Commercial vehicles are covered under either a commercial auto policy (OAP 1 with commercial endorsements / OAP rating) or a fleet policy for larger operations. Specialty operations use specialized forms.
- Commercial auto, applies the OAP 1 framework (Sections 1–6) to business-use vehicles, with commercial rating variables (radius of operation, type of cargo, gross vehicle weight, driver group). Liability limits are typically higher than personal lines ($2M minimum, $5M common, $10M+ for heavier rigs).
- Garage policy, designed for businesses that work on or sell vehicles (auto dealers, repair shops, towing operators). Covers the insured's liability for premises and operations, garagekeepers (damage to customer vehicles in the insured's care, custody, or control), and garage operations. A standard CGL would exclude vehicles in the insured's care; the garage policy is the appropriate placement.
- Fleet rating, discount-and-class-based rating used when the insured has multiple vehicles (commonly five or more). Premium is driven by fleet experience rather than individual vehicle ratings, but the policy itself still tracks each vehicle.
- Cargo and goods in transit, owned cargo is covered under an inland marine motor truck cargo policy; the insured's liability for damage to customer goods in the insured's care while in transit is a separate legal liability for cargo form (a bailee liability).
Hired-and-non-owned automobile coverage extends a business policy to vehicles the business does not own but uses (employee's own car on company errand, rented vehicle). It is a standard add-on a commercial broker should offer to any client with employees.
Common mistake: relying on the CGL for damage to a customer's vehicle in a repair shop's care. CGL excludes property in the insured's care, custody, or control. The garage policy (garagekeepers) is the right product.
🧠 Memory hook, "Garage = CCC for cars": garagekeepers fills the care-custody-control hole CGL leaves for businesses that handle customer vehicles.
Recall: What does a garage policy cover that a standard commercial auto policy does not? When does an insured need hired-and-non-owned automobile coverage?