The best commercial auto insurance companies of 2026

If you're a business owner, your personal auto insurance won't cover cars, trucks, or other vehicles you use for work.

Commercial auto insurance can provide liability, collision and comprehensive coverage, and pay for medical expenses related to an accident if you or an employee were driving a company vehicle.

CNBC Select has picked the best commercial auto insurance companies in a variety of categories. (See our methodology for more on how we made this list.)

Who's this for? Thanks to the company's streamlined online-only format, BiBerk commercial auto insurance policies average 20% cheaper than the industry standard. At the same time, the company enjoys the backing of the venerable Berkshire Hathaway Group.

Standout benefits: The brand offers free, instant certificates of insurance that can help you prove your coverage with clients or customers.

Who's this for? The largest commercial auto insurer in the U.S, Progressive offers nine discounts, including price breaks if you've been in business for over three years, if you bundle your auto coverage with other commercial policies from Progressive and up to 15% off if you pay your premium up front.

Standout benefits: Progressive gives businesses 5% off just for enrolling in its usage-based insurance program, Snapshot ProView, which tracks driver behavior and mileage and rewards good drivers with deeper discounts. Businesses with three or more vehicles also have access to free fleet management tools.

Who's this for? Nationwide's Vantage 360 Fleet is a free telematics program for small businesses that lets you manage fleet vehicles and monitor your drivers' routes and driving habits. Businesses that enroll in Vantage 360 Fleet are eligible for a 10% discount.

Standout benefits: The Nationwide website can guide you to a garage that's part of its On Your Side auto repair network, with guaranteed parts and workmanship for as long as you own your vehicle.

Who's this for? Geico offers coverage for a wide range of vehicles, including cars, semis, food trucks and service utility vehicles.

Standout benefits: Geico's safe-driving program, DriveEasy Pro, includes road-facing dashcams and a fleet tracking system.

Who's this for? Sentry can tailor policies for vehicles used in a variety of industries, including agriculture, construction, retail and manufacturing. It also offers dealership insurance for boats, cars and trucks.

Standout benefits: Sentry's expert safety consultant can help you craft a safety program for your business drivers.

Commercial auto insurance protects businesses that use vehicles, including company cars, trucks, vans, forklifts and construction equipment.

Most personal auto insurance doesn't cover business use, so a commercial auto policy is needed to pay for vehicle damage and bodily injuries, typically with higher limits than personal auto insurance.

Liability coverage: Pays for damages and injuries to others if your business is found at fault for the accident.

Collision coverage: Pays to repair or replace your vehicle if it hits an object or overturns.

Comprehensive coverage: Repairs or replaces a vehicle if it's stolen, vandalized or damaged in a fire, extreme weather or other non-accident event.

Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM): Pays for your repairs if the driver found at fault is uninsured or underinsured.

Medical payments (MedPay): Covers employees and passengers if they're injured in an accident, regardless of fault.

Commercial auto insurance typically doesn't cover intentional damage, items inside the vehicle that aren't permanently affixed or medical expenses that should be covered under workers' compensation.

Some carriers may exclude certain types of vehicles, like large trucks and tractor-trailers.

Commercial auto insurance costs vary widely based on several factors, including the type of vehicle your business uses.

In 2023, for example, the average monthly cost for Progressive commercial auto insurance ranged from $257 for contractor autos to $1,041 for for-hire transport trucks.

Getting several quotes from different insurers is the best way to find affordable commercial auto insurance.

To buy commercial auto insurance, you can work with an agent or get quotes online yourself.

1. Gather information

To get a quote, you should have ready:

• Your business's name, location and industry
• The owner's name and personal information
• The number of employees
• Employee information, including driver's license numbers
• Vehicle details, including make, model, year, license plate and VIN
• The number of miles driven per year for each covered vehicle

2. Determine how much commercial auto insurance you need

Many insurers require business owners to get at least $500,000 of liability coverage. However, some offer coverage up to $1 million or more. This can be a smart move if your business is in a more expensive area or your business uses larger vehicles with more potential for damage.

3. Comparison shop

Insurance companies treat each business differently, so costs can vary greatly. Compare rate quotes for the same coverage limits and deductibles from at least three companies.

If you have other business insurance, like a business owner's policy, commercial auto insurance from the same provider could get you a discount.

4. Buy your policy

Once you've found a provider that meets your needs, apply for coverage. If you're approved, you'll sign for your policy, set up a payment and receive proof of insurance.

Be sure to save the invoice, as you may be able to deduct your commercial auto insurance premiums when you file your taxes.

To file a claim for commercial auto insurance, report the incident to the insurance company right away, with as many details as possible.

You'll then submit a claim in person, online or by mail, including any photos, police reports or medical records relating to the accident.

You'll be assigned an insurance adjuster who will review the case and propose a settlement. Once you receive the settlement offer, you can accept it or appeal.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every car insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of insurance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

CNBC Select compared more than two dozen insurance companies that offer commercial auto insurance based on affordability, coverage options, vehicles covered, claims processing, availability and restrictions.

We incorporated customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' complaint index and the Better Business Bureau, as well as A.M. Best ratings for financial strength.

We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.

Based on those criteria, the best companies for commercial auto insurance are:

• Best for affordability: biBerk
• Best for discounts: Progressive
• Best for tracking: Nationwide
• Best for vehicle variety: Geico
• Best for customization: Sentry

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