If given the owner's permission is a non-employee covered while driving a commercially insured vehicle?

Answer

The standard Commercial Auto Policy lists the following as Insureds: 1. The Business (that owns the vehicle) 2. Anyone using the vehicle with Insured's permission.

The owner of the business has authority to extend permission to use the vehicle. They can extend the authority to officiers, employees, family, friends, vendors (like people servicing the cars) or anyone else they choose. The important issue is that permission is extended.

The Commercial Auto Policy will protect the company and anyone driving the car with permission.

The answer then is yes, a non-employee is covered while driving a commercial vehice, so long as he did not steal (he did not have permission) the car.

Kevin P. Foley, CPA, CPCU PFT&K Insuance Brokers kpfoley@zipdrip.com

Depending on the state you are in as well as what type of commercial vehicle and what your carrier requires, you may or may not be covered. If your carrier requires you to have an MVR run on each driver before approving them to drive the vehicles, then NO, you would not be covered. If you do not have to submit a list of each driver you employ then you should be covered.

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