Industry spotlight
Auto Repair Insurance
Coverage considerations for garage operations, customer vehicles, completed work, towing, employees, property, and equipment.
What makes auto repair insurance different?
Repair shops take custody of customer vehicles and perform work that can lead to later accidents or property damage.
Common operational risks and exposures
Customer vehicles
Vehicles can be damaged while stored, tested, moved, or repaired.
Repair operations
Faulty work or parts can lead to completed-operations allegations.
Shop hazards
Lifts, welding, fluids, tools, and test drives affect property and employee risk.
Insurance coverages commonly considered
The right combination depends on the operation. These coverage guides explain the underlying policies without repeating their full details here.
General Liability Insurance
Core liability coverage for third-party bodily injury, property damage, and certain personal and advertising injury claims.
Commercial Auto Insurance
Coverage for liability and physical damage exposures involving vehicles used in a business.
Commercial Property Insurance
Protection for buildings, business personal property, stock, equipment, and selected income exposures.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Coverage for work-related employee injuries and illnesses, together with employer liability protection.
Commercial Umbrella Insurance
Additional liability limits above scheduled underlying business policies, subject to its own terms.
Important specialized gaps and concerns
- Garagekeepers and garage liability address different exposures.
- Pollution, towing, loaner vehicles, and dealer operations require explicit review.
- Tools, diagnostic equipment, customer parts, and business interruption may need endorsements.
Operational factors that can affect coverage
- Repair types, annual receipts, bays, and employees
- Customer vehicle values, overnight storage, and security
- Towing, road testing, loaners, used-car sales, and claims
What a business owner should compare
- How operations and locations are described
- Limits, deductibles, sublimits, and valuation
- Industry-specific exclusions and endorsements
- Audit, reporting, and risk-control requirements
A practical next step
Gather current policies, a clear description of operations, property and equipment values, vehicle and employee information, contracts, and recent loss history. Those details help make policy comparisons more meaningful.