According to the Insurance Research Council, one in eight drivers in the US are uninsured. This can cause your business a headache if you get into an accident with someone who doesn’t have proper insurance. You will want to invest in an adequate insurance policy to protect your business from this and similar accidents. This article will guide you on what you need to know about commercial auto insurance for your Hawaii business.
Commercial auto insurance is a policy that protects vehicles used in your business. Most US states require drivers and vehicle operators to have this insurance to pay for liabilities, bodily injury, and property damage on the road.
Even if you already have personal auto insurance, you still need commercial auto coverage. Personal auto insurance does not cover vehicles for work-related tasks besides the commute to work. You will need this insurance for the following work activities:
Shopping for supplies for your business
Meeting a client
Delivering services or products
Some landscaping activities
Operating a business out of a vehicle like a food truck
Meeting with a lawyer
Below are auto accident statistics from the Department of Transportation in 2021.
| Total crash deaths | 94 |
|---|---|
| Fatality rate | 0.94 |
| Serious injury crashes | 546 |
| Serious injury rate | 5.48 |
| Non-motorized fatalities and serious injuries | 138 |
Honolulu had the most traffic fatalities in 2021. Commercial auto insurance Honolulu has to protect your business from increased risks like fatalities and crime rates. According to 2021 data, you have a 1 in 390 chance of being a victim of a violent crime in Honolulu. Your chance of being a victim of property crime is 1 in 31.
Hawaii commercial auto insurance policies will offer you standard components and coverage. Below are the specific parts of your insurance policy.
Your auto liability policy covers bodily injury and property damages you are responsible for. This policy also helps pay for legal costs and court fees.
This policy pays for medical bills for your driver’s and passenger's injuries up to the personal injury limit. It also pays for lost income and replacement services. Since Hawaii is a no-fault state, you cannot sue or be sued unless there are excessive injuries.
Uninsured motorist covers medical bills you experience if a driver with insufficient insurance hits you. This policy can also cover property damage, but this coverage may be split into a separate policy.
This policy protects your vehicles against damages that result from road accidents. Events covered include:
Collisions with other vehicles
Single-vehicle accidents
Hitting stationary or road objects
Your comprehensive policy protects your vehicles from other sources of damage besides collisions. Event coverage includes:
Theft and Vandalism
Extreme weather like hail
Fire
Hitting an animal
Falling objects
Windshield damage
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
You can increase the coverage of your policy through the use of add-ons. Below are a few possible add-ons you can pick.
This policy will cover your business for road breakdown services like towing, jumpstarts, and tire changes. It can also help you get into a locked car.
This policy will help you pay for rental vehicles you must temporarily use. You may have a vehicle in the repair shop and still need a way to perform business operations.
Pets are typically not covered under auto insurance. This can protect the pets of your clients or others transported by your business in case of an accident.
A gap insurance policy helps you cover damaged financed vehicles. The amount you owe on your vehicle will go down as it depreciates. This can leave you in a situation where your vehicle is worth less to your insurer than you owe on your loan. Gap coverage helps you make up that difference.
An auto glass policy helps you repair or replace your windshield from physical damage. If you have a comprehensive policy, you might not need this coverage. However, this policy is a way to get just your windshield covered for less than comprehensive coverage would cost.
Hawaii commercial auto insurance is required to have certain coverage limits to meet the demands of Hawaii law. Vehicles in Hawaii must be insured throughout their registration period. You must always have a valid insurance identification card in your vehicle. Below are the minimum limits for some insurance policies.
Your insurance must meet a minimum coverage of $10,000 per person for medical and rehabilitative costs.
Hawaii is a 20/40/10 state for auto liability.
| Bodily injury per person | Bodily injury per accident | Property damage per accident |
|---|---|---|
| $20,000 | $40,000 | $10,000 |
This coverage is optional. Still, Hawaii requires that your insurer advise you on these Uninsured and & Underinsured motorist policies. You must reject this coverage in writing. The minimum coverage for this policy is $20,000 per person.
Yes. Hawaii is a no-fault state for auto insurance. You must purchase a no-fault insurance policy to go with your commercial vehicles. This policy will cover you for medical expenses and provide protection no matter who is at fault. You can sue the at-fault party for serious injuries to recover more damages.
The two types of liability limits are combined single limits and split limits. Combined single limits take all coverage and allow it to be covered by a single dollar amount. Split limits set different maximum insurance payouts for different coverage. For example, your bodily injury limit may differ from your property damage coverage limit.
Commercial auto insurance in Hawaii is $39 per month or $468 per year. Here’s a table showing the rates of the best companies:
| Company | Estimated Monthly Cost | Estimated Yearly Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEXT | $24 | $288 | Best overall choice of Hawaii commercial auto insurance |
| The Hartford | $29 | $348 | Commercial auto disappearing deductible |
| CoverWallet | $26 | $312 | Comparing commercial auto insurance quotes online |
| Tivly | $30 | $360 | Comparing commercial auto insurance quotes over the phone |
| Thimble | $32 | $384 | Customer service experience |
| Hiscox | $34 | $408 | Bundling multiple insurance policies |
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
Before you go, check out reviews of the best Hawaii commercial auto insurance companies. Read on to know their pros, cons, and average cost:
Get quotes quickly online
Transparent pricing on their policies
B+ score from the Better Business Bureau
None
NEXT began with the goal of giving small businesses flexible and instant insurance coverage in 2016. Today they offer affordable and competitive options. Your commercial auto insurance policy can benefit from their policy add-ons and convenient buying process. The company serves over 420,000 business owners. NEXT has A- rating AM Best for its strong financials.
Best for: Best overall choice of Hawaii commercial auto insurance
Average cost: $24 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Underwriting insurance for 200 years
Has a mobile app for insurance
100% rating on the Corporate Equality Index
Some customers report difficulty reaching customer service
The Hartford has many excellent options for your commercial auto policy. You can get your vehicles covered with compressive and collision coverage. They also offer personal injury protection that helps you meet requirements for Hawaii auto insurance. The Hartford has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Best for: Commercial auto disappearing deductible
Average cost:$29 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Keep track of your policies through their convenient online dashboard
Fill out a form or call a representative
Choose from multiple partners
Not an insurance company but an insurance broker
CoverWallet is a digital insurance platform that annually insures over ten thousand customers. While on their platform, you can compare quotes and policies from providers like Hiscox, Markel, Progressive, and Chubb. They eliminate the stress from shopping by letting you shop for quotes without buying commitment.
Best for: Comparing commercial auto insurance quotes online
Average cost: $26 per month
Our rating: 10/10
4-second phone answer rate for customers
Matches you with the right insurer
Over 200 insurance partners to choose from
You need to call to compare quotes
Tivly is an insurance network that offers customers over 200 partners to choose from. They help you bind coverage with partners like The Hartford, Liberty Mutual, and Progressive. Tivly’s partners offer personal injury protection, auto liability, gap insurance, and rental reimbursement options for your commercial auto policy. Call now to compare quotes over the phone.
Best for: Comparing commercial auto insurance quotes over the phone
Average cost: $30 per month
Our rating: 10/10
4.6/5 customer rating
Offers A-rated insurance
Excellent customer service
Chat support is only available Monday through Friday
Thimble is a well-established insurance business whose policies are underwritten by other insurers. They offer immediate quotes and approvals online. You can get your Hawaii business vehicles covered within hours. Thimble has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Best for: Customer service experience
Average cost:$32 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Discounts for bundling multiple policies
Passionate service agents
Refund policies within 14 days
Online quoting not available all the time due to periodic site maintenance
Hiscox offers specialized insurance that has the benefit of over 100 years of experience. You can speak with a licensed agent Monday-Friday. They offer protections for hundreds of professions and help tailor the policy to your needs. Hiscox has an A rating from AM Best.
Best for: Bundling multiple insurance policies
Average cost:$34 per month
Our rating: 10/10
1 / 5
Use anyone except Employers. Period. They are non-transparent and shameful. After I complained long enough to warrant a call from a supervisor, the supervisor called back from a PRIVATE NUMBER (no caller ID), left a message that they are not reversing their decision (without any communication with me), and failed to leave a phone number for me to call back. She was hiding! They also fact find via email and phone calls, which is terrific for speed and communication. However, after setting a precedence of email or phone calls, they send time sensitive information via email, without any heads up... they are hoping you miss it and forfeit via expiration. Evil policies. Go elsewhere.
1 / 5
This place is an absolute joke of a company and should be ashamed of the way they conduct business. I was hurt on the job at the end of July and it took them just shy of 7 weeks to issue out a paycheck to me. Yes the amount was back dated but still. Not many have the luxury of not receiving a paycheck for almost 2 months. To top it all off, the original adjuster marked me down for the wrong state which caused a problem from the get go, I've had 3 different adjusters now since each one can't seem to figure out the simplicity of my claim. All my paperwork which includes, my job, house, and drs visits all are from the same state and city but yet some how I have been filed under a completely different state 1500 miles away. They do not answer your phone calls or emails no matter how many you leave. I've had to escalate my frustrations to the supervisors of each of these individuals in order to even get some kind of response. I've had more communication and information given to me about my claim from the customer service representatives then the actual adjusters.......... please tell me how that works?! A serious overhaul needs to happen here in order to serve your clients the way they deserve to be taken care of. 10/10 do not recommend this company to a single soul on earth
1 / 5
I have never had the displeasure of working with a more incompetent and disrespectful person in my life. I’m an injured worker and the adjuster that was assigned to my case was named Carrie Furgeson. In the past 6 weeks that I’ve been injured and out of work I have only been able to get ahold of her twice, not for lack of trying. I have left countless voicemails, countless emails, and she ignores them all. When I am finally able to get ahold of her I’m greeted with terrible customer service. She is rude, she talks over me and I’m hardly able to get a word in edgewise. She spelled my name wrong on my documents even after I spelled it for her properly countless times, this caused a whole new issue with my bank. I have bill collectors from the hospital calling me demanding payment and Carrie Furgeson won’t do a single thing to help, or to get them paid. All of my documentation is in Colorado, my job is in Colorado, my address is in Colorado, all my Dr offices and appointments have been in Colorado and Carrie still managed to hold my claim because she wasn’t sure what state she needed to file it under. It’s been 6 weeks since my Injury and my company still hasn’t received the wage paperwork to fill out so they can get me my correct wages. When she’s not ignoring me she’s answering my questions with “I don’t know” well I don’t know how she got this job, because apparently she doesn’t know anything about it. She is a disgusting morose individual inside and out and I genuinely wish her the worst in all of her future endeavors. I highly recommend you don’t use this company. Please if you are a business owner and your looking into this company please don’t use them. I’m sure they have the cheapest payment and that’s why companies use them in the first place, but you will be doing your employees a grave disservice by forcing them to venture into this absolute dumpster fire of a company. I would rate 0/5 if possible but 1 was the lowest I was allowed.
5 / 5
Their general liability insurance purchase process is simply the best online experience I've ever had in my life!
5 / 5
As long as they cover your line of business, you're literally covered! best rates, best coverage, best online experience, best professionals, can't be happier that I chose them!
Not all those who wander are lost.
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