When you shop for a vehicle for your company, you probably weigh the pros and cons of features and price. Make sure you also consider how a new vehicle impacts your insurance.
Things to understand before you buy your next company car or truck:
- A basic rule of thumb is the more expensive the vehicle, the higher the premiums. Buying used vehicles can help keep your insurance rates down.
- Passenger vehicles typically cost less to insure than commercial trucks.
- Lighter-weight trucks cost less to insure on a commercial fleet policy. Here’s how the truck classes break down:
- Light trucks, up to 10,000 pounds – Panel vans, pick-ups, parcel vans, refrigerated trucks and flatbed trucks
- Medium trucks, 10,001 to 20,000 pounds – Mid-size refrigerated trucks, stake bed and box trucks
- Heavy duty and extra heavy duty trucks, 20,001 to 45,000 + pounds – Beverage trucks, farm trucks and grain trucks.
- The trailer class includes small service or utility trailers, flatbed trailers, refrigerated and specialty trailers. Commercial truck insurance premiums increase proportionately with the size and weight of the trailer.
- The intended use of the vehicle also impacts the cost of commercial fleet insurance. Service-oriented vehicles, such as a plumbing truck or a van used by an HVAC contractor, are the least expensive to insure. Retail-use vehicles are next, such as florist or dry cleaning vans. Finally, trucks and vans that deliver goods to other businesses cost the most to insure.
