Business Insurance
Commercial Auto & Hired/Non-Owned Auto (HNOA).
Owned vehicles, hired and non-owned auto for non-fleet operators, and the schedule of underlying that lets the umbrella respond.
Owned, hired, and non-owned — the three buckets
A commercial auto policy uses 'symbols' to define which vehicles are covered. Symbol 1 is any auto, Symbol 7 is specifically scheduled autos, Symbol 8 is hired autos, and Symbol 9 is non-owned autos. Most operating companies need at least 7, 8, and 9 to cover scheduled vehicles plus rentals and employees driving personal vehicles on company business.
Hired/Non-Owned Auto for non-fleet operators
Most early-stage and professional-services companies do not own a single vehicle — but employees still drive their own cars to client sites, airports, and offsite events. The personal auto policy excludes business use beyond commuting, and one at-fault accident on company time can pull the company into the suit. HNOA is the answer: it is inexpensive, often endorsed onto the General Liability or BOP, and it is the line that most often gets missed when there is no scheduled fleet to focus the conversation.
How auto sits under the umbrella
Commercial Auto Liability is one of the three lines that almost every commercial umbrella requires underneath it (alongside General Liability and Employer's Liability). Most umbrellas require $1M Combined Single Limit on the primary auto policy as the schedule of underlying. If you carry HNOA only, the umbrella still needs that HNOA limit listed on the schedule of underlying — otherwise the umbrella will not respond to a non-owned auto loss.
Frequently asked questions
We don't own any vehicles — do we still need commercial auto?
If any employee, founder, or contractor ever drives on company business — even a rental on a sales trip or their own car to a client site — yes. HNOA is the right answer for non-fleet operators and is usually inexpensive to add to the GL or BOP.
Does our personal auto policy cover business use?
Personal auto policies cover commuting and incidental personal use, but they exclude or limit coverage for business use beyond that — and they do not cover the business itself if it gets named in the suit. HNOA fills that gap.
How are commercial auto limits typically structured?
Most operating companies carry $1M Combined Single Limit (CSL) on the primary auto policy, which is the schedule of underlying that most commercial umbrellas require. Higher limits are available where contracts, fleet exposure, or radius of operation justify them.
What about employees who drive electric or company-leased vehicles?
Leased vehicles get scheduled on the owned-auto symbol with the lessor named as loss payee and additional insured. Personal EVs used for business follow the HNOA path. We confirm titling and lease structure before placing the schedule.