Commercial Auto Insurance Missouri and Arkansas

Yes — and this is probably the most common gap we see. The moment you use a vehicle primarily or regularly for business, your personal auto insurer can deny a claim by pointing to the "business use exclusion" in your policy. You don't have to be driving a branded work truck for this to matter. If you're hauling tools, visiting clients, making deliveries, or transporting employees as part of your job, you should have commercial auto coverage in place. The cost is usually more affordable than people expect, especially for a single vehicle.

Not automatically — but that's exactly what hired and non-owned auto (HNOA) coverage is for. If an employee gets into an accident while driving their personal vehicle on company business, your business could face liability even though you don't own the car. HNOA fills that gap. It's typically an endorsement added to your commercial auto or general liability policy, and it's very affordable. We recommend it for almost any business where employees drive, even occasionally, for work purposes.

If the employee was driving a company-owned vehicle during the course of their work duties, your commercial auto policy's liability coverage responds — it covers the injury and property damage they caused to others, and typically provides your business with legal defense if a lawsuit follows. This is one of the most important reasons to have commercial auto: without it, your business could be personally liable for a serious accident caused by an employee. We'll also talk through how your policy handles drivers with less-than-perfect records, which is a real-world concern for many businesses.

Same day, usually within the hour for existing clients. We know that COIs are often time-sensitive — a contractor waiting on paperwork to start a job is losing money. Just call the office nearest you with the certificate holder's information and any special wording the contract requires, and we'll get it issued and emailed fast. If you're a new client and need coverage bound quickly, we can often get that done the same business day too — just give us a call and tell us what you need.

Yes — both Missouri and Arkansas require minimum liability insurance for any vehicle operated on public roads, including commercial vehicles. Missouri's minimums are $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage. Arkansas minimums are similar. However, most businesses should carry limits significantly higher than state minimums — especially when a business vehicle is involved in a serious accident, the costs can far exceed those floors. We'll help you find the right balance between adequate protection and manageable cost.

Absolutely — and we strongly encourage it. Many small business owners are either underinsured (gaps in coverage that could result in major out-of-pocket losses) or overpaying for coverage they don't need. Bring in your current policy or declarations page and one of our agents will conduct a no-obligation coverage review. We'll tell you honestly what looks good, what concerns us, and what options you have. We do this all the time and love helping business owners understand what they actually have.

In many cases, yes — and bundling is often the smartest move financially. Depending on your business size and type, we may be able to combine commercial auto with general liability, commercial property, and workers' comp through the same carrier, which can mean meaningful premium discounts and the simplicity of one renewal date. Even when bundling isn't available, we'll make sure all your policies work together without gaps or overlaps. That's one big advantage of working with a local independent agency like MBG: we look at your whole picture, not just one policy at a time.

What happens if I let my employee drive my personal truck and I don't have commercial auto insurance?

This is one of the most important "what if" questions a business owner can ask — and the answer isn't pretty. If your employee gets into an accident while driving your personal truck for work purposes, you could be facing serious problems from multiple directions at once.

First, your personal auto insurance company will very likely deny the claim. Personal policies contain business use exclusions, and an employee driving your vehicle on the job is a textbook example of business use. That means repairs, medical bills, and damages come out of your pocket.

Second, because your employee was acting on your behalf, your business can be held liable for the accident under a legal concept called "vicarious liability." The injured party — and their attorney — can come after your business assets, not just your vehicle.

Third, if your employee is injured in the accident, workers' compensation may come into play as well, adding another layer of exposure.

The bottom line: lending your personal truck to an employee for business purposes without commercial auto coverage in place is one of the riskiest things a small business owner can do. A commercial auto policy — or at minimum, a hired and non-owned auto endorsement — costs a fraction of what a single uninsured accident could cost you. Call any of our three offices and we'll get you covered before it becomes a problem.