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Commercial Auto Insurance for Florida Businesses
Commercial auto for work trucks, vans, fleets, and for-hire vehicles across Florida.
Commercial auto insurance is designed for vehicles used in business. It can apply to a contractor's pickup, a service van, a delivery vehicle, a transport truck, a real estate agent's car used for showings, or a fleet of vehicles owned by a company. Florida law requires financial responsibility for vehicles in business use, and personal auto policies are typically not built for business operations.
At a Glance
- Vehicles
- 1 to 100+
- Typical limits
- $1M CSL
- Hired/Non-owned
- Available standalone
- Trucking?
- See Trucking Hub
Quick answer
Commercial auto insurance covers vehicles used for business — liability for injury and property damage you cause, plus physical damage, medical payments, uninsured-motorist, and hired/non-owned auto — for work trucks, vans, fleets, and for-hire vehicles. Ellie Insurance Group is an independent agency (founded 2014, Tampa, Florida) that shops 100+ carrier markets to place commercial auto matched to your vehicles, drivers, radius, and any filing requirements. As an independent broker we compare real quotes side by side; start an Instant Quote and a licensed agent shops your fleet for you.
Who needs this
Who needs commercial auto in Florida
Contractors and trades
Work trucks, vans, trailers, and dump trucks used for job sites, materials, and tools across Florida.
Service businesses
Plumbers, electricians, HVAC, pest control, cleaning crews — every vehicle that visits clients.
Restaurants and retail with delivery
Catering vans, restaurant delivery vehicles, and local retail delivery often need a vehicle policy that contemplates delivery use.
Small fleets and growing businesses
Operations with 5+ vehicles often shift to fleet-rated programs that handle vehicle additions and changes throughout the year.
Trucking and for-hire transport
DOT-regulated tractors, trailers, motor truck cargo, MCS-90 filings, hazmat exposure, and authority status drive carrier appetite.
Companies with employee drivers
Even without company-owned vehicles, hired and non-owned auto matters when employees drive personal or rented cars for business work.
What it covers
What Commercial Auto actually covers
- Auto Liability (BI/PD)
Bodily injury and property damage you cause to others while operating a covered auto.
- Physical Damage — Collision
Damage to your vehicle from a collision regardless of fault.
- Physical Damage — Comprehensive
Theft, vandalism, fire, hail, flood, falling objects, and animal strikes.
- Medical Payments / PIP
Medical bills for you and your passengers regardless of fault (state-dependent).
- Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist
Coverage when the other driver has no or insufficient insurance.
- Hired & Non-Owned Auto (HNOA)
Liability when employees drive vehicles not owned by the business.
- Trailer Interchange / Rental Reimbursement
Replacement vehicle while a covered auto is in repair after a covered loss.
What it doesn't cover
What Commercial Auto won't cover
- Tools, equipment, and materials inside the vehicle (covered by Inland Marine)
- Wear, tear, mechanical breakdown
- Intentional damage
- Use of the vehicle outside declared radius / use class
- Drivers excluded by name on the policy
- Racing or use in prearranged speed contests
- Liability arising from operation of mobile equipment when classified separately
Cost drivers
What drives Commercial Auto pricing
Vehicle type & use class
Service, retail, commercial, or for-hire — each has its own rating table.
Radius of operation
Local (<50 mi) is cheapest. Intermediate and long-haul radius classes raise the rate significantly.
Driver MVRs
Major violations within 3–5 years and recent at-fault accidents are the biggest individual-rate drivers.
Garaging address
Premium varies meaningfully by zip code based on theft, claim frequency, and litigation environment.
Loss history
Three or more years of clean loss runs unlock the best programs.
Limits & deductibles
$1M combined single limit is the most common contract requirement; deductibles typically run $500–$2,500.
Quote checklist
What we'll need to quote commercial auto
- Year / make / model / VIN for each vehicle
- Garaging address for each vehicle
- Cost new or current ACV value
- List of all drivers (full name, DOB, license #, state)
- Use class and radius of operation
- Loss runs for prior 3–5 years
- Current declarations page if any
- MCS-90 / DOT info if applicable (see Trucking)
Adding a vehicle, driver, or trailer to a Florida fleet?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
- Commercial auto can include liability for bodily injury and property damage caused by a business vehicle, physical damage to the vehicle, medical payments, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and certain endorsements such as hired or non-owned auto. Trucking accounts may also need motor truck cargo, MCS-90, trailer interchange, and additional endorsements depending on operations.
- Commercial auto applies to vehicles used in business. A contractor service truck, plumbing or HVAC van, restaurant delivery vehicle, real estate agent vehicle used for showings, transport truck, dealer plate vehicle, and any company-owned fleet typically need commercial auto. Personal auto policies often do not respond when a vehicle is used for business work.
- Commercial auto usually does not cover personal use that is not contemplated by the policy, certain off-road or job site equipment exposures, employee injuries (workers' compensation handles those), or property of others in the care, custody, or control of the business in some situations. Cargo, garagekeepers, and other endorsements are separate decisions.
- Pricing depends on vehicle type and value, garaging location, radius of operation, drivers and their motor vehicle records, business operations, prior claims, and how the vehicle is used. Trucking accounts also consider commodities hauled, weight class, filings, and authority status. Carriers may decline accounts that fall outside their appetite.
- Most submissions include the legal business name, operations description, address, vehicle list with VINs, drivers with license details, garaging addresses, radius of operation, vehicle use, prior policy details, and claims history. Trucking accounts should also share commodities, authority, filings, and unit weight class.
- Yes. Ellie Insurance Group works with access to 100+ carrier markets, which can be useful when an account has new ventures, mixed driver records, or specialized exposures. Some carriers focus on small service vehicle fleets while others focus on long-haul trucking, so broader access helps the agent find a carrier that may consider the operation.
- Yes. Ellie Insurance Group serves businesses in Tampa, Brooksville, and across Florida. The agency is also licensed in TX, NC, SC, GA, NM, and UT, which can help businesses with vehicles or drivers in more than one state.
Keep reading
Explore related coverage
Trucking Insurance Hub
DOT-regulated trucking and motor carriers.
Contractor Insurance
Multi-vehicle contractor auto programs.
Inland Marine
Tools and equipment in transit on your vehicles.
Hired & Non-Owned Auto
Liability for rented vehicles and employees' personal cars used for work.
Umbrella Liability
Add $1M–$10M+ over your auto limits.
Add a Vehicle
Endorse a new vehicle onto an active policy.
Commercial vs Personal Auto
When personal auto won't respond.
Commercial Auto Cost Guide
What does commercial auto cost? Rates, vehicle types, and savings tips.
Sources
Authoritative references
Coverage descriptions and regulatory figures on this page are general summaries reviewed against the references above and are not a statement of coverage, legal advice, or a guarantee of eligibility or price. Last reviewed . Requirements and policy terms change — always confirm current rules with the relevant agency and verify coverage against the actual policy and a licensed agent.
Related articles
Deeper reading on this coverage
Cost benchmarks
Commercial Auto Insurance Cost: Vehicles, Drivers, and Operations
From service vans to Class 8 fleets — what commercial auto costs and how driver records, vehicles, and radius really drive the rate.
Coverage explainers
Commercial Auto vs. Personal Auto: When You Have to Switch
Personal auto routinely denies business-use claims. Here's when to switch — and how hired/non-owned auto fills the gap.
Coverage guidance
Hired & Non-Owned Auto Liability (HNOA): What It Is, Who Needs It
How HNOA fills the gap when employees drive personal or rented vehicles for company business — including delivery, errands, and client visits.
Cost benchmarks
Trucking Insurance Cost: 2026 Benchmarks for Owner-Operators and Fleets
Real per-class benchmarks for trucking insurance, what drives the price, and the underwriting clean-up tactics that lower it most.
Carrier access
Access to 100+ A-rated commercial markets
As an independent agency we shop 100+ admitted and surplus-lines carrier markets — so the carrier competes for your business, not the other way around.
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Next step
Start an Instant Quote for commercial auto
Send the vehicle list, drivers, garaging addresses, radius, and operations description, and an Ellie agent can shop available carrier options on your behalf. Trucking accounts should also include commodities, authority, filings, and weight class.