Survey: 42% of Small Businesses with Commercial Vehicles Report Auto Incidents, Highlighting Insurance Needs

For many small businesses, the company truck or van is more than just a mode of transportation; it's a rolling office. New survey data from Pie Insurance's 2025 State of Workplace Safety Report reveals that 42% of surveyed businesses with commercial vehicles reported an auto-related incident in the past year, with an average out-of-pocket cost of $5,725 per accident. The findings, based on a YouGov survey of 1,018 U.S. small-business owners and decision-makers at companies with two to 500 employees, serve as a timely reminder for business owners to review their commercial auto insurance coverage.

Tim Derham of Inter Insurance Agency emphasizes the broader impact of such incidents. "For many small businesses, the work truck isn't just a way to get from one place to another. It's essentially a rolling office," he said. "When that vehicle is damaged or involved in an accident, you're potentially dealing with much more than a repair. You may be dealing with interrupted jobs, lost working time and liability exposure."

Commercial auto insurance is designed to protect vehicles used for business purposes, including company cars, vans, and pickup trucks. Depending on the policy, coverage can include liability, collision, comprehensive, and uninsured or underinsured motorist protection. Liability coverage helps protect a business following a covered accident involving bodily injury or property damage. Collision coverage helps cover damage to the insured vehicle, while comprehensive coverage protects against non-collision losses such as theft, vandalism, and weather-related damage. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage offers additional protection when another driver lacks adequate insurance.

For contractors, plumbers, electricians, landscapers, delivery companies, and other mobile businesses, vehicles are often in use throughout the working day and are essential to completing jobs and serving customers. Inter Insurance Agency recommends that businesses periodically review their commercial auto policies, particularly when adding vehicles, hiring employees who will drive for the company, or changing how existing vehicles are used.

"The important question is whether the coverage you purchased still reflects the business you're operating today," Derham said. "A business can change significantly in a year, and its insurance should keep pace."

The 2025 State of Workplace Safety Report was commissioned by Pie Insurance and conducted by YouGov PLC. The survey included 1,018 U.S. small-business owners and decision-makers responsible for commercial insurance and/or workers' compensation coverage and was fielded January 9-18, 2025. For more information, visit Pie Insurance and Inter Insurance Agency.