As winter sets in, snow plowers in Vermont ought to review their commercial auto insurance policy’s coverages. In addition to checking over their policy’s bodily injury, property damage, collision, and comprehensive coverages, plowing businesses should also carefully review their policy’s endorsements. If you head out to plow a driveway in Charlotte, VT this winter before making sure your policy has the necessary endorsements, the equipment on your truck may not be properly protected by your business auto insurance policy.
Make Sure Your Commercial Auto Insurance Covers Everything on Your Truck Before Plowing in Charlotte, VT
Plowing Requires Extra, Expensive Equipment -- Especially in Charlotte, VT
Plowing driveways and parking lots requires lots of extra equipment -- especially in Charlotte, Vermont, where snowfall totals average more than 80 inches. In addition to a snow plow, which alone can cost over $1,000, a truck used for plowing might have the following equipment to help fight snow and ice:
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Specialized headlights
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Curb guards or a rubber snow deflector
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Plow wings
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A salt or sand spreader
Altogether, this equipment can easily cost several thousand dollars. If it were ever damaged in an accident and the equipment wasn’t covered by your plowing business’ commercial auto insurance, the business would have to either pay to have the equipment repaired or purchase new equipment. Either way, the financial consequences to your business could be significant.
Plowing Equipment May Be Covered by Endorsements
The standard coverages included with many business auto insurance policies may not fully cover all of your business’ snowplowing equipment. Some policies may specifically exclude the equipment. Others might provide some coverage, but they may have limits that are well below the total combined value of your equipment.
To fully insure all of your snowplowing equipment, you may have to select endorsements. Endorsements are add-ons that supplement a business auto insurance policy’s standard coverages. They typically offer highly specific coverage, such as coverage for snow plowing equipment, which lets insurers keep the premiums for endorsements relatively low. Most insurers offer endorsements, although the types of endorsements they provide may differ.
Check Your Vermont Plowing Business’ Commercial Auto Insurance
Before you begin plowing driveways or parking lots this winter, take time to review your business auto insurance policy’s standard coverages and selected endorsements. Make sure all of your equipment is fully insured, especially if you’ve purchased new equipment since you last checked your business’ policy.
If you need help understanding coverages and endorsements in the commercial auto insurance policy, contact an independent agent who specializes in commercial insurance solutions and is licensed in Vermont. An agent will be able to explain any language that you’re unsure about and help you check whether your equipment is covered. If it isn’t, they’ll also be able to help you find the coverage you need. Just be sure to contact an agent in Charlotte before you go out plowing, so that you can make sure your equipment is fully protected for the entire plowing season.
