Commercial Auto Insurance for California Businesses
For California businesses where trucks, vans or cars are part of the work.
What's covered
- Liability for injuries and property damage when your driver is at fault
- Collision and comprehensive coverage for your own trucks, vans and cars
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist protection on California roads
- Hired and non-owned auto coverage when employees drive rentals or their own vehicles for work
- Tools, equipment and materials in the vehicle, depending on how the policy is written
If a vehicle is part of your business in California, your personal auto policy probably won't cover it. Personal policies routinely exclude business use. The claim gets denied at the worst moment — after an accident on the 99 or the 405, with your logo on the door. Commercial auto is written for work vehicles, business drivers, and the higher liability limits California contracts require.
Commercial auto covers the liability side when your driver causes an accident, and the physical damage to your own vehicle. It also covers the gap situations that catch owners out: an employee running an errand in their own car, a rented box truck for a busy week, tools riding in the back. For many California businesses the tools are worth more than the van.
We write commercial auto for single work trucks and small fleets across California. We know which carriers are reasonable about driver records, mileage and radius. Ten years in, bilingual, and you'll always talk to someone who can explain what your certificate of insurance actually says.
California commercial auto minimums
California sets minimum liability limits for every vehicle on the road, and a commercial auto policy can't go below the personal-auto minimums. Since January 1, 2025, those minimums are $30,000 for injury to one person, $60,000 per accident for injuries, and $15,000 for property damage — often written as 30/60/15.
The minimum is a floor, not a recommendation. California law can hold business owners accountable for vehicle accidents involving employees, and a single serious accident can cost far more than the minimum pays.
What else a commercial auto policy can include
- Company-owned and leased vehicles used for business
- Medical expenses for injuries in an accident, depending on the policy
- Roadside assistance for work trucks, where the carrier offers it
Quick questions
- Can I just use my personal auto policy for my work truck?
- Usually no. Most personal policies in California exclude business use, so a work accident can be denied. A vehicle titled to your business, carrying tools, or driven by employees needs a commercial policy.
- What liability limit do I need in California?
- The state minimum is far below what most California clients require. A $1 million combined single limit is a common contract term. Tell us who you work for and we'll match the limit.
- Does it cover employees driving their own cars for work?
- That's hired and non-owned auto coverage — usually an inexpensive add-on. If your staff run deliveries or job-site errands in personal cars, you want it.
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