Risk & Business Magazine General Insurance Services Spring 2020 | Page 29

PERSONAL AUTOMOBILES
We know what it took to build this business.
vehicle records and PAP coverages regularly and maintaining
records to help reduce risk exposure.
Establish standards for personal vehicles: Even employees
without any incidents on their motor vehicle records can be a
risk to your business if they are driving personal vehicles that
are not properly maintained. Establish company guidelines for
maintaining personal vehicles. If employees are compensated
for time spent driving or if they routinely use their personal
vehicles for business, consider regularly collecting maintenance
reports to gauge the reliability of personal vehicles.
Make the company policy clear: After you create guidelines
for the use of personal vehicles at your business, be sure to
communicate them to your employees in a clear and timely
manner. Although it is common to have policies against the
use of intoxicating substances or mobile devices while driving,
reminding employees of all of your company policies is an
effective way to mitigate risk.
Establish rental vehicle policies: The use of rental vehicles for
business also presents exposure to risk. It may be beneficial
to establish a relationship with a particular rental vehicle
agency to determine which vehicles best suit the needs of your
business and employees while traveling. You should also give
your employees guidelines on which rental vehicle insurance
coverages to accept during the rental process.
OBTAINING APPROPRIATE LIABILITY INSURANCE
Additional coverage may be needed if any potential risks
from personal auto use threaten your business. A standard
Business Auto Policy (BAP) will protect your business from
any additional liability after an employee’s PAP has paid for
damages related to personal auto use.
Although employees who have personal vehicles should be
required to have PAPs, obtaining liability insurance should
be a priority to protect your business. In the event of a serious
accident, your employees’ PAP coverage may not be adequate to
pay for all the damages. Be sure to prepare a list of vehicles that
may be used by employees and the type of business they may
be used for, and contact General Insurance Services in order to
discuss your coverage options. +
Matt Weber was raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and
attended Purdue University West Lafayette where he
earned a bachelor’s degree in Sales & Marketing with
minors in Organizational Leadership & Supervision and
Communications. He worked in the Electrical Wholesale
and Wine & Spirits industries before moving to NWI and
joining GIS. Matt is a resident of Michigan City and
enjoys being involved in the service of the community.
He is a firefighter on the Long Beach Volunteer Fire
Department, as well as a board member for the Lakefront
Career Network. Matt has recently married and enjoys
spending time with his wife, golfing, and being outdoors.
And we know what it takes to protect it.
To find out how West Bend can help protect your valuable business,
contact this Official Supplier of the Silver Lining ® .
[phone]
www.genins.com