# What to ask insurance agent about coverage? Need help please



## peasantgirl (Jul 7, 2015)

First, I want to thank everyone for the helpful posts here on uberpeople. I've been reading practically non-stop for a couple days now. I'm in the process of signing up with uber, not sure if I'm even going to do it, but exploring my options anyway.

So, in the course of all my reading here, I've realized I really need commercial insurance. I *think* I saw someone recommend 1.5mil in coverage but I can't find that post again, and Geico's comm ins quote page only offers up to 300k? Or am I doing it wrong?

Here's another wrinkle: I also plan to start transporting pets, and possibly towing things (motorcycles, packages, etc) on a small trailer, or maybe even towing vehicles themselves (not on a trailer). So one of the things Geico asked me for the quote was what the vehicle would be used for: 1)on-demand services (Uber, Lyft, etc), 2)Transportation, trucking, towing, etc, 3)bunch of other non-applicable stuff... I don't know which one to pick because I have NO IDEA which one I'll be doing more of, and it won't let me pick both.

As if there weren't enough wrinkles.... Does it make a difference (to anybody, such as ins co, the state of VA, uber, etc) that I live in VA but plan to uber in NC?

I realize that y'all are not insurance experts. I'm not asking for legal advice, I just would like to know what questions to ask when I get the expert on the phone 

Appreciate any help!


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## peasantgirl (Jul 7, 2015)

I went ahead and called Geico only to be told they don't even offer a policy that would cover my situation. They don't cover uber in NC, they don't have ANYTHING that covers transporting pets, and I don't know about the towing part. He didn't say and I didn't ask cuz it was a moot point by then.

Any suggestions who I might try next? Progressive maybe?

Scratch Progressive, they don't compare with other companies for commercial insurance.

Any suggestions?


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## Huberis (Mar 15, 2015)

peasantgirl said:


> I went ahead and called Geico only to be told they don't even offer a policy that would cover my situation. They don't cover uber in NC, they don't have ANYTHING that covers transporting pets, and I don't know about the towing part. He didn't say and I didn't ask cuz it was a moot point by then.
> 
> Any suggestions who I might try next? Progressive maybe?
> 
> ...


You've got two business. One is trucking??? My guess is that most insurance companies aren't going to have anything to offer you. You might want to save yourself sometime and first simply ask them if they offer commercial insurance of any kind. This sounds like something complicated enough that you may want to show up in person with something written out.

If you have all that towing/pet/packages/motorcycles going on, then Uber on top of it?


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

peasantgirl said:


> I went ahead and called Geico only to be told they don't even offer a policy that would cover my situation. They don't cover uber in NC, they don't have ANYTHING that covers transporting pets, and I don't know about the towing part. He didn't say and I didn't ask cuz it was a moot point by then.
> 
> Any suggestions who I might try next? Progressive maybe?
> 
> ...


You need to find a commercial insurance broker.

One that can advise you on EXACTLY what insurance you need and what it covers and does not cover.

When we started our towing company, many years ago, we thought all we needed was tow truck insurance. Silly us, turns out there's many types of insurance for tow trucks.

Depending on the circumstances one type of insurance may or may not cover that particular accident. For instance, if a vehicle being winched up a truck it's covered on liability, if the cable snaps and vehicle is no longer "attached" to truck, garagemans insurance would cover instead of liability.

Get a good commercial insurance broker.

BTW, this scenario actually happened to a competitor. He was winching a junk car onto his truck bed the cable snapped. The junk car rolled back into a brand new Mercedes. The Mercedes was pushed back into it's owner who (drum rolllll please....) was a lawyer!

His on hook and other types of insurance did not cover accident.


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

observer said:


> You need to find a commercial insurance broker.
> 
> One that can advise you on EXACTLY what insurance you need and what it covers and does not cover.
> 
> ...


Almost forgot, if you have or will have employees, there's whole other types of insurance just for employees.


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## peasantgirl (Jul 7, 2015)

It's not a trucking business and it's not a tow truck. It's also not complicated. 

I have an SUV with a small utility trailer that can hold a motorcycle, or ATV, or riding mower, etc. I follow the money. If there's money to be made towing something then I'll do that. The next week if there's no good jobs towing anything then I'll uber. In between that work I'm looking into transporting pets on the east coast. I'm obviously not doing it all at the same time. 

I probably don't even need specific coverage for the pets, just some kind of expanded coverage due to using the vehicle for a business. And perhaps some kind of cargo coverage for the stuff on the trailer. I don't see why it should be such a big deal. 

As far as "simply asking if they have commercial insurance", I have been googling different insurance companies and calling their commercial divisions directly. Progressive can't cover it and doesn't compare policies from other companies for commercial insurance, only personal. Geico doesn't cover ride sharing in NC. USAA apparently only covers military and their family members. I called a 4th company but can't remember who (don't have notes in front of me), and they also wouldn't cover the ride sharing. 

I live in a small town with only 2 brokers. One is on vacation all week, and the other isn't answering his phone. I *could* expand my search to towns further away but if I'm going to go through a broker it'd be nice to keep it local, so I'm going to keep trying to reach one of them. 

But I've pretty much spent the whole day on this and I'm starting to get aggravated. Everything is a dead-end.


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## MrsUberJax (Sep 2, 2014)

You need to talk with a commercial insurance broker. A broker is someone that offers insurance from several different companies and gives you the best deal he can get you. Find a broker in your state... and ask them, they will refer you to another broker in N.C. if they can not help you. If they don't refer you, just look for a broker in N.C. It sounds to me like you will need to carry insurance in N.C. because that is where you will be operating the vehicle. It also sounds with all your planned adventures that you may need to get an umbrella liability policy. Finally there is a pet care takers insurance policy out there.. you need to look into associations that represent groomers, pet sitters and folks like that. They have special coverage that does the pet thing. Good Luck. If you just want to talk with a broker... call Brooks Bullington , Bullington Insurance in Tampa Florida. They won't be able to speak to your exact situation.. but he is very much in the know. Commercial, Business, Liability.. all of it.


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## peasantgirl (Jul 7, 2015)

MrsUberJax said:


> You need to talk with a commercial insurance broker. A broker is someone that offers insurance from several different companies and gives you the best deal he can get you. Find a broker in your state... and ask them, they will refer you to another broker in N.C. if they can not help you. If they don't refer you, just look for a broker in N.C. It sounds to me like you will need to carry insurance in N.C. because that is where you will be operating the vehicle. It also sounds with all your planned adventures that you may need to get an umbrella liability policy. Finally there is a pet care takers insurance policy out there.. you need to look into associations that represent groomers, pet sitters and folks like that. They have special coverage that does the pet thing. Good Luck.


Thank you, very helpful.


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