Alberta Commercial Auto and Fleet Insurance

Commercial auto & fleet Insurance brokers in Alberta

We will keep them all on the road. If your Alberta business owns or leases company vehicles, you’ll need to protect them under a commercial auto or fleet insurance policy. Not only does this provide protection for your vehicles, but it also provides the convenience of a single renewal date.

Whether you’re a professional driving to visit clients, a contractor with several trucks or you operate a transportation company, Acera Insurance can help you protect your company. As a leading independent brokerage in Canada, we don’t work for an insurance company, we work for you. We have access to a large number of insurance markets, which means we can deliver competitive commercial vehicle and fleet insurance quotes and a choice of coverage. We have a dedicated in-house commercial auto marketer and the ability to write all kinds of fleet insurance.

Our experienced and professional commercial vehicle insurance brokers also offer risk control services and annual transportation seminars to help educate our clients.

Contact us today to get affordable and flexible fleet or commercial auto insurance for your business with Acera Insurance. We offer fleet and commercial auto insurance quotes online, by phone, or in-person at our offices.

Alberta commercial auto insurance basics

Commercial car insurance is designed to protect your company’s automobiles and related liability.

Why do Alberta businesses need commercial auto insurance?

Personal car insurance won’t usually cover vehicles registered in a company’s name nor does it offer protection if you use your vehicle for work purposes beyond commuting.

Commercial vehicle insurance is specifically for businesses and is adaptable to your needs. It helps you protect your assets, including tools and equipment in and on your work vehicles, as well as survive the financial burden of an accident. It also usually has the benefit of being able to have a single renewal date and easier additions and removals of vehicles.

Commercial vehicle insurance is required by law in Alberta. Mandatory coverage includes third-party liability, accident benefits and direct compensation for property damage.

If any of the following applies to your vehicle(s), you should have a commercial vehicle or fleet insurance:

• The vehicle(s) are registered in the name of a company.
• You transport or deliver products or materials or employees or customers – this includes delivery and ridesharing.
• Your vehicle(s) has work-related equipment installed.
• Employees operate your vehicle(s).
• You use your vehicle(s) specifically for work purposes.

Many people may use their personal vehicles for work, particularly if they do delivery or visit clients. It’s very important to discuss this with a commercial auto insurance broker to make sure you’re covered in the event of an accident. Otherwise, you could be paying a lot out of pocket to cover damage, injuries, and legal expenses.

Commercial vehicle insurance vs. fleet insurance

Fleet insurance is generally commercial vehicle insurance for a larger number of vehicles, usually at least four. The benefits of fleet insurance include group rates and potential discounts. Some policies will also automatically cover new vehicles – with restrictions and requirements, of course, but this is handy if your business changes vehicles throughout the year.

Coverage options for commercial vehicle & fleet insurance in Alberta

Many of the coverage options are similar to regular car insurance.

There are many different available coverages. Here are a few:

Third-party liability, accident benefits and direct compensation for property damage insurance are required for all vehicles in Alberta, commercial or otherwise. It’s particularly important for companies, however, as you’re more likely to be sued if your vehicles are involved in an accident.

Collision and comprehensive are usually sold together as a package. This coverage is what will help you repair or replace your vehicle if it’s damaged outside of a collision or if you’re at fault or partially at fault in an accident. If you’re not at fault, your direct compensation for property damage coverage should cover repairs.

There are also a wide variety of “endorsements,” which is insurance lingo for add-on coverage. Here’s a list of the most common optional coverage for fleet and commercial vehicle insurance:

• SEF 4 – variations of this add-on coverage allow you to carry different dangerous materials.
• SEF 6 – variations of this add-on coverage allow you to carry passengers for money.
• SEF 20 (Loss of Use) – if your vehicle is involved in a covered claim, you’re eligible for funds for public transit, taxis, or rental cars to help you (or your employee) get around.
• SEF 21 (Fleet) – The endorsement for fleet insurance.
• SEF 35 (Emergency Service Expenses) – Covers emergency service fees and towing costs.
• SEF 36 – If you’ve registered a personal vehicle in your company’s name and want to use it exclusively for personal use, this add-on allows you to do so.

There are many more options for your commercial vehicle insurance. You’ll also need to determine the following:

Our commercial auto and fleet insurance brokers can help you determine what insurance you need and balance it with your budget to find coverage that works. We can also get you different commercial auto or fleet insurance quotes and compare the costs to help you make the decision.

How much does commercial auto or fleet insurance cost in Alberta?

The price of commercial vehicle and fleet insurance will depend on a variety of factors, including:

• Your insurance and claims history – The longer you’ve been consistently insured and the fewer claims you’ve had, the better for your rates.
• Your driving record – The driving record of you and anyone else who will be driving your company’s vehicles is critical to determining your commercial auto insurance rates. Even one speeding ticket can impact premiums.
• The number of vehicles you’re insuring – The more vehicles you insure, the more expensive your policy.
• The value, make, model, and year of the vehicle(s) – You may have vehicles of a single type or you may have many different ones. Either way, the value, make, model and year of the vehicle(s) affect your commercial vehicle or fleet insurance costs. This information helps determine how expensive the vehicle is to repair or replace as well as the claim and theft rates.
• Where you operate your business – The claim and crime rates of your neighbourhood, as well as the frequency of natural disasters, will impact your commercial auto insurance rates.
• How you store your vehicles – Do you park your company’s automobiles in a garage or in a secured lot? Or are they parked on the street? The more protected your business assets are from damage or theft, the lower your rates may be.
• How you use the vehicles – Your commercial auto insurance or fleet insurance rates will vary depending on how you use your company’s vehicles, including how much they’re driven, what they transport, and where they go.
• Your coverage options – Finally, your commercial auto insurance options will impact the price. Your deductible, loss settlement, policy limits and coverage choices all influence the final price.

Generally, commercial auto insurance in Alberta is more expensive than personal car insurance as it is considered to be higher risk. As a company, you are more likely to be sued if one of your vehicles is involved in an accident. You may also have employees driving your company vehicles or use them for higher-risk activities such as construction or product transportation.

There are a few ways you can save on your commercial auto insurance costs, however, including:

• Vetting drivers – Your employees’ driving records can significantly impact your commercial auto costs. Even one speeding ticket can raise prices. It’s important to request a driving abstract from everyone who will be allowed to operate your company’s vehicles. It may not be worth the extra cost to insure a driver with a bad record.
• Be exclusive with who you allow to drive. Only allow employees to drive if they’re good drivers and if it’s necessary for their job. The more people on your policy, the more expensive it can be.
• Provide or require specific training. Your drivers should be properly trained to do their job. They should understand their duties and responsibilities through proper training. If they’re expected to drive in difficult conditions, they should take additional advanced driver training.
• Design, implement and monitor clear rules and safety procedures. There should be clear rules and safety procedures around driving. These should be communicated, and adherence should be monitored and enforced. Unsafe driving puts your employee, your business, and others at risk.
• Carry out regular maintenance and inspections. Ensure all vehicles are regularly inspected and properly maintained. It’s a good idea to keep a logbook. This may be required by law for certain vehicles in certain industries.
• Use winter tires. Equipping your vehicles with winter tires makes them safer to drive during the colder months of the year.
• Install anti-theft and tracking devices. Anti-theft devices can prevent theft and help lower your commercial auto insurance rates as many insurers offer discounts if these devices are installed.

Some insurers require tracking devices on commercial auto policies. Either way, it’s a good idea to be aware of where and how your employees are driving.

• Secure your company’s vehicles – Parking your company’s vehicles in a secured lot or garage is a good way to prevent damage.
• Don’t submit unnecessary claims – Your commercial auto or fleet insurance is there to help. However, if you can afford to fix minor damage yourself, it is better in the long run financially if you take care of the repairs yourself instead of submitting a claim.
• Raise your deductible – The lower your deductible, the less you’ll have to pay upfront if you have a covered claim. But it also means your premiums will be higher. Raising your deductible means you’ll need to pay more in the event of a claim, but your premiums will be lower long-term.