If you live in the Sunshine State and own a business with vehicles, you may need commercial car insurance in Florida. Personal auto insurance may cover you in certain situations, but it won’t protect you if your company owns the vehicle and an accident happens during work.
To ensure you’re covered, you’ll need a commercial auto policy. Here’s what you need to know about getting the best commercial auto insurance in Florida.
GEICO, Liberty Mutual, and Progressive offer some of the best commercial car insurance in Florida.
Vehicles registered in Florida need at least $10,000 in personal injury protection and property damage liability coverage, but requirements vary based on weight and use.
Car insurance costs are often higher in Florida due to weather risks and population density.
Commercial car insurance requirements in Florida
Many business types need commercial car insurance in Florida. This includes food trucks, ridesharing vehicles, fleets, vans used by landscaping companies, trucks from construction companies, and even your personal vehicle if you do gig work providing delivery services.
In fact, anyone using a personal vehicle for business needs commercial car insurance. If you use your car for business purposes, your personal auto insurance likely won’t cover you if you have an accident.1
Florida requires the following minimum coverage limits:
$10,000 in personal injury protection
$10,000 in property damage liability
These minimums may not provide adequate coverage. Insurance experts often recommend buying higher liability limits than the state-mandated minimum to protect yourself financially.2
In Florida, some types of vehicles have higher liability requirements. For example, taxis, limousines, and other for-hire passenger transportation vehicles must have $125,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person, $250,000 per incident, and $50,000 in property damage liability.3 Freight trucks also require different coverage levels, depending on what you deliver and the truck’s weight.
Optional commercial auto insurance coverages
All drivers in Florida must have liability insurance, but the following optional commercial auto insurance provides greater protection.4
Do you need commercial car insurance in Florida?
Whether you need commercial car insurance in Florida depends on how you use your vehicle and how often. For instance, you’ll need small-business commercial auto insurance if you provide courier services between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. The same goes if you have a food truck in Jacksonville or a flower delivery service in Tampa.
But if you have a home-based business in Orlando and don’t transport goods, you likely don’t need commercial car insurance. This is also true if you commute to work in your personal vehicle but don’t use it for business activities.5
Best commercial car insurance companies in Florida
We reviewed many commercial car insurance companies in Florida. Our research considered coverage, discounts, claims satisfaction, customer reviews, and overall ratings.
While there isn’t a single best car insurance company, the three insurers below are worth considering. Each company offers business coverage, competitive rates, and discounts.
GEICO: Best for competitive rates
Liberty Mutual: Best for complete business coverage
Progressive: Best for discounts
Our editorial team analyzed regional and national auto insurance companies that sell commercial policies in Florida to assess which offer the best rates, coverage options, customer service, and savings to drivers. We prioritized competitive rates, 24/7 customer service, and specialty or supplemental coverages.
Average cost of commercial car insurance in Florida
The average cost of commercial car insurance in Florida ranges between $250 and $1,370 per month, based on Insurify data.
Commercial car insurance rates vary depending on employee driving records, vehicle types, business location, industry, deductibles, and policy limits. Weather risks also affect insurance rates in Florida.
What business owners should know about commercial auto insurance in Florida
Commercial car insurance policies are typically more expensive than personal auto insurance policies. They may offer higher liability limits, cover more drivers, and protect against greater risks. Your insurance premiums also depend on your business’s risk factors, such as the number of vehicles on the policy, your fleet size, and your company’s claims history.
The good news is that some or all of your commercial car insurance premiums may be tax-deductible, depending on how you use the vehicle. Be sure to discuss specifics with a tax or financial professional.
Beyond looking for cheap commercial auto insurance, it’s important to list each driver on your policy. Failing to do so can cause your insurance company to deny claims from unlisted drivers.
After your policy is in place and all drivers have coverage, it’s also a good idea to understand the claims process. If you need to file a claim through your commercial car insurance policy, contact your insurance company right away. You’ll need to provide information about the incident and any necessary documentation to start the claim process.
How to get commercial car insurance in Florida
For information on how to get commercial car insurance in Florida, follow these steps:
Commercial auto insurance in Florida FAQs
Check out the additional information below about shopping for commercial car insurance in Florida.
How much does commercial car insurance cost in Florida?
The cost of commercial car insurance in Florida depends on your unique risk factors. But Insurify data estimates that Florida commercial car insurance costs between $250 and $1,370 per month.
What are the requirements for commercial auto insurance in Florida?
Drivers who need commercial auto insurance in Florida must have at least $10,000 in personal injury protection and $10,000 in property damage liability coverage. Vehicle weight and usage also help determine liability limits, with taxis and passenger vehicles requiring much higher amounts.
What qualifies as a commercial vehicle in Florida?
In Florida, a commercial vehicle is defined as any vehicle that uses diesel or motor fuel while driving on public highways and that either weighs 26,001 pounds or more or has three or more axles. The vehicle owner can’t be a government entity. But any vehicle used for business — even a private vehicle used to deliver goods — can be insured under a commercial car insurance policy.
Why is commercial auto insurance so expensive in Florida?
Commercial car insurance in Florida is expensive because of risk-management factors like the state’s extreme weather, an increased number of claims, higher population density, and more vehicle theft. In addition to these state-specific factors, employee driving records, vehicle and coverage types, your claims history, and more determine your rate.