
• CyberOne Computer attack
• $2 million in business liability insurance

Stephanie’s insurance will cost about $74 a month with a $1,000 deductible in the event of a covered loss.

How Much Liability Insurance Do I Need

This is usually difficult because you cant predict the severity of liability claims you will face. However, as a thumb of rule, always purchase liability insurance equivalent to or more than your business assets value. Also, you assess how risky your business is. If you are at a high risk of lawsuits, you must consider umbrella insurance or excess liability coverage for optimal protection.

Need to learn more about commercial insurance in West Hartford, CT? Dont hesitate to contact ALLConnecticut Insurance for all your business insurance solutions.

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Tips To Get Cheap Commercial Auto Insurance

Keeping operations costs down is important. We know that owners want cheap insurance. Here are some ways to lower how much you pay :

• Choose vehicles wisely : The vehicle you drive will always impact insurance costs. Choose something that makes sense for your operations.
• Limit access to safe drivers : Employ drivers who have a clean driving record and are safe drivers.
• Check for available savings : You may be eligible for many types of discounts and savings programs.
• Invest in driver training for employees : This is important if you have a fleet of drivers. Enrolling drivers in safe driving classes can help keep fees down. It will also help reduce the odds of accidents.
• Drive less : How much you drive is a key factor. Look for ways to reduce the amount of time you spend behind the wheel.
• Safety and security : Install aftermarket security systems and park in secure locations.
• Mitigate threats : Implementing risk management practices to prevent accidents and claims.
• Minimize theft : Installing an anti-theft device to deter theft will reduce your rate.
• Monitor driving habits : Using an usage-based insurance or telematics device to monitor and promote safe driving will help reduce your premiums.

What Is Business Vehicle Insurance

As a businessowner, you need some of the same insurance coverages for the cars, trucks, vans or other vehicles you use in your business as you do for vehicles used for personal purposes.

Your Businessowners Policy does not provide any coverage for vehicles, so you must have a separate policy.

Most states require you to purchase liability insurance for bodily injury and property damage that may result from a vehicle accident occurring while you or someone from your organization is driving on business. Most states have mandatory requirements for you to have uninsured/underinsured motorists coverage and/or medical payments coverage in some states). You can also purchase physical damage coverage for vehicles your business owns, leases or hires.

The Business Auto Coverage Form is the standard insurance form used by many insurers to provide commercial auto coverage. Although the form refers only to autos, autos are defined to include cars, trucks, trailers, vans or other vehicles designed for use on public roads.

Each vehicle you use in your business can be separately scheduled, or listed on your policy along with corresponding coverages. In other words, you can choose different coverages, for your various vehicles, depending on the vehicles features and the coverage you need for it.

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