Property Damage

This coverage pays for damage you may cause to someone else's property. Usually, this means damage to other cars in the accident, but it also includes damage to lamp posts, telephone poles, fences, buildings or other structures your car may hit.
 

Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury

Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Liability coverage is required by NYS Law.It provides coverage in the event you, and any occupants in the car are injured in a covered accident caused by a negligent, uninsured or underinsured driver, or a hit-and-run driver. This coverage does not pay for any auto body damage to your car or damage to other property.
 
Personal Injury Protection

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage is commonly known as
No-Fault coverage.

This coverage includes the following benefits (applicable limits are established by NYS and may be adjusted periodically):

Medical Expenses – reasonable and necessary expenses incurred for
the care, recovery or rehabilitation of the injured person.
Work Loss – wages you would have earned if you had not been
hurt (subject to maximum monthly amount and time period).
Other Expenses – expenses for services you are no longer able to provide for yourself or your family because you are injured, such as housekeeping or yard work (subject to maximum daily amount and
time period).
Death Benefits – paid up to a specific limit per person.

It is wise to consider higher limits over the basic requirement for
No-Fault protection since it is relatively inexpensive, and it increases your level of protection in a very cost effective manner.
 
Supplemental Uninsured Motorist (SUM)

SUM Liability coverage may be purchased to supplement your basic required Uninsured Motorists Bodily Injury Liability coverage. SUM coverage may be purchased to supplement your basic required Uninsured Motorists Bodily Injury coverage. If you have an accident with another vehicle that has bodily injury liability limits lower than yours, or has no insurance at all, SUM coverage will be activated. SUM also covers accidents occurring out-of-state, which are not covered under the basic required Uninsured Motorists Coverage. The amounts paid under SUM will be reduced or offset by any amounts recovered from another party’s auto insurance liability policy.
 
Optional Basic Economic Loss

Optional Basic Economic Loss (OBEL)
Insurers must offer OBEL Coverage.  This coverage elevates the required $50,000 of PIP by an additional $25,000.  Once the basic limits of $50,000 have been reached on a claim, the $25,000 OBEL benefits can be designated by the injured person to be applied specifically to payments for loss wages or for rehabilitation, or for all elements of PIP.
 
Comprehensive

Comprehensive coverage helps pay for damage to your auto, including window glass, when the damage is not caused by collision. This would include damage by a falling object, hail, fire, theft, vandalism, explosion, earthquake…. A deductible applies to this coverage. “Full glass” coverage can also be purchased such that the deductible does not apply to any window glass damage. If you choose a higher deductible, your premium rate will be lower.
 
Collision

This coverage helps pay for damage to your auto as a result of a covered collision with another vehicle or other object such as a telephone pole.  With this optional coverage, your policy will pay you
for damage to your car without regard to fault.  A deductible applies
to this coverage. If you choose a higher deductible, your premium rate
will be lower.
 
Accidental Death and Dismemberment

Some insurance companies offer AD&D coverage.  Under the terms of the policy, AD&D will pay you, your family members or other occupants of your car a set amount for certain serious injuries or death caused by an accident while in your car.  This amount is payable in addition to any amount collected under your policy no-fault or liability coverage.
 
Rental Reimbursement

If your car is being serviced or repaired due to a covered loss, you don’t have to be without transportation.  This coverage is sometimes referred to as “extended transportation” or “rental car coverage” and will reimburse you the “cost per day” that you select to purchase under your policy.  Some carriers require you to purchase both comprehensive and collision coverage before they will offer this product, while others will provide it when you have only purchased comprehensive coverage.
 
Towing and Labor Costs

This coverage will reimburse you up to the limit you select for your necessary towing charges should your insured car become disabled.  If you are covered by a “road-side assistance” service through another program, you may not need to add this coverage to your auto policy.
 

Sound System and Tape/CD Coverage

If your vehicle is equipped with a costly sound system, or you have installed expensive upgrades, purchasing this coverage may help protect your investment.
This coverage can also help you replace your tapes or CDs if they are damaged in or stolen from your insured auto as a result of a covered comprehensive loss. If you often carry a collection of CDs in your car, you might want to purchase this coverage.
 

Drive Other Car Coverage

The Drive Other Car endorsement is added to a Commercial Auto Policy to provide personal auto coverage for certain named individuals, and derives its coverages from the Commercial Auto Policy to which it is attached, and is limited to the coverages of the Commercial Auto policy. This endorsement is not for the purpose of the name insured of the Commercial Auto policy, but for some other designated individual.  The designated individual is insured for any vehicle that he/she is using which is not owned by the company or not owned by the designated individual or household member.
 
 
Bodily Injury

Bodily Injury Liability coverage is required by NYS law. This coverage applies to injuries that you, the designated driver or policyholder, cause to someone else.

It’s very important to have enough liability insurance, because if you are responsible for injuring someone in an accident, you may be liable and/or sued for the cost of their medical treatments, lost wages, pain and suffering, and attorney fees, which can add up to a very large sum of money.  Definitely consider buying more than the state-required minimum to protect assets such as your home and savings.
 


Commercial Automobile Insurance Get A Quote Now

Many businesses own automobiles, trucks, vans and other vehicles that are used in their operations.  And, many people use the same vehicle for both business and pleasure.  Commercial Auto Insurance provides valuable protection for your company-owned vehicles, as well as leased or rented vehicles, and your employees' vehicles used for business purposes.

The commercial auto insurance policy will pay the costs for others who incur bodily injuries
or property damage for which your business
is legally liable.  If Collision coverage is elected,
it will cover damages to the vehicle resulting from an accident. Comprehensive coverage is triggered if your car is stolen, vandalized, if you have contact with an animal (i.e. deer, moose), if your car catches on fire or if your car is damaged by hail.

Whether you need to buy a Commercial Auto Insurance policy will depend on the kind of driving you do, i.e., how the vehicles will be used in your business, who will be driving them, and whether employees are likely to be driving their own cars for your business. A commercial auto policy can provide coverage for business-owned vehicles. It can also provide coverage for personal vehicles used for business purposes, where the owner's personal auto insurance may exclude it. Call us-518-452-2736. We can explain all the options and differences.

Minimum Coverage Requirements:
Bodily Injury (BI)- 25/50; $25,000 per individual and $50,000 per occurrence
Property Damage (PD)- $10,000
Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury (UM)- 25/50; $25,000 per individual and $50,000 per occurrence
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)– $50,000

Optional Coverage:
Higher Limits on all mandated coverages listed above
Supplemental Uninsured Motorist (SUM)
Optional Basic Economic Loss (OBEL)
Comprehensive...
Collision...
Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
Rental Reimbursement...
Towing and Labor Costs...
Sound System and Tape/CD Coverage...
Hired Auto and Auto Non-ownership...
Drive Other Car Coverage...

For more information, go to: www.iii.org or www.ins.state.ny.us/auto/2007/auto0717.htm or www.nysdmv.com.

How to Save Money on Auto Insurance
Call the Bradley Agency to ensure that you have the proper protection, and ask us about possible discounts that may apply to your Commercial Auto policy.  Discounts are generally available in the following situations:

Deductibles
Choosing higher deductibles for Collision and Comprehensive coverage is an easy and cost effective way to lower your commercial auto insurance bill.  In many cases, the premium savings realized by switching to a higher deductible may be enough to offset the cost difference of an increased deductible in just a few years.

Discounts
Accident Prevention Course – Drivers who have passed a course approved by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles are eligible for this credit. This course is now available on-line in NYS.  Click here to go to: www.nydmv.state.ny.us/pirp.htm#ipirp

Vehicle Related Discounts – You can save even more money on your commercial auto insurance by choosing a vehicle with the following safety equipment:

Passive restraints – Automatic seat belts or air bags that are factory installed and side air bags will generate a larger discount.

Anti-Theft devices – Various discounts can apply depending on the variety of anti-theft devices that are installed such as active or passive alarm, GPS, Low Jack, etc.

Anti-Lock brakes – Vehicles with factory installed anti-lock brake systems on two wheels or all four wheels are eligible for this discount.

Daytime Running Lights – Factory installed daytime running lights are eligible.

Once you receive your policy, it is a good idea to check that the information used to determine your premium is correct.  Each insurance carrier is required by law to include specific rating information with your policy that explains how your policy is rated, what the classifications codes mean and how their surcharge system works.  You should also check that the address where you garage your vehicle is correct, that each vehicle is properly classified, that all discounts which you are entitled to have been applied, that the year make and model of your vehicles are correct, the driver information is correct, and that the dates of any chargeable accidents and convictions identified are correct.

Call the Bradley Agency (518-452-2736) if you have any questions about your insurance cost and coverage, or email us: insurance@bradleyagency.com.

2022 Western Avenue • Albany NY 12203 • Office hours: Monday - Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm
Phone: 518.452.2736 • Fax: 518.452.2851 • Email: insurance@bradleyagency.com


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Hired Auto and Auto Non-ownership

Every Commercial Auto Policy should have physical damage and liability activated for ‘hired auto’ and ‘auto non-ownership’ issues on a just-in-case basis.  This coverage protects the named insured, not the employees or contractors or volunteers, or anyone else using their own vehicles or using vehicles borrowed/rented for purposes of the insured.  Auto Non-ownership is any vehicle owned by some other entity which could be used for the purpose or benefit of the insured/business.  Some examples:  1) An employee drives his own car to the Post Office to collect Company mail. The employee’s vehicle is NOT owned by the Company, but the Company/employer is liable for the actions of the employee and the employee’s vehicle.  2) ABC Company hires a contractor to paint the Company building.  The painter, while working for the Company, backs his pickup truck into a pedestrian. Again, ABC Company could be liable.
The premium for “if any” hired auto liability coverage is inexpensive on a minimum premium basis; most clients are rated on an “if any” basis.  Auto Non-ownership is based on the number of employees, usually stated in categories such as 0-25, 26-100, 101-500, and so on.
 

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