If you’re a business owner with fleet vehicles, you likely appreciate the value of commercial vehicle insurance to protect both your company’s assets and your employees. The right coverage makes a big difference in your company’s financial security, but you also need to understand the most common commercial auto insurance claims so that you can take steps to mitigate your risks and protect your company’s reputation and financial stability. In this blog, we will cover the most common claims for commercial vehicle insurance along with tips to help you mitigate your company’s risks.
Accidents and Collisions
Some of the most common claims on commercial policies include accidents and collisions. Your company can face losses ranging from minor fender benders to severe multi-vehicle accidents with extensive injuries and property damage.
Minimize your company’s risk of these losses with a comprehensive driver safety initiative. All drivers need proper training and a clean driving history. Make sure every driver on your payroll understands key safety guidelines and traffic laws. Prioritize driver safety and encourage routine safe driving reviews to reduce the chances of an accident with your drivers.
Commercial Auto Liability Claims
Liability claims occur when one of your fleet vehicles causes an accident that leads to bodily injury or damage to another person’s property. Liability claims are often financially devastating, particularly when you lack sufficient commercial auto insurance coverage to pay those costs.
Reduce your company’s potential exposure by investing in a policy with sufficient liability limits or adding an additional liability umbrella to supplement the liability coverage of your auto policy. Additional liability coverage can be the financial safety net your business needs in the face of costly commercial auto insurance claims.
Theft and Vandalism
Commercial vehicles are common targets for theft and vandalism, especially when parked overnight and left unattended at a job site or in your company’s parking lot. Comprehensive security measures can mitigate those risks to some degree. Invest in GPS tracking, steering wheel locks, and alarms as deterrents. Encourage your drivers to park in well-lighted or secure areas as well. The greater your security and the more proactive your safety measures, the lower your company’s risk of theft or vandalism.
Commercial Auto Vehicle Maintenance
Proper maintenance keeps your fleet safer on the road, reduces costly breakdowns, and minimizes business disruptions and associated losses. In addition, routine inspection services help your company identify potential signs of mechanical failures or breakdowns. Mitigating these risks will reduce the likelihood of accidents resulting from those malfunctions.
Toward that end, establish a maintenance schedule for your vehicles, and enforce the schedule with your drivers so that all vehicles are regularly serviced to keep them on the road safely. Your drivers should also report any signs of complications or issues with their vehicles promptly for immediate attention.
Conclusion
The more you understand about common commercial auto insurance claims, the easier it is to reduce your company’s risk factors. Taking proactive steps to mitigate risks keeps your staff safer and your company more secure. Prioritize driver safety, ensure that you have sufficient coverage for potential losses, and be proactive about maintaining your vehicles, and you will greatly reduce your company’s risk of commercial vehicle losses.
About Haughn & Associates
Founded by Michael Haughn in 1986, Haughn & Associates is a full-service, family-owned, independent insurance agency based out of Dublin, Ohio. H&A strives to provide the best possible price and unique insurance solutions across a myriad of industries, including construction, IT, Habitation & Commercial Property, Agriculture, and Engineering. Devoted to providing the best of business insurance, life and disability insurance, personal insurance, employee benefits, and bonds, H&A is proof that success lies in long-standing client relations and satisfaction. To learn more about how H&A can be of service to you, contact us at (877) 802-2278.
