Artisan’s use insurance

Artisan’s use insurance is a specialized form of commercial auto insurance designed for skilled tradespeople, such as electricians and plumbers, who regularly transport tools or equipment to job sites. Insurers classify vehicles under artisan’s use when they are used primarily for business purposes by contractors carrying materials like ladders, power tools, or plumbing supplies.

Policies typically cover vehicles with gross vehicle weights under 10,000 pounds that make fewer than five job site stops per day; examples include Ford Transit vans and Chevrolet Silverado pickups. Artisan’s use endorsements often exclude coverage if the vehicle carries hazardous materials or transports passengers for hire.

Premiums for artisan’s use policies tend to be lower than those for general commercial auto because risk exposure is limited to specific work-related activities, per a report from YourInsurance.info. Claims data from Progressive show that over 60% of artisan’s use claims involve theft of tools from locked vehicles at construction sites.

Most insurers require proof of trade licenses–such as HVAC certification–to qualify a policyholder’s vehicle as “artisan’s use.” State Farm and GEICO both offer discounts on artisan’s use policies if drivers maintain clean records and install GPS tracking devices in their work trucks. Ineligible uses–such as delivery services (e.g. food couriers) or rideshare driving (e.g.

Uber)–void artisan’s use classification according to underwriting guidelines published by Nationwide Insurance in 2023.