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A commercial auto insurance policy is required when a vehicle is used for business purposes. We tailor coverage to your fleet, cargo, and use case.

Florida-licensed since 2011

Who this is for

  • Local fleet ownerSingle van up to mid-size fleet.
  • Contractor with work trucksTools, equipment, signage on board.
  • Owner-operatorPersonal-use must be classified correctly.
  • Delivery / mobile serviceCatering, florist, courier, on-site service.

What's typically covered

  • Commercial vehicle coverage
  • Cargo protection
  • Fleet insurance
  • Business-use compliance

Florida rules to know

  • Garaging zip drives the rateMid-term zip changes can shift premium materially.
  • Hired / non-owned coverageProtects you when employees drive personal vehicles for work.
  • CDL under 25 restrictionsUnderwriting tightens — we route to the right carrier.

Florida classifies a vehicle as commercial based on use, not just registration — a personal-titled pickup hauling tools to job sites every day can legally need a commercial policy even if the tag says personal. GVWR thresholds matter for both Florida intrastate rules and federal regulations: vehicles at 10,001 lbs GVWR and up cross into commercial-fleet territory; 26,001 lbs and up requires a CDL driver. Florida is also a no-fault state, so PIP turns on the statutory 'motor vehicle' definition rather than a passenger headcount — private commercial vehicles are generally subject to PIP, with a narrow carve-out for mass-transit vehicles (built for more than five passengers and owned by a municipality or transit authority). Drivers under 25 are surchargeable on commercial fleets and a few carriers won't write them at all. Garaging zip codes drive a lot of the rate — Miami-Dade and Broward run materially higher than the rest of the state, and changing the garaging address mid-term requires endorsement (not a forgivable detail).

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules, limits, and thresholds change over time — confirm current requirements with the relevant state or federal agency, or ask us about your specific situation.

Business

Commercial Auto

What this coverage includes

Commercial auto picks up where personal auto stops — vehicles used for business need higher liability limits, broader rules about who drives them, and coverages personal policies don't offer (hired/non-owned auto, drive-other-car, dealer/garage forms). We write everything from a single service van to small fleets.

Florida's commercial market isn't rate-regulated the way personal lines are, which means real shopping pays. We compare across the carriers that specialize in commercial — Progressive, Foremost, Berkshire Hathaway GUARD, and others — instead of forcing one carrier to fit every kind of vehicle.

Coverage examples

  • Service van rear-ends a Tesla on US-1

    Your plumber's van slides into the back of a luxury SUV at a red light. Vehicle damage runs $28,000, soft-tissue injury claim from the other driver adds another $40,000. Commercial auto liability at $1M handles both, plus legal defense. Florida's no-fault PIP applies to your driver's medical regardless of fault. If you'd been on a personal auto policy with a livery/business-use exclusion, the entire claim would be denied — leaving the business owner personally exposed.

  • Employee using personal car hits a pedestrian

    A bookkeeper runs an errand to the bank in her own Honda and strikes a pedestrian in the crosswalk. Her personal auto policy pays up to its limit (in Florida that can be as little as the $10,000 PIP / $10,000 property-damage minimums, with modest bodily-injury limits like $25,000/$50,000 — or no BI coverage at all). The business gets named in the lawsuit because the errand was for work. Hired and non-owned auto (HNOA) coverage — typically $50-200/year per the policy — protects the business above the employee's personal limits. Without it, the lawsuit follows the company directly.

  • Box truck stolen with tools inside

    An overnight theft from a contractor's yard takes a 2021 box truck and the tools in it. Commercial physical damage (comp) on the truck pays actual cash value minus deductible. The tools are not covered under the auto policy — they need inland marine / tools-and-equipment, which is a separate endorsement (usually $200-500/year for $10-25K in tools). We bundle the two on every contractor quote so a single theft doesn't split into a covered loss and an uncovered one.

Why Us

Why customers choose First Choice

Commercial Auto

Frequently asked questions

Do I really need commercial auto if I only use my truck for work occasionally?
Usually yes. Most personal auto policies exclude business use beyond commuting. A single claim during a 'work trip' can be denied and leave you paying out of pocket. If your vehicle is on the road for business at all, we'd rather get it written correctly the first time.
Can you cover a mix of vehicles on one policy?
Yes. Service vans, pickups, box trucks, and even owner-operated heavier units can usually go on a single fleet policy with one renewal date and one bill. We size limits per vehicle based on what each one actually does.
What about my employees driving their own cars for work?
That's hired and non-owned auto coverage, and it's important if anyone runs errands, drops off work product, or visits clients in their personal vehicle on company time. It's cheap to add and covers a real exposure.
What's hired and non-owned auto (HNOA) exactly?
HNOA covers liability when an employee uses a vehicle the business doesn't own — their own car, a rental, or a borrowed truck — for company business. The employee's personal policy pays first; HNOA sits above it to protect the business from a lawsuit naming the company. Coverage is cheap (often $50-200/year added onto a commercial policy) and is critical for any business where staff ever runs a work errand in their own car. Without it, the lawsuit comes straight to the business's assets.
Do I need IFTA on a single truck?
IFTA (International Fuel Tax Agreement) reporting is required for any commercial vehicle over 26,000 lbs GVWR or with three or more axles that operates across state lines. A single Florida-only box truck under that weight doesn't need it. Once you cross into Georgia or Alabama with a qualifying vehicle, you need an IFTA decal and quarterly fuel reporting through the FL DHSMV. We can refer you to the right filing service; the insurance side is separate.
Can drivers under 25 be on a commercial policy?
Yes, with surcharges. Most commercial carriers underwrite drivers age 21-25 at higher rates, and CDL drivers under 21 are restricted to intrastate-only operations under federal rules. Some carriers won't accept drivers under 23 at all on commercial trucking accounts. We disclose which carriers will write a young driver before you build the schedule so there are no rejected drivers mid-term.
When does my vehicle cross into 'commercial trucking' instead of commercial auto?
Generally at 10,001 lbs GVWR — once you cross that threshold for interstate use, federal motor carrier rules kick in (DOT number, hours-of-service logs, etc.); the federal drug-and-alcohol testing program is separate and doesn't start until the CDL tier — 26,001 lbs, 16+ passengers, or placarded hazmat. Pure intrastate operation in Florida has a similar threshold of 26,001 lbs GVWR for state DOT requirements. Commercial auto carriers will still write the vehicle, but if you're regularly hauling freight for hire, a true trucking policy with cargo coverage is usually a better fit. We'll point out the dividing line on your quote.
I'm moving the truck's garaging address. Does that change anything?
Yes — the carrier rates by garaging zip code, not registration address. Moving a truck from Hialeah to Naples, for example, usually drops the premium. Moving it the other way raises it. The change has to be endorsed on the policy before the move, not after a claim. We can usually process the endorsement same day, and most carriers prorate the credit or charge to the remaining policy term.

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules, limits, and thresholds change over time — confirm current requirements with the relevant state or federal agency, or ask us about your specific situation.

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