What Do I Need To File a Commercial Auto Insurance Claim?

When filing a commercial auto insurance claim, you’ll typically need to include documentation that provides evidence for the incident, such as witness statements, photographs of damages and injuries and the potential police report after an accident. While deadlines for submitting a claim may vary by your state and insurance company, it’s critical to start the process as soon as possible to get reimbursed for your losses.

Keep reading to learn more about commercial auto insurance claims, how the process works and what to do if your claim is denied.

On This Page

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  What Is a Commercial Auto Insurance Claim?

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  When Should I File a Commercial Auto Insurance Claim?

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  How To File a Commercial Auto Insurance Claim

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  Reasons a Commercial Auto Insurance Claim Might Be Denied

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  How To Appeal a Denied Commercial Auto Insurance Claim

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  FAQs

What Is a Commercial Auto Insurance Claim?

A commercial auto insurance claim is a submission to your insurance company requesting reimbursement for losses due to a covered incident involving your commercial vehicle, such as driving between job sites or making deliveries.

Keep in mind that while a claim is the first step in the process of getting reimbursement, making a claim doesn't guarantee that you’ll get approval or that the amount you’ll receive in compensation will be the total amount you want.

When Should I File a Commercial Auto Insurance Claim?

You’ll want to file a commercial auto claim after your commercial vehicle damages someone else’s property in an accident or someone is injured for which your vehicle is liable. However, depending on optional coverages in your policy, other situations may let you file a commercial auto insurance claim. Additionally, some coverage options may be required in some states, so review your policy before making a claim to understand your coverage.

For example, if you have the following coverage options, your commercial auto insurer will typically cover your claim for related incidents:

• Uninsured/underinsured motorist: Covers claims for injuries and may cover property damage when the at-fault driver doesn’t have car insurance or doesn’t have enough coverage. It may also cover hit-and-run drivers.^[1]
• Collision: Covers claims for damages to your commercial vehicle when hit by another object.
• Comprehensive: Covers claims for non-collision physical damages to your commercial vehicle, such as fire, vandalism and theft.

You should also consider that insurers often view claims for at-fault liability claims as an indicator that you may have a higher risk of making another claim, which could result in an increased premium to offset these risks. It’s worth considering whether these increased premium costs are worth the covered amount of the claim and potentially paying out of pocket instead.

Likewise, some more minor claims may not provide much reimbursement if you opt for a higher deductible. For example, if you have a deductible of $1,000 but your claim was valued at $1,500, you would only receive $500 in coverage after covering your deductible out of pocket.

Since making a claim could increase your premium, paying out of pocket may be more cost-effective in the long term.

How To File a Commercial Auto Insurance Claim

Below, we’ll cover the steps you should take when filing for a commercial auto insurance claim.

1. Pull Over to Safety and Call the Police

Immediately pull the vehicle off to the side of the road if possible, or attempt to park it somewhere that has unobstructed traffic or you could risk causing another accident with an incoming driver. Check with any employees or any other drivers involved to see if they’re injured. Even if injuries aren’t visible, feelings of pain could result in medical expenses later on that you’ll need documentation of for a claim.

Contact emergency services if anybody was injured and so you can later obtain a copy of the police report. If you notice smoke or fire from the vehicles, try to get everyone at least 100 feet away from the vehicle for safety.^[2]

2. Gather Required Documentation

After a car accident in your commercial vehicle, you should gather documentation of the incident to submit with your insurance claim This can include photos or videos of the damages in an accident or any injuries sustained. Ensure you gather shots from different angles and include close-ups. Gathering statements from witnesses and others involved in the accident is also a good idea, as well as documenting the time and place of the incident, the individuals involved and other details.

If law enforcement is involved following the incident, it’s also worth getting a copy of the police report. Gathering this documentation can help speed up the claims process, as it leaves less room for questioning the extent or nature of the damages or injuries by your commercial auto insurance company. Providing evidence may help reduce the odds of them denying the claim.

If any expenses were required before you were able to make a claim, such as critical vehicle repairs, ensure you keep copies of receipts, as these may be submitted alongside your claim for potential reimbursement.

3. Contact Your Commercial Auto Insurance Provider

After gathering your incident documentation, contact your insurance provider and make the claim. Depending on your insurer, you can file a claim online or call and speak with an insurance agent directly. Your insurer will request the documentation you’ve gathered earlier or inform you of any additional details needed to proceed with your claim.

While there are usually deadlines for when you must file a claim — within 30 days of the accident in New York, for instance — you should do it as soon as possible.

Don’t risk getting your claim denied because you delayed too long.^[3]

4. Work With an Adjuster

Your insurer may assign you an insurance adjuster to review your claim and determine the value of the damages or medical expenses associated with your claim. They’ll review your documentation and may inspect the damaged vehicle in person. They may also review any required medical treatments due to the incident, such as care for a broken leg after a commercial car accident.

The adjuster may also recommend specific repair shops or allow you to select one yourself if your vehicle is damaged. Based on the quote from the repair shop for necessary repairs related to the claim, your insurer will determine how much of a payout you’ll receive.

5. Review the Settlement Offer

After reviewing your claim, your insurer will offer you a claim settlement amount after subtracting your remaining deductible. You can either accept the claim amount or seek an appeal. We’ll discuss this process in a bit more detail later on.

Reasons a Commercial Auto Insurance Claim Might Be Denied

Just because you have commercial auto insurance doesn’t mean every claim will be covered, and yours could be denied. Knowing what to look out for when making a claim could help you from having to appeal it again, which would only prolong receiving reimbursement for repairs or medical expenses. Some potential reasons for claim denial could include:

• You didn’t buy optional coverages like collision and comprehensive insurance, which pays for physical damages to your commercial vehicle.
• You filed a claim for an excluded loss, such as intentional damages or normal wear and tear.
• Your claim lacks sufficient evidence.
• Your insurer determines your claim is fraudulent, such as exaggerating the extent of damages or submitting a claim for a non-existent accident.
• You’ve missed payments on your premiums, allowed your insurance to lapse naturally without purchasing a new policy or canceled your policy before making the claim.
• You filed a claim after the deadline or you delayed too long and your insurer cannot investigate the accident properly.
• Your insurance company made an error (and you must now appeal the decision).

How To Appeal a Denied Commercial Auto Insurance Claim

If your claim is denied, review the reasons for denial and whether clear misunderstandings can be rectified. For example, suppose your commercial auto insurer denied your accident claim because you submitted it past their deadline, but you have documentation showing that it was filed timely. In that case, that may be enough to reverse your denial.

After reviewing their decision, gather any additional documentation and evidence that could support your claim. For example, if you didn’t submit the police report or witness statements during the initial claims process, they may help sway the decision. You should then contact your insurer and discuss the denial, offer additional documentation and request what is necessary to change their decision. A simple explanation from your end may be enough.

However, if they still decide to deny your claim, you can submit a formal appeal explaining why your policy and relevant documentation cover your claim. If denied again, you may consider hiring an attorney to assist you with a lawsuit or contacting your state’s insurance commissioner for help.