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Law Firm Insurance

Commercial Auto for law firms

Covers firm-owned vehicles and liability exposures when attorneys and staff drive for business purposes.

Commercial Auto insurance for law firms

Key Takeaway

Covers firm-owned vehicles and liability exposures when attorneys and staff drive for business purposes. Attorneys and staff regularly use vehicles for firm business, whether driving to court appearances, client meetings, property inspections, or between office locations.

Overview

Commercial auto insurance covers liability and physical damage for vehicles owned, leased, or used by the law firm. Liability coverage pays for bodily injury and property damage the firm causes to others in an auto accident. Physical damage coverage (comprehensive and collision) pays to repair or replace the firm's own vehicles. Importantly, hired and non-owned auto coverage extends protection to situations where employees drive rental cars or their personal vehicles for firm business, such as traveling to court, client meetings, or depositions.

Why it matters for law firms

Attorneys and staff regularly use vehicles for firm business, whether driving to court appearances, client meetings, property inspections, or between office locations. The firm can be held vicariously liable for accidents that occur during business use, even when the employee is driving their own car. Without proper hired and non-owned auto coverage, a serious accident during a business trip could expose the firm to liability well beyond what the employee's personal auto policy covers.

Typical Limits

Liability limits are commonly $1,000,000 combined single limit per accident. Firms with multiple owned vehicles often carry comprehensive and collision coverage with $500 to $1,000 deductibles. Hired and non-owned auto coverage should match the firm's liability limit. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is required in many states and typically mirrors the liability limit. Medical payments coverage of $5,000 to $10,000 per person is standard.

Coverage at a Glance

FeatureSmall Firm (1-5 attorneys)Mid-Size Firm (6-25 attorneys)Large Firm (25+ attorneys)
Typical Limit$500K/$1M$1M/$3M$5M+
Typical Deductible$2,500-$5,000$10,000-$25,000$25,000-$100,000
Annual Cost Range$2,500-$8,000$15,000-$60,000$50,000-$500,000+
Priority LevelEssentialEssentialEssential

Frequently asked questions about commercial auto

Do law firms need commercial auto even without firm-owned vehicles?
Yes. If any employee ever drives their personal vehicle for firm business -- to court, client meetings, depositions, or to pick up supplies -- the firm faces vicarious liability exposure. Hired and non-owned auto coverage, which can be added to a commercial auto policy or BOP, protects the firm against these claims.
What is hired auto coverage?
Hired auto coverage protects the firm when employees rent vehicles or use cars hired for business purposes, such as rental cars for out-of-town depositions or trial preparation. The coverage pays for the firm's liability if the employee causes an accident while driving the rented vehicle.
Does personal auto cover business use driving to court?
Personal auto policies provide limited coverage for incidental business use. However, regular business driving like daily court appearances may exceed what a personal policy considers incidental. More importantly, personal auto does not protect the law firm entity from vicarious liability claims arising from the employee's business driving.
How does commercial auto interact with an umbrella policy?
A commercial umbrella policy sits over the commercial auto policy and provides additional limits when a covered auto claim exceeds the underlying auto liability limit. This layered approach is recommended for firms with significant driving exposure, as auto accident jury awards can easily exceed primary policy limits.
What limits should a law firm carry on commercial auto?
At minimum, $1,000,000 combined single limit for liability coverage. Firms with owned vehicles should add comprehensive and collision with $500-$1,000 deductibles. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage should mirror the liability limit. Firms with significant driving exposure should stack a commercial umbrella policy over the auto coverage.

Common questions about commercial auto

What commercial auto insurance do law firms need?Law firms whose attorneys or staff use vehicles for business purposes need commercial auto or hired and non-owned auto c...What insurance do litigation attorneys need beyond malpractice?Litigation attorneys need cyber liability coverage for sensitive case data, commercial auto or non-owned auto coverage f...What does a commercial umbrella policy cover for a law firm?A commercial umbrella policy provides additional liability limits above the firm's primary general liability, auto liabi...

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