Contractors
Work vans & pickups
The Fleet Guardians
From Contractor Vans to Delivery Fleets
Essential protection for Hired, Non-Owned, and Company vehicles. Your personal auto policy won't cover business use—and Chicago's streets are unforgiving. Get the commercial coverage that keeps your fleet moving and your business protected.
Personal Policy Exclusion
Business Use Required
The Employee Car Trap
If you send an employee to the bank, job site, or client meeting in their own car and they cause an accident, the lawsuit comes after YOUR business—not just the employee.
Standard personal auto policies exclude business use. Your employee's insurance will deny the claim, and suddenly you're facing a six-figure lawsuit with zero coverage. This is the most common insurance gap we see in Chicago businesses.
Delivery Services
Box trucks & cargo vans
Service Companies
HVAC, plumbing, electrical
Food & Catering
Refrigerated vehicles
Landscaping
Trucks with trailers
Real Estate
Agent vehicle coverage
Chicago Fleet Risks
The Catalytic Converter Crisis
Work trucks are prime targets in Chicago. Ford F-250s, Transit vans, and box trucks have high-clearance undercarriages that make catalytic converter theft easy. Thieves hit entire fleets in a single night.
Replacement costs: $1,500-$3,500 per vehicle. Without Comprehensive Coverage with a low deductible, you're paying out of pocket every time—and your fleet sits idle while you wait for parts. We ensure your coverage keeps your trucks moving.
Policy Options We Offer
- Commercial Fleet Policies (3+ Vehicles)
- Hired & Non-Owned Auto (HNOA)
- Box Truck & Cargo Van Coverage
- Motor Truck Cargo Insurance
- USDOT/MC Filings & Compliance
- High-Risk Driver Programs
Three Critical Fleet Protections
The Catalytic Converter Crisis
Chicago's Theft Epidemic: Work trucks (F-250s, Transits, box trucks) are prime targets. Thieves can strip a catalytic converter in under 2 minutes. With Comprehensive Coverage and a low deductible, you're back on the road fast instead of paying $3,000+ out of pocket per vehicle.
Radius of Operation
The Denied Claim Trap: If you tell the carrier you only drive "Local (50 miles)" to save on premium, but crash making a delivery in Milwaukee or Indiana, your claim is DENIED. We rate your radius correctly from day one so you're covered wherever the job takes you.
Filings & Compliance
USDOT, MC, ICC—We Handle It: Interstate trucking requires federal filings. Local for-hire needs state compliance. If you need an SR-22 for a commercial driver, we can structure that too. We file directly with FMCSA and Illinois DOT so you stay legal and operational.
Fleet Discount Available: Businesses with 3+ vehicles often qualify for fleet pricing. We also offer telematics programs that can reduce premiums by 10-15% for safe driving habits. Ask us about bundling with General Liability for additional savings.
Hired & Non-Owned Auto (HNOA)
The Most Overlooked Coverage in Commercial Insurance
Here's the scenario: Your office manager runs to Staples in her personal car. Your sales rep visits a client using his own vehicle. Your technician picks up parts in a rented truck. In each case, if there's an accident, the injured party's lawyer sues your business—and you have zero coverage.
HNOA solves this. This endorsement protects the Business Entity when employees drive personal cars or rented vehicles for work purposes. It's liability coverage that fills the gap your Commercial Auto policy doesn't cover because you don't own those vehicles.
Hired Auto
Rental cars, loaner vehicles, and leased trucks used for business.
Non-Owned Auto
Employee personal vehicles used for company errands.
Protects the Business
Covers the company, not the employee's car.
Low Cost, High Value
Often under $500/year—protects against six-figure lawsuits.
Contractors & Tools: Know the Gap
Your Van Is Covered. Your Tools Are NOT.
Critical Clarification: Commercial Auto Insurance covers the vehicle—damage from collisions, theft of the truck itself, liability if you hit someone. But it does NOT cover the $10,000+ of DeWalt power tools, Milwaukee equipment, or specialty gear inside.
The scenario: Your work van gets broken into overnight. The vehicle is fine, but thieves stole $15,000 in tools. Your Commercial Auto policy pays $0 for the tools. You're out of pocket—and can't work until you replace everything.
The solution: An Inland Marine policy (also called a "Tool Floater") covers your tools, equipment, and materials whether they're in the van, on the job site, or in your garage. We bundle Inland Marine with Commercial Auto for complete protection.
What Inland Marine Covers
- Power tools—drills, saws, compressors, generators.
- Diagnostic equipment—meters, cameras, scanners.
- Materials in transit—copper pipe, cables, supplies.
- Theft from job sites—not just the vehicle.
Coverage Comparison
Scenario: Your work van (worth $35,000) is broken into. $12,000 in tools are stolen. The van has minor damage ($500).
Commercial Auto Only: Pays for the $500 damage to the van (minus deductible). Tools: $0.
With Inland Marine: Van damage covered PLUS full replacement of $12,000 in tools (minus deductible).
Inland Marine Cost: Typically $300-$800/year for $15,000-$25,000 in coverage.
Pro Tip: Take photos of all your tools and keep receipts. Create a tool inventory. This speeds up claims and ensures you get full replacement value.
Heavy Trucking & Logistics
Bobtail vs. Non-Trucking Liability: For Owner-Operators, these terms cause constant confusion. Non-Trucking Liability covers you when you're "off the clock"—running personal errands in your rig. Bobtail specifically covers you when operating without a trailer attached. We ensure you have the right filing for your dispatch agreements and pier/rail access.
Owner-Operator Coverage
Primary Liability: Required by your motor carrier. Usually provided under their policy while you're dispatched.
Non-Trucking (NTL): Covers you when NOT under dispatch—driving home, personal use, between loads.
Bobtail: Covers operation without trailer—picking up trailers, repositioning, deadheading.
Physical Damage: Collision & Comprehensive for your tractor—required if you have a loan or lease.
Specialty Trucking Coverage
- Motor Truck Cargo
- Trailer Interchange Agreement
- Reefer Breakdown Coverage
- Downtime/Loss of Income
- Towing & Recovery ($10K+)
Who Needs Commercial Plates?
Illinois Commercial Vehicle Requirements
Using a heavy-duty pickup for work? Illinois requires commercial plates depending on vehicle weight and use. "B-Truck" plates are for vehicles 8,001-16,000 lbs. "D-Truck" plates are for heavier commercial vehicles. Using your F-250 or Ram 2500 for business? You likely need B-Truck plates.
Here's the catch: If you have commercial plates, you must have a commercial auto policy. Personal auto carriers will drop you the moment they find out—usually after you file a claim, leaving you uninsured and facing a denied claim.
B-Truck (8,001-16,000 lbs)
D-Truck (16,001+ lbs)
Requires Commercial Policy
Signs You Need Commercial Plates: Vehicle has company signage, carries tools/equipment, hauls materials, or is used primarily for business. When in doubt, get properly plated and insured—the alternative is a denied claim when you need coverage most.
Commercial Plate Triggers
- Company name/logo on vehicle
- Ladder racks or tool boxes
- Regular hauling of materials
- Towing trailers for work
- Personal policy = Claim DENIED
- We verify correct plates & coverage
Additional Fleet Coverage Options
Motor Truck Cargo
Protects the freight you're hauling. Required by most shippers and brokers. Coverage limits from $25K to $250K+ based on cargo type.
Commercial Umbrella
Extra liability protection above your auto limits. Essential when one serious accident could exceed your $1M policy. We recommend $2M+ for fleets.
Inland Marine Bundle
Cover your tools and equipment inside the vehicle. Commercial Auto protects the truck—Inland Marine protects everything inside it.
Commercial Auto FAQs
Almost always NO. Personal auto policies explicitly exclude "business use" beyond commuting. If your truck has a ladder rack, tool boxes, company signage, or is used to haul materials, your personal carrier will deny the claim. They'll argue the vehicle is used for commercial purposes—and they're right. Even worse, they may cancel your policy entirely after investigating. If you're using a vehicle for work, you need a commercial auto policy. Period.
HNOA is liability coverage for vehicles you don't own. "Hired Auto" covers rental cars and leased vehicles your business uses temporarily. "Non-Owned Auto" covers employee personal vehicles when used for company business—like driving to a client meeting or picking up supplies. This coverage protects the business entity from lawsuits when an accident occurs in a vehicle the company doesn't own. It's one of the most affordable and most overlooked coverages—typically under $500/year for protection against six-figure lawsuits.
You need a USDOT number if: (1) Your vehicle crosses state lines for business, OR (2) Your vehicle weighs more than 10,001 lbs (GVWR), OR (3) You transport hazardous materials in any quantity requiring placards, OR (4) You transport 9+ passengers for compensation. This applies even if you're just delivering your own products to customers in another state. The FMCSA can fine you up to $16,000 per violation. We help you register and maintain compliance, including the required biennial updates.
NO—this is one of the biggest coverage gaps we see. Commercial Auto covers the vehicle itself (collision, theft of the truck, liability). It does NOT cover contents—your power tools, diagnostic equipment, materials, or inventory inside. If someone breaks into your van and steals $15,000 in DeWalt tools, your Commercial Auto policy pays $0 for the tools. You need an Inland Marine policy (also called a "Tool Floater" or "Contractors Equipment" policy) to cover your tools and equipment. We bundle these together.
Commercial Auto costs vary widely based on vehicle type, driver records, cargo, and radius of operation. A single work van for a local contractor might cost $1,500-$3,000/year. A small fleet of delivery trucks could run $3,000-$8,000 per vehicle. Heavy trucks and long-haul operations are higher. Factors that increase cost: young drivers, accidents/violations, high-value cargo, and interstate travel. Factors that decrease cost: experienced drivers, telematics programs, fleet discounts (3+ vehicles), and clean MVRs. We shop multiple carriers to find the best rate for your specific operation.
Non-Trucking Liability (NTL) covers you when you're NOT under dispatch—driving home after dropping a load, running personal errands in your tractor, weekends and off-duty time. It's "off the clock" coverage. Bobtail coverage specifically covers operating your tractor without a trailer attached—like driving to pick up a trailer, repositioning between terminals, or deadheading. Some policies combine these; others are separate. The key is ensuring there's no gap between when your motor carrier's policy ends and your personal coverage begins. We review your lease agreement to structure it correctly.
Yes—we issue certificates within 60 minutes. General Contractors, property managers, and clients often require proof of Commercial Auto coverage before you can work. Once your policy is bound, we can issue Certificates of Insurance (COIs) the same day, naming the required parties as certificate holders. We also handle Additional Insured endorsements and Waiver of Subrogation requests. Call (224) 616-9430 for urgent certificate requests.
We have markets for high-risk commercial drivers. Many standard carriers won't write policies if any driver has a DUI, multiple violations, or at-fault accidents within 3-5 years. But your business still needs to operate. We work with specialty carriers who accept higher-risk drivers—at higher premiums, but with full coverage. We can also structure policies to exclude specific high-risk drivers while covering the rest of your fleet at standard rates. If you need an SR-22 filing for a commercial driver, we handle that too.
Your Personal Policy Won't Cover Work Vehicles
Stop risking denied claims and personal liability. Get Commercial Auto coverage that protects your fleet, your drivers, and your business—from single trucks to full fleets, including HNOA for employee vehicles.
Protecting Chicago Fleets from 3945 W Devon Avenue