Commercial Auto Insurance for Restaurants
Protects your operation and covered vehicles used for deliveries, catering, supply runs, and events.
What commercial auto insurance covers
Commercial auto insurance is the policy built for vehicles a hospitality business owns or uses for work. Its liability coverage responds to covered injuries and property damage caused by business vehicles. When selected, the policy can also include physical damage to scheduled vehicles, medical payments, and uninsured motorist coverage. Hired and non-owned auto coverage addresses the business's liability when employees use their own cars or rented vehicles for deliveries, catering, bank runs, or supply pickups. Personal auto policies often exclude or limit business use, so they should not be treated as a substitute for properly placed business coverage.
Where vehicle claims come from
Vehicle claims in hospitality often start with ordinary work: a delivery driver rear-ends another car, a catering van is damaged while loading at an event, a towed trailer or smoker causes damage, a brewery or distributor truck is in an accident on a route, or an employee crashes while running a business errand in a personal car. Driver screening, motor vehicle record checks, a written vehicle use policy, and listing every driver and vehicle correctly matter because carriers underwrite the people, equipment, and uses you actually put on the road. If any of that is missing or outdated, coverage questions can surface when a claim occurs.
How we cover every vehicle and driver your business relies on
Before Bar & Restaurant Insurance quotes the coverage, we map the operation as it actually runs. That means owned vans and trucks, trailers and mobile kitchens, employee-owned vehicles used for work, third-party delivery arrangements, and a complete list of drivers and their motor vehicle records.
We then confirm hired and non-owned auto coverage for rented vehicles and employee cars, and we make sure each vehicle, trailer, and driver is scheduled or disclosed the right way. The goal is a submission that tells an underwriter who drives, what they drive, and how the equipment is used.
We set auto liability limits that support the umbrella policy and compare carrier placement options based on the operation, not a generic restaurant profile. At renewal, we review every vehicle and driver again so additions, removals, and changes in use are reflected before the next term.
- Hired and non-owned auto coverage Addresses the business's liability when employees use personal cars or rented vehicles for deliveries and other work.
- Trailers and mobile kitchens listed correctly Lists the tow vehicle, trailer, mobile kitchen, and related equipment according to ownership and use.
- Accurate driver and vehicle schedules Shows the carrier who drives each vehicle and how every unit is used in the operation.
- Limits that support your umbrella Coordinates commercial auto liability limits with the underlying requirements of the umbrella policy.
Coverage that works alongside commercial auto
Commercial auto is one part of a complete hospitality insurance program, and the surrounding policies should be reviewed together.
- Umbrella & Excess Liability Extends liability limits above scheduled commercial auto coverage when the underlying auto policy and umbrella are coordinated.
- Workers' Compensation Addresses employee injuries tied to driving, loading, deliveries, and other work duties, subject to the policy.
- Breweries & Taprooms Connects commercial auto with the delivery routes, trailers, and driver practices used by brewery and taproom operations.
- Quick Service & Fast Casual Reviews delivery, catering, and supply-run vehicle use for quick-service and fast-casual operators.
- Get a Free Quote Review owned, hired, and non-owned auto exposures with a hospitality specialist before you bind.
Restaurant commercial auto FAQs
Straight answers to common commercial auto questions from hospitality operators.
Does a restaurant need commercial auto insurance?
If the restaurant owns, leases, or regularly uses a vehicle for business, a commercial auto policy is usually the right starting point. Even without owned vehicles, hired and non-owned auto should be reviewed when employees use personal or rented vehicles for deliveries, catering, bank runs, or supply pickups.
What is hired and non-owned auto insurance?
Hired auto applies when the business uses rented or short-term leased vehicles, while non-owned auto applies when it uses vehicles it does not own, such as an employee's car. The coverage generally addresses the business's liability, not damage to the employee's vehicle, so the policy form and limits need to be checked.
Does an employee's personal auto policy cover restaurant deliveries?
Do not assume it does. Personal auto policies may exclude or limit business delivery use, and the restaurant can still be brought into a claim, so both the employee's policy and the restaurant's non-owned auto coverage should be reviewed.
Does commercial auto insurance cover trailers and food truck vehicles?
It can, but the truck, tow vehicle, trailer, mobile kitchen, and installed equipment must be described and insured correctly. A vehicle policy may not treat all attached or permanently installed equipment the same way, so the schedule and physical damage coverage need a line-by-line review.
How do third-party delivery apps affect a restaurant's auto exposure?
It depends on the arrangement, including who employs or contracts with the driver, whose vehicle is used, and what insurance each party agrees to carry. Do not assume the app takes all auto liability away from the restaurant; the contract and actual delivery workflow must be reviewed.
What affects commercial auto premiums for a restaurant?
Vehicle type, value, use, territory, mileage, driver records, claims history, coverage choices, and liability limits can all affect premium. Accurate driver and vehicle schedules, clear use rules, and consistent screening help the carrier price the operation it is actually insuring.