What commercial auto insurance is
Commercial auto insurance is the policy for vehicles a business owns, leases, or uses for work: liability for injury and damage to others, plus optional physical damage to the vehicle. Vehicle Code section 260 defines a commercial vehicle as one used for transporting people for hire or designed, used, or maintained mainly for transporting property.
Section 260(b) says a passenger car not used to carry people for hire is not a commercial vehicle, but insurance follows use as well as the vehicle type. A pickup that pulls a trailer to job sites, or a sedan used for paid deliveries, is a business use question for the policy, not only a registration question. Trucks hauling property for pay add the DMV filing in section 34631.5.
Employees driving their own cars on errands are a separate exposure, written as hired and non-owned auto. The product page is commercial auto insurance.
Questions
What is a commercial vehicle in California?
Vehicle Code section 260 defines it as a vehicle used to transport people for hire, or designed, used, or maintained mainly to transport property.
Does my personal policy cover work driving?
A personal policy is written for personal use. Business use of a vehicle should be disclosed and is often written on commercial auto.
What about employees using their own cars?
That is hired and non-owned auto coverage, a separate part of a commercial policy.
Sources
- Vehicle Code section 260 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, checked October 7, 2026). Definition of commercial vehicle.
- Vehicle Code section 34631.5 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, checked October 7, 2026). Motor carrier liability filing.
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