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Icon CheckLast updated: December 16, 2024

The Best Commercial Auto Insurance

The best policies for businesses, delivery services, fleet owners, and employers

Best Commercial Auto Insurance for Trucks
Progressive Logo

Full Coverage Averages
• Contractors (annual): $3,084
• Tow trucks (annual): $7,200

Pros + Cons
Coverage for for-hire specialty and transport trucks as well as tow trucks
Non-owner insurance available
Available in all 50 states
X Not available in Washington, D.C.
X Coverage for additionally tools beyond attached tools and equipment requires inland marine insurance

Read our Progressive review.

Best Commercial Auto Insurance for Fleets
Nationwide logo

Full Coverage Averages
• N/A

Pros + Cons
Coverage for fleets
Add-ons like rental reimbursement and gap insurance
Highest-ranked company in J.D. Power’s 2023 Small Commercial Insurance Study9
X Food trucks must be affiliated with restaurants to be insurable
X Not available in Alaska, Hawaii, and Louisiana

Read our Nationwide review.

Best Commercial Auto Insurance for Large Businesses
The Hartford Logo

Full Coverage Averages
• Annual Premium: $6,884
• Monthly Premium: $574

Pros + Cons
Available in all states
Food truck coverage
Gap insurance
X Policies are underwritten by Tivly
X Below-average customer satisfaction ratings from J.D. Power

Read our review of The Hartford.

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Whether you operate a delivery service, manage a fleet of vehicles, or run a large construction company, commercial auto insurance is essential to protecting your vehicles, drivers, and business operations. Commercial auto insurance covers damages or accidents that occur while using vehicles for business-related activities. It’s necessary because even if you’re using a personal vehicle, your personal auto insurance plan will not cover you or your employees used in business activities. .

With so many commercial auto insurance options and providers, finding the right coverage may seem overwhelming. Below, we’ll cover the best commercial auto insurance providers and their plans.

Blue CarThe Best Commercial Auto Insurance Companies

  1. Best Commercial Auto Insurance for Trucks: Progressive
    Progressive offers insurance for specialty, transport, and tow trucks, starting at $6,408 a year.
  2. Best Commercial Auto Insurance for Fleets: Nationwide
    If you’re looking for commercial auto insurance, Nationwide will have the coverage you need for your business. It serves over half a million businesses all over the U.S. and covers a variety of vehicle types, including fleet coverage, delivery service vehicles, and rentals.
  3. Best Commercial Auto Insurance for Large Businesses: The Hartford
    Through a partnership with Tivly, The Hartford offers insurance for businesses large and small.

Summary of the Best Commercial Auto Insurance

  1. 1.

    Best Commercial Auto Insurance for Trucks: Progressive

  2. 2.

    Best Commercial Auto Insurance for Fleets: Nationwide

  3. 3.

    Best Commercial Auto Insurance for Large Businesses: The Hartford

  4. 4.

    Best Commercial Auto Insurance for Contractors: Farmers

  5. 5.

    Best Commercial Auto Insurance for the Public Sector: Travelers

Comparison of the Best Commercial Auto Insurance

Insurance company Average annual rates for commercial auto insurance Availability Coverage for food trucks Coverage for vans Coverage for trucks Review
Progressive Contractors: $3,084 Business: $3,240

Tow trucks: $7,200

For-hire specialty trucks: $9,204

For-hire transport trucks: $12,4921

All 50 states excluding t Washington, D.C. Yes Yes Yes Progressive review
Nationwide Not listed Every state except Alaska, Hawaii, and Louisiana Yes, as long as they’re affiliated with a restaurant Yes Yes Nationwide review
The Hartford $6,8842 Entire U.S. Yes Yes Yes The Hartford review
Farmers Not listed Entire U.S. Yes Yes Yes Farmers review
Travelers Not listed Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Washington, D.C., Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin Yes Yes Yes Travelers review

Detailed List of the Best Commercial Auto Insurance

1. Best Commercial Auto Insurance for Trucks - Progressive

What We Like Most:

  • Cheaper rates for drivers with a DUI
  • Several ways to save if your premium increases
  • Accident forgiveness automatically applies to policy in most states

Progressive writes more commercial auto insurance premiums than any other provider in the U.S., offers a long list of discounts,is highly rated for customer satisfaction, and customer service. It also has some of the most flexible coverage options, including protection for a wide range of vehicle types and customizable plans that fit a variety of business needs.

ProsWho It's Best For
  • pro
    Fleet owners
  • pro
    Truck owners
  • pro
    Safe drivers
  • pro
    Businesses with 3+ vehicles
ConsWho It's Not Best For
  • con
    People who live in Washington, D.C.

Key Discounts

Progressive offers a number of discounts that may apply to you and your business. Discounts for commercial auto insurance, similar to those for personal auto insurance, differ from state to state and business to business, so speak with an agent to see if any of the following discounts apply to you:

  • Business experience discount: Commercial auto business owners can earn a discount if they’ve been in business for more than three years.
  • Prior insurance savings: Discount for maintaining insurance for 12 consecutive months.
  • Package discount: If you have an in-force general liability plan or a business owner’s policy, you might be eligible for a package discount.
  • Paid-in-full discount: Save up to 15 percent off if you pay your premium upfront. Note that this discount is lower in Washington state and is not available in California or Washington, D.C.
  • Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) discount: Set up an automatic electronic payment account from your checking account to save on check processing fees and for an added discount.
  • Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) discount: For-hire truck drivers who have had CDLs for at least two years will get a discount on their liability insurance.

Great Incentives for Commercial Trucks

Progressive offers the Snapshot ProView program,allowing businesses to earn savings based on their driving habits. It tracks your driving habits, routes, and other data points. The Snapshot ProView works the same way it would with personal insurance. Download the app (or plug in the device), start driving, and earn savings while the app tracks your habits. However, poor driving habits like speeding or slamming the brakes could increase your premiums, so sign up with caution. You’ll save 5 percent just for signing up, and potentially, with safe driving habits, between 8 and 20 percent upon renewal.

New Progressive commercial truck customers can save an average of $984 with the Smart Haul Program. Every commercial truck and bus owner is required to install an electronic logging device that tracks metrics like your location, identification, route, and vehicle miles. If you allow Progressive to gather data from your device, you’ll earn some big savings.

Excellent Financial Strength Ratings

Progressive is one of the most recognized commercial auto insurance businesses for its financial strength. AM Best gave Progressive’s trucker company an A+ or superior rating for its creditworthiness, for example.3 Similarly, Moody’s gave it an Aa2 rating as of 2024.4

2. Best Commercial Auto Insurance for Fleets - Nationwide

What We Like Most:

  • Discounts for taking a defensive driver course
  • Network of local agents
  • Usage-based insurance program for low-mileage drivers

Nationwide is a reputable and reliable provider of personal and commercial auto insurance. With several tracking app functions, discounts, and safety features geared toward delivery trucks and vans, Nationwide is a great option for small businesses and direct store delivery owners with fleets. You’ll also get all the basic commercial protections (such as liability, collision, comprehensive, and uninsured motorist) and a number of add-ons for other commercial vehicle types.

ProsWho It's Best For
  • pro
    Fleet owners
  • pro
    Delivery businesses
  • pro
    Business owners with rentals
  • pro
    Safe drivers
ConsWho It's Not Best For

Free Telematics Incentive

If you own a fleet of vehicles for delivery or other services, you can sign up for Nationwide’s free telematics program, Vantage 360 Fleet. Vantage 360 Fleet allows you to track your drivers and alter schedules based on their locations and vehicle statuses. You can earn up to 10 percent off your commercial auto policy with Vintage 360 Fleet, and your drivers can earn points for safe driving habits that they can redeem for gift cards.

Vantage 360 Fleet also helps reduce your claims and accidents rate. 74 percent of drivers who used smartphone telematics apps had nearly 50 percent fewer claims and the claims they did make were less severe, making the program a win-win for everyone involved.5

FYI:

 According to the latest 2022 GPS Insight Fleet Safety Report, fleet drivers get into an average of 4.5 accidents per year. Fleet drivers were at fault in about 35 percent of those accidents.6

Several Coverage Options and Add-ons

Commercial auto insurance coverage protects you from many of the same events as personal insurance. An extensive plan will provide you with liability, comprehensive, collision, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. On top of that, Nationwide also offers the following additional commercial coverage types:

  • Roadside assistance: If your drivers are met with an issue on the road, like a flat tire or dead battery, you can ensure they’re taken care of with roadside assistance.
  • New vehicle replacement coverage: If your new vehicle is declared a total loss, you can replace it with a new or comparable vehicle, or you can take advantage of gap coverage for any amount you owe that exceeds your car’s actual cash value.
  • Hired auto physical damage coverage: This coverage protects you from any comprehensive or collision damage to a leased or rented vehicle, as well as any contractual obligations to the leasing or rental company.
  • Rental reimbursement: Did you have a recent accident on a temporary vehicle rental? Rental reimbursement will pay for a car up to your policy’s limit.
  • Expanded towing: Expanded towing provides coverage for jump starts, minor roadside repairs, and towing costs.

Quick and Reliable Claims

Filing claims quickly is important for business owners who rely on their vehicles or fleets to keep their businesses running efficiently. Nationwide’s On Your Side Claims Service provides you with written guarantees on your repairs and a choice of qualified repair shops.

Like warranties, written guarantees are beneficial because they ensure a mechanic will repair or replace your vehicle within a specific period of time. The On Your Side Auto Repair Network includes repair shops that Nationwide has pre-screened and pre-qualified.

3. Best Commercial Auto Insurance for Large Businesses - The Hartford
The Hartford Logo

What We Like Most:

  • Coverage available in all states
  • Mechanical breakdown insurance available
  • Discounts for three years if you take a driver safety course

The Hartford, which started as a fire insurance company, has been providing insurance for over 200 years. It specializes in commercial auto insurance for large businesses, including construction, professional services, energy, wholesale distribution, and manufacturing. If you’re a large business owner with employees in and outside the U.S., The Hartford could be the best option for you. A company called Tivly underwrites its commercial auto policies.

ProsWho It's Best For
  • pro
    Businesses with employees and drivers overseas
  • pro
    Midsize to large businesses
  • pro
    People who need gap insurance
  • pro
    Business owners with hybrid electric vehicles or natural gas vehicles
ConsWho It's Not Best For
  • con
    Unsafe drivers
  • con
    Small businesses

International Coverage

If your business operates overseas—whether through a fleet, manufacturing warehouse, distribution center, or other business operation overseas—The Hartford’s international Commercial auto insurance can provide the protection you need. Their large business plans offer worldwide liability coverage for truck drivers, delivery services, construction vehicles, and other commercial vehicles both in the U.S. abroad.  The Hartford also has a multinational claims line so you can speak to a representative for your international claims, 24/7.

Post-Accident Claims Coverage

Company-vehicle accidents can be a huge stressor for employers. They slow your business down, upset customers/clients, and are often expensive. The Hartford has three coverage add-ons that help speed your claims process and mitigate the losses to your business.

  • Downtime loss coverage (DLC): DLC coverage helps reimburse your business for any income lost if a company vehicle gets into an accident.
  • Rental reimbursement coverage: The Hartford will cover rental costs for a medium or heavy truck that needs repairs.
  • Towing coverage: If your company-owned vehicle breaks down on the road, The Hartford will cover your towing expenses.

SURPRISING STATISTIC

Vehicle breakdowns cost the U.S. economy more than $41 billion dollars per year. Businesses lose productivity from repair wait-times and traffic delays equivalent to 30 million employee workdays per year.7

Excellent Customer Service

The Hartford has several customer service numbers for specific claims, like a multinational line, windshield/glass-only claims, and catastrophe prep and support services (storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, or other events that might affect truck routes), which are all relevant to fleets and truck drivers. Whether you need to file a claim, prepare for an incoming natural disaster, or find a qualified repair shop, The Hartford’s representatives will be there to guide you through the process.

4. Best Commercial Auto Insurance for Contractors - Farmers

What We Like Most:

  • Keeps rates low after one accident
  • Rental coverage available if your car is out of commission
  • More coverage options for damaged parts

Farmers has all the basic coverage you’d want from a commercial auto insurance provider, and offers specialized options for contractors like ice cream truck drivers and construction companies. With 90 years of experience, Farmers is a great option for businesses and contractors looking to cover their vehicles.

ProsWho It's Best For
  • pro
    Contractors and subcontractors
  • pro
    Food truck owners
  • pro
    Diesel vehicle owners
  • pro
    Owners with employees who use their personal cars for business purposes
ConsWho It's Not Best For
  • con
    People who want gap insurance

Specialized Coverage for Contractors

Farmers offer primary and noncontributory coverage for subcontractors, helping cover damages that could otherwise fall to the main contractor. If you’re in construction, the food industry, or another service that requires you to carry equipment in your vehicle, Farmers can help you attain customized coverage that extends to your business related tools/equipment.

Non-contributory is important when there are several parties involved — like an owner, contractor, and subcontractor — and you want to ensure you have protection for any damages that you are responsible for.

Commercial Auto Designed for Food Trucks

Farmers has a specific food truck insurance package, which has unique needs when it comes to commercial auto insurance. As a food truck driver, you have to worry about thefts and damages, the chance of your customers getting food poisoning, costly equipment malfunctions, and incurring income losses because your truck broke down.

Farmers helps mitigate these risk with the following food truck coverage features:

  • Mobile business interruption: Mobile business interruption coverage will reimburse you for any income lost when your truck is out of commission due to a covered loss.
  • Mobile food vendor insurance: You can get mobile food vendor insurance with Farmers, which protects any business property on your truck, equipment breakdowns, and security costs.
  • Premier package: You can sign up for Farmer’s premier package and increase your limits for food spoilage and foodborne illness.

DID YOU KNOW?

In a Boston-centered food truck study, nine of 96 food trucks were closed down after on-the-spot inspectors found food safety hazards. Although your provider won’t reimburse you for lost revenue due to a health inspection shutdown, quick claims on refrigeration and food storing equipment repairs can help prevent spoilage and foodborne illness.8

Seamless Mobile Features

Farmers has launched a redesigned mobile app that makes managing your commercial auto insurance more convenient. The app features a sleek modern design with an easy-to-navigate interface. From the main menu, you can access your bills, payment options, policy documents, ID cards, claims requests, roadside assistance, and connect with customer service agents.

We tested the app’s advanced audio features by syncing it with Siri and tried to pay a claim. The process was simple: We asked Siri to pay a bill, answered a few questions about the payment details, and confirmed the amount.

For non-iOS users, we were also able to sync Alexa to the Farmers app. If you’re looking for a mobile- and tech-friendly insurance platform, Farmers won’t disappoint.

5. Best Commercial Auto Insurance for the Public Sector - Travelers

What We Like Most:

  • High financial strength rating from AM Best
  • Great customer service reviews
  • Discounts for safe drivers, homeowners, electric vehicle owners, and more

Travelers offers general and specialized commercial auto insurance plans for businesses and the public sector, including commercial trucking insurance, public sector insurance, and oil and gas insurance. You can get coverage for fleets, public sector municipalities (law enforcement, emergency services, etc.), and mobile equipment for oil and gas companies.

ProsWho It's Best For
  • pro
    Public entities (e.g., law enforcement, emergency services)
  • pro
    Oil and gas company owners
  • pro
    Owners with trucks
  • pro
    Road and street maintenance vehicle owners
ConsWho It's Not Best For
  • con
    People who live outside of Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Washington, D.C., Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin

Public Sector Commercial Auto Insurance

If you’re part of the public sector and are looking for solid coverage for vehicles, Travelers has a wide selection of coverage options. Travelers provides plans for the following public sector vehicles and equipment:

  • Ambulances
  • Auto insurance deductible reimbursements for employee firefighters and volunteers
  • Commandeered vehicles and their owners, like nonprofit groups with volunteers who need to drive cars to fulfill tasks
  • Emergency vehicles
  • Fire trucks
  • Radar and audio equipment
  • Road street maintenance vehicles
  • Window glass repair coverage

Travelers also offers specialized risk control services to help you navigate challenging insurance-related situations when a regular insurance agent doesn’t know the answer. Navigating a claim for a fleet, delivery service, or police car can have very different procedures and technicalities, so a specialized Travelers risk control agent is ready to assist you.

Fleet Assistance Programs and Benefits

Northland, a division of Travelers, has been offering services to trucks and fleets for over 70 years. Whether you own a couple of trucks or a fleet of vehicles, Travelers has customizable plans for both small and large businesses.

You can also access an interactive, web-based self assessment to help you find eligible fleet safety programs that fit your company’s qualifications. You’ll be able to access online safety programs and training classes for your pickup drivers, large-passenger van drivers, and medium to heavy trucks.

Solid Coverage for Oil and Gas Company Owners

Travelers offers industry-specific coverage for owners in the oil and gas industry. With over 20 years in the industry and a dedicated team of risk control professionals focused exclusively on oil and gas claims, Travelers has established itself as a leader in the industry. Businesses owners can take advantage of specialized coverage to meet the unique needs of their businesses, including coverage for the following:

  • Any commercial automobiles
  • Contractors’ equipment
  • Drilling equipment
  • Inland marine equipment
  • Oil rigs
  • Storage tanks
  • Trucks

Methodology

We evaluated commercial auto insurance providers nationwide, basing our reviews on the following criteria:

  • Pricing (40%): We analyzed average premiums for a variety of commercial vehicle types and needs. We also considered available discounts, focusing on those most relevant to businesses, such as fleet vehicle discounts, multi-policy bundling for business assets, and driver safety training discounts.
  • Claims Handling (25%): Efficient claims handling is crucial for commercial auto insurance providers. We reviewed third-party data from independent sources, such as the J.D. Power Claims Satisfaction Study, AM Best, and industry report cards, to assess claims handling. Where possible, we emphasized regional data to capture localized claims experiences for businesses across different U.S. markets.
  • Customer Experience (25%): We assessed customer experience from multiple angles, including ease of obtaining a quote, digital tools for fleet management, policy management options, and availability of commercial insurance specialists. Our evaluation incorporated third-party data from sources like J.D. Power, as well as provider-specific data on customer support, online services, and app ratings for commercial policyholders.
  • Coverage Options (10%): We reviewed each provider’s coverage offerings and preferred those with options beyond state minimums, such as gap insurance for leased vehicles, hired and non-owned auto liability, roadside assistance, and custom equipment coverage to meet the unique needs of commercial fleets.

Learn more about our ratings and methodology data sources.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does commercial auto insurance cost?

According to Progressive, the national average cost of commercial auto insurance through the company was:

  • $257 monthly ($3,084 annually) for contractors
  • $270 monthly ($3,240 annually) for other businesses
  • $600 monthly ($7,200 annually) for tow trucks
  • $767 monthly ($9,204 annually) for for-hire specialty trucks
  • $1,041 monthly ($12,492 annually) for for-hire transport trucks

The exact amount you may depends on a number of factors like your business type, insurance needs, location, and provider. A quote is the best way to find out how much you can expect to pay.

When do I need commercial auto insurance?

You might need commercial auto insurance if you use your vehicles for business activities, such as transporting goods or passengers in your vehicle for a fee carrying expensive equipment or tools for business purposes, or if employees operate vehicles for business-related purposes.

What is the difference between commercial and personal auto insurance?

Personal auto insurance covers you and your vehicle for personal usage, while commercial auto insurance plans covers vehicles used for business purposes, including those owned by the business and driven by employees for work-related tasks.

Why is commercial auto insurance more expensive than personal car insurance?

Commercial auto insurance tends to be more expensive than personal plans because commercial plans offer higher coverage limits. Additionally, commercial vehicles typically carry more equipment or involve large trucks/fleets of trucks, which require more comprehensive coverage.

Ali Saleh
Written by:Ali Saleh
Staff Writer & Editor
Ali Saleh is a copywriter with nearly 10 years of experience in content writing, editing, and journalism. Ali’s work has been featured on a number of notable sites and publications, including MSN, Business.com’s award-winning newsletter, and Groove Korea, South Korea’s largest English-print magazine. Today, he writes for dozens of brands, providing expert guides and informative articles on auto insurance, healthcare, recruiting technology, business, and more. Ali holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from North Carolina State University.

Citations

  1. Small Business Insurance Customer Satisfaction Defies Steadily Rising Rates to Reach All-Time High in J.D. Power Study. J.D Power. (2023, Aug 22).
    https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2023-us-small-commercial-insurance-study

  2. How much is commercial auto insurance? Progressive. (2024).
    https://www.progressivecommercial.com/commercial-auto-insurance/commercial-auto-cost/

  3. How Much Does Commercial Auto Insurance Cost? The Hartford. (2024).
    https://www.thehartford.com/commercial-auto-insurance/cost

  4. Best’s Credit Ratings. AM Best. (2024).
    https://ratings.ambest.com/CompanyProfile.aspx?ambnum=11759&URatingId=3200873&bl=0&AltSrc=9&PPP=&AltNum=0&Ext_User=&Ext_Misc=&Portal=0&Site=

  5. Moody’s Outlooks: Looking ahead to 2025. Moody’s. (2024).
    https://www.moodys.com/account/sign-in?ReturnUrl=/credit-ratings/Progressive-Casualty-Insurance-Co-credit-rating-720950/ratings/view-by-class

  6. Nationwide Vantage 360 Fleet offers a simple view of your fleet and your drivers. Nationwide. (2024).
    https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/telematics/vantage360fleet

  7. GPS Insight 2022 Fleet Safety Report. GPS Insight. (2022).
    https://www.gpsinsight.com/premium/2022-fleet-safety-report/

  8. VEHICLE BREAKDOWNS COST US ECONOMY $41B PER YEAR. Agero. (2019, Nov 19).
    https://blog.agero.com/vehicle-breakdowns-cost-us-economy-41b-per-year

  9. A major issue for some Boston food trucks? Hand-washing. The Boston Globe. (2017, Jun 04).
    https://www.boston.com/news/business/2017/06/04/a-major-issue-for-some-boston-food-trucks-hand-washing/