Commercial Auto Insurance for Pick-Up Trucks with Shared Personal and Business Use

You own a pickup truck. You use it for business-related tasks such as going to a client’s home. You also use it to drive the kids back and forth to school. You use it for both commercial and personal needs. Do you need commercial auto insurance? Should you use just personal auto insurance? Protecting your investment in the vehicle is important. Work with your auto insurance agent to discuss the specific needs in your case.

Who Owns the Vehicle?

A good place to start is vehicle ownership. If your business owners the vehicle, the business’ auto insurance should kick in to cover the vehicle. In this case, purchase commercial auto insurance. Even if the vehicle has personal use, the business asset needs coverage.

If you are a sole proprietor, this may not be the case. If you are working for yourself using your vehicle, then a personal auto insurance policy may be enough coverage. However, if you’re going to use your vehicle to transport clients of business assets, then you might consider upgrading to a commercial policy.

How Do You Use the Vehicle?

The next question is how you use your vehicle most of the time. Here are a few examples:

• You use your vehicle to get to and from work locations. That’s it. You likely do not need commercial auto insurance in this case.
• You use your vehicle throughout the work day for work-related tasks. You need commercial auto insurance.
• You own the vehicle, operate as a sole proprietor, and visit just one or two locations each day. In this case, you may still benefit from just a personal auto insurance policy.

What Type of Truck Is It?

Smaller pickup trucks do not always warrant the investment in a commercial policy. However, larger and heavier vehicles do. If your pickup has special equipment on it, such as a lift, you may need commercial grade insurance. Heavy-duty pickups are more likely to cause damage. For this reason, having a commercial insurance policy is best. Also note that if you wish to increase your general liability limits, a commercial auto insurance policy is best. It automatically offers more coverage. It costs less than a separate liability insurance plan, too.

Overall, commercial auto insurance is best for those who use their pickup truck most of the time for work needs. Protecting this business asset is important. Call Guardian Insurance at 855.554.6482 to speak to your business insurance agent to learn more about these specific needs. Your case needs a customized plan. Your agent will help you find the correct coverage.

When Do You Need Commercial Auto Insurance?

What is Liability Car Insurance?