Getting Auto Insurance Coverage- Commercial Cabinet Business
In order to get good coverage for your auto that you will be using in your cabinet business, understand that insurance companies will not write a commercial policy on a personal vehicle, not for a corporation. If you have a sole proprietorship, that’s a totally different situation. The truck, car, van or SUV must be in the corporation’s name. In many instances my policies, on the automobiles that have been used for delivering cabinetry and doing the day in and day out running around associated with owning a cabinet company, have cost less money than the protection that I have had on my personal vehicles.
Don’t take any company risks; make sure to get your assets protected properly.
Write a Policy With a Local Provider
When establishing a relationship with a local agent, take time to shop around. Small insurance companies handle major provider’s policies from all over the United States. Being able to go into an actual office and sit with a local agent has great value in comparison to committing to a policy over the phone or on the Internet.
It’s always good to have a paper trail documenting everything, quickly. This is more difficult to accomplish when your contract and representative is located in a different city or state.
Benefits-Local Automobile Insurance Agent
The benefits are going to be so much greater than taking a risk on dealing with an automobile insurance provider out of state. Even with the Internet being such a great asset, let a local agent set up the long distance policy with their provider. Let them deal with the headaches associated with having a long distance agreement.
1) If a payment is due or even overdue, you can stop by the office and submit the payment, get a paper receipt and you will have a record that the payment was made, in hand. Local agents have a way of pulling strings and making your payments “good” even when they have been submitted late.
2) If you’re ever concerned that your policy is in danger of being canceled, due to a submitting a late payment, your local agent can keep you timely posted as to the condition of your commercial auto insurance policy.
3) You get personalized service in that one agent usually handles the account.
4) Small companies will have a secretary/receptionist to answer your phone calls. You will not have to jump through 10 different hoops on an automated message. It will be personalized service that you are receiving.
When meeting with the insurance agent, it’s important to make sure that the policy will cover any type of trailer that your business will be hauling kitchen cabinetry or countertops in. All of the contents inside the trailer should have insurance coverage on them as well.
The last thing you need to deal with is getting in an accident with $30,000 dollars worth of kitchen, bathroom vanities, office furniture, wall-units or custom fabricated cabinetry and everything being totaled. How could you explain to your paying customer, who gave you $15,000 upfront as a deposit that you did not have their cabinetry or countertops covered by a commercial auto insurance policy?
An accident like that could totally wipe out your small cabinet business in a heart beat.
Take time to find a local person that you can write your commercial auto policy with. Establishing a long-term business relationship with an insurance agent starts with the opening of your company. If you do not cover yourself, an automobile accident could end your dreams of being self-employed for the rest of your life. So, make sure to get your commercial coverage locally because the benefits will far outweigh the downfalls. Lastly, our going to have to have your federal identification number with you when you sign the agreement for your cabinet shop auto insurance.