Small business owners looking for commercial auto insurance will want opportunities for discounts, responsive customer service, and a company with an appetite for risk and new businesses. Using our proprietary rubric, we evaluated 18 commercial auto insurers. These are the five best providers of commercial auto insurance:
- Nationwide: Best overall for commercial auto insurance
- Progressive: Best for discounts
- The Hartford: Best for fleet management
- Tivly: Best for finding commercial auto insurance
- Travelers: Best for custom coverage
We determined the best commercial auto insurance companies using our in-house proprietary evaluation system. In evaluating insurance companies, we focused on the customer’s needs. We paid particular interest to convenience, financial ratings (AM Best), customer service, types of policies offered, and the overall experience as a policyholder with a specific provider.
Nationwide: Best Overall Provider for Commercial Auto Insurance
Pros
Cons
- It has no mobile app for policy management.
- Telematics discounts are unavailable in CA, DE, ME, NY, NJ, WA.
Standout Features
- Provides commercial auto policies for a single vehicle, a business with a fleet, or even large combines and other vehicles for an agribusiness operation
- Offers all of the standard and special types of coverage a small business may need for its operations beyond commercial auto
- Allows you to get an online quote for commercial auto insurance even though it is pulling back on many business coverages for online quotes
- Is the highest overall in customer satisfaction on J.D. Power’s Small Commercial Insurance survey
Financial stability: Nationwide has nearly 100 years of experience. It has a strong financial rating, as AM Best’s rating of Nationwide is an A+ (Superior).
Nationwide has a broad range of appetite when it comes to the type of vehicle you want to insure. It sells commercial auto insurance for a wide range of vehicles: passenger cars, cargo vans, semi-trucks, and agribusiness specialty vehicles.
Its customer service is available 24/7, and there are discounts of up to 10% for safe driving for single vehicles and fleets. These, combined with its financial stability and nationwide availability, make it the best overall provider of commercial auto insurance.
Nationwide is one of the few providers that can quote commercial auto insurance online. Although, depending on the type and number of vehicles, you may have to speak with an agent to get a quote. So if that happens, don’t be surprised.
We were quoted $2,270 annually for a one-passenger vehicle. The policy carried collision and comprehensive coverage, both with a $500 deductible. Liability had a combined single limit of $500,000.
Nationwide has four policy packages: Base, Plus, Gold, and Platinum. Every package includes two types of coverage that most providers only offer as an endorsement. Accidental airbag discharge and autos hired or rented by employees. Each one has a number of endorsements available, like $5,000 in extra expenses for stolen vehicles and expanded coverage for towing.
Nationwide offers online accounts and claims management. Its customer satisfaction is high. Zero complaints were reported in 2023 for its commercial auto insurance through the NAIC.
The company offers a free telematics program, Vantage 360 Fleet®, to help create a safe driving environment. While it is designed for fleets, it is available for commercial auto policies with only one vehicle. Using it gives you a discount on your auto policy, and it works through a combination of a mobile app and a device attached to your car.
Nationwide monitors speed, hard braking and acceleration, and phone usage. You can use the data to change driving habits and create a safer environment.
Progressive Commercial: Best for Discounts
Pros
- You can report weekend accidents on the same day.
- It offers 24/7 roadside assistance for policyholders.
- It offers multiple discounts and ways to save.
Cons
- Pro View discount is unavailable in AK, HI, MT, NH, NY, and Washington, D.C.
- Coverage is unavailable in Washington, D.C.
- Complaints are higher than average for commercial auto insurance.
Standout Features
- Offers an unlimited radius in mileage for most types of trucking operations—good news if you operate a semitruck
- Has an appetite for nearly every type of vehicle imaginable, including food trucks, and insures equipment added to the vehicle
- Provides seasonal coverage for businesses like landscaping and snowplow companies
- Has multiple telematic apps and offers options to increase discounts for safe driving
Financial stability: With over 1.9 million commercial vehicles insured, Progressive has established a strong financial position. It has a rating of A+ (Superior) from AM Best.
Progressive insurance began as a personal auto insurer that expanded into commercial auto insurance. Recently, it began to offer a limited number of other business insurance policies, but its primary focus remains commercial auto. One area where it stands out is the many discounts available to customers. These include the following:
- Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) discount: If you’ve maintained a CDL for at least two years
- Experience: If you’ve been in business for more than three years
- Personal vehicle insurance: If you purchase commercial auto insurance from Progressive, you may be eligible for a discount on a personal policy from Progressive
Visit the dedicated page for vehicle insurance discounts to learn about the multiple ways you can save on commercial auto with Progressive.
We received a commercial auto quote for $2,054 annually. It was eligible for a 15% paid-in-full discount. The policy carried collision and comprehensive coverage with a $500 deductible and a $300,000 combined single limit in liability. If paying in full is not possible, multiple options are available for payment plans ranging from two to nine months.
There are two other significant ways to save with Progressive. One is through Snapshot ProView® (save 5% just by enrolling), and the other SmartHaul® (save anywhere from 3% to 12% off their premium) for truckers. Both programs use telematic devices to monitor driving habits. From the data, recommendations are made to increase driving safety.
Complaints filed against Progressive are slightly higher than the national average. However, Progressive is also one of the largest insurers for commercial auto, so a higher complaint average does make sense.
For most vehicles, including fleets, you can get an online quote and purchase the policy. Progressive allows you to manage the policy, file a claim, and track it online.
The Hartford: Best for Fleet Management
Pros
- It has fleet and commercial auto insurance.
- It has risk engineering for safe driving.
- It has 24/7 claims services.
Cons
- It has no online quotes for commercial auto.
- It is unclear what discounts are available for commercial auto customers.
Standout Features
- Allows you to customize your policy with a number of extra coverage options like downtime loss, rental reimbursement, and deductible waiver for glass claims
- Offers insurance for vehicles, trucks, and fleets, along with nearly every type of small business coverage you would need
- Provides virtual appraisals, nurse reviewers for injury claims, a network of over 1,500 shops nationwide, and more than 8,000 windshield repair shops
- Facilitates coaching for your drivers from risk managers, drawing on real-time data
Financial stability: Financial stability matters because you want to know if the provider can pay your claim. The Hartford’s AM Best rating is strong at an A+ (Superior).
The Hartford insures both small business autos and larger businesses with fleets. Its fleet management program—featuring telematic devices, risk managers, and risk engineering consultants—makes it the best choice for managing the risk of your business’ fleet.
If you don’t have a fleet, that doesn’t mean The Hartford isn’t a good choice. It will insure small businesses with one vehicle or even ones that don’t own a car but need hired and non-owned general liability for vehicles used by employees.
Quoting for business insurance is unavailable online. To get a quote, you can contact a local independent agent or call The Hartford directly.
For commercial auto, it offers endorsements to expand coverage, including the following:
- Loan/lease gap coverage
- Vehicle wrap coverage
- Employees as insured
- Downtime loss and rental reimbursement coverage
The Hartford has a robust safety fleet management program to help you manage risk. FleetAhead® uses telematic devices to gather data on driving habits. This data is then analyzed by The Hartford’s risk engineering team, who provides coaching for safe driving improvements. While there is no specific information on discounts using this program, The Hartford does state that there are financial benefits.
- Fuel consumption decreases between 7% and 10%
- Accidents decreased by 31%
- Resulting in a 74% reduction in accident-related costs
The Hartford has lower-than-average complaints with the NAIC. J.D. Power also ranks it third for independent agent satisfaction, and this is the second year in a row it has been in the top three.
While you cannot get an online quote, it does offer online claim management and policy management, including proof of insurance.
Tivly: Best for Finding Commercial Auto Insurance
Pros
- It is open 6 days a week.
- Coverage options are available nationwide.
- If you need other hard-to-find coverages, Tivly can help you with that, too.
Cons
- You can request a quote online but will not be able to finish it online.
- Because it is a marketplace, Tivly will not directly handle any claims filed.
- Special services available will depend on the actual provider.
Standout Features
- Partners with over 200 insurance companies, agents, and brokers to help customers find insurance with the right carrier
- Fits businesses in a riskier auto industry or those with some claims, making it harder to find insurance
- Offers a free service to help match you with the best commercial auto insurance company for your business
Financial stability: As a marketplace, Tivly works with multiple top-rated providers for commercial auto. This includes providers on this list, like The Hartford and Progressive. and others like Acuity. Acuity has an AM Best rating of A+ (Superior).
Tivly is a marketplace that helps facilitate meaningful connections between small business owners looking for commercial auto insurance and providers offering it. It has a network of over 200 different companies that it works with to find commercial auto insurance, including brokers, agents, MGAs, and commercial auto insurance companies.
Having access to such a large network for free is a great resource for any business looking to save money. It also works best for finding the right coverage or if you’re having trouble getting coverage because of a claims history or the risk of its industry.
You’ll have two ways to go about getting a quote through Tivly. You can call the company directly or fill out a contact request form. The quote request form needs only three points of information to start the process: your ZIP code, your name, and a phone number you can be reached at. Expect a call within minutes from Tivly to finish the quote.
As a marketplace, it can be a little tougher to evaluate how customers view Tivly. However, on Google,[1] there are over 4,000 reviews, and its average rating is 4.7 out of 5 stars.
It is open six days a week, Monday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Its service is also free, so you don’t have to worry about a markup on your policy due to Tivly’s role.
Travelers: Best for Custom Coverage
Pros
- It has an appetite for a diverse type of vehicles.
- It has a customer advocate hotline.
- It has 24/7 claims services.
Standout Features
- Offers new discounts, including paid-in-full and discounts for recurring electronic billing
- Has 13 coverage enhancements to help customize your commercial auto policy and fit your specific business needs
- Has in-house claims adjusters who promptly review and respond to all claims
- Is a global insurer with a strong financial rating and more than a century of insurance experience
Financial stability: Travelers is a global company with decades of financial stability. AM Best rated Travelers an A++ (Superior).
Travelers offers commercial auto insurance for personal vehicles, trucks, and specialty vehicles. Through its Select Auto CoveragePlus® endorsement, Travelers offers 13 coverage enhancements, including the following:
- Glass deductible waiver
- Loan and lease gap coverage
- Mechanical damage from airbag misfire
Because these are optional enhancements, Travelers makes it easy for you to customize your auto insurance, making it the best for custom coverage.
To get a quote, you will need to speak with an agent. On its website, you can locate an agent in your area using your ZIP code.
Travelers has two types of policy forms for commercial auto, including the following:
- Basic types of coverage and endorsements a business needs
- CoveragePlus® has 13 endorsements to expand coverage. If your business has a trailer, the trailer is insured for up to 3,000 pounds. Transportation expense (rental) is increased from $20 per day to $50 per day, with a maximum of $1,500. One other feature of CoveragePlus® is that the insured’s employees are added as named insureds, including if the employee owns autos.
While Travelers does not offer online quotes, you can manage your policy, pay your premium, and file a claim online. It also has a 24/7 line for claims and a 24/7 hotline for customer advocacy. So if you encounter a problem, you can call Travelers and have an advocate on your side. This may be why Travelers has complaints that are lower than the national average for commercial autos.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Commercial auto insurance is one policy with multiple coverages. It has liability (covering property damage and injury to others), first-party coverages for your vehicle (collision and comprehensive), and injuries in your vehicle (medical payments).
There are additional coverages, like uninsured motorists and loss of use/transportation expenses. From there, it depends on your business needs.
Commercial auto insurance costs anywhere from $600 to $2,400 for a single vehicle. Its premiums draw on a wide range of factors—including the type of vehicle, industry, and claims history.
Most states require insurance or a statement of financial responsibility. The insurance required is usually limited to liability (property damage and bodily injury), and the state often has a minimum limit requirement.
Bottom Line
The best commercial insurers offer a wide range of custom coverages for your business, are available when you need them, and find ways to offer you savings. We evaluated 17 different commercial auto insurance companies to find the five best providers.
Based on our extensive review, Nationwide stood out as the best overall commercial auto insurance company. Contact its sales team to inquire, or click the button below.
