Oil Change Service Insurance
Written by
Ann Herro has been writing about insurance and employee benefits for over 15 years. She has covered topics as easy as insuring a car, and as difficult as transparency in healthcare costs.
Reviewed by
Paul Martin is the Director of Education and Development for Myron Steves, one of the largest, most respected insurance wholesalers in the southern U.S.
Owners of oil change services need business insurance to protect their assets from the risks associated with servicing other people’s vehicles. Any kind of injury, error, or property damage can result in a costly claim or lawsuit.
But with appropriate business insurance tailored to your needs, you can face your risks and stay in business for the long term. An independent insurance agent can help you find the coverage you need.
Why Do You Need Oil Change Service Insurance?
Oil change services are not only entrusted with fixing their customers’ cars, but they are also trusted to keep those cars safe while in their control. In addition, oil change services face the following types of business risks:
- Slips and falls
- Worker illness or injury
- Faulty workmanship or parts
- Fire, bad weather, vandalism, or theft
- Damage to a customer’s vehicle while in your care
- Employee theft or crime
- Business interruption
You need a variety of business insurance policies to protect your business from these risks. In addition, garage liability insurance and garagekeepers insurance are designed to help you protect your customers’ property and your business in the wake of accidents, injuries, or property damage.
What Does Oil Change Service Insurance Cover?
Oil change services should work closely with independent insurance agents to determine their need for the following types of basic business insurance:
- Business property insurance protects you if a fire, vandalism, smoke, theft, or other event damages your property. It provides coverage for lost inventory, office equipment, computers, and more. Most business property policies also include business interruption coverage. This will pay for rent, employee salaries, and other expenses if your shop must close temporarily due to an unforeseen disruption.
- Commercial general liability (CGL) insurance provides protection for most basic liability issues that an oil change service could face. It protects you from the costs of lawsuits related to accidents, property damage, and a variety of other mishaps. You will probably want to also consider garage liability insurance, which provides several forms of liability insurance more specifically designed for the needs of garages and auto service shop owners.
- A business owners policy, or BOP, is a package policy designed for small businesses. It combines property, liability, and business interruption coverage in one affordable policy.
- Employee theft and crime coverage can protect your business from the costs of theft, dishonesty, and fraudulent acts committed by a single employee or a group of employees.
- Commercial auto insurance covers any vehicles that your business owns. In addition, you need non-owned auto liability insurance if you have any employees who drive their personal vehicles for business purposes.
Since some oil change services offer a variety of other auto repair or maintenance services in addition to oil changes, you must work with your insurance agent to determine if you need some type of specialty insurance product. These special products combine relevant business insurance policies into one comprehensive package, such as:
- Tow truck insurance
- Body shop insurance
- Repair shop insurance
- Muffler shop insurance
- Radiator services insurance
- Transmission repair insurance
What Is Garagekeepers Liability Insurance?
Garagekeepers liability insurance is specialty business insurance coverage designed for auto repair shops as well as service stations, auto body shops, detail shops, vehicle electrical and repair shops, auto glass installers, oil change and lube shops, emissions testing sites, and just about any other type of establishment that provides parts or service for vehicles and temporarily stores those vehicles on-site.
Garagekeepers liability insurance protects you if a customer’s vehicle is damaged due to your negligence while it is in your care, custody, or control. This protection is not included in a standard garage liability policy. There are a number of ways in which a customer’s vehicle can be damaged while in your possession, such as fire, theft, weather events, vandalism, employee test drives, and lift accidents—to name a few.
Garagekeepers liability insurance does not cover the contents of a customer’s vehicle, and also does not cover damage that occurs as a result of faulty workmanship, parts, or insufficient warranties.
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Do You Need Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
Accidents happen, even in the safest workplaces. Oil change shops can be dangerous places, particularly for the employees who do the work. The potential for crushed hands or limbs from machinery or falling vehicles is with you and your employees every day. And if one of your employees gets injured while on the job, they may not be able to work until fully recovered.
Workers’ compensation insurance protects your employees and your business from the costs associated with work-related injuries and illnesses. It provides coverage for medical care and income protection for an injured worker while they are unable to work. Workers’ compensation insurance also helps protect employers from lawsuits by injured employees.
Each state has workers’ compensation insurance laws. Most states require nearly every business that has employees to provide this coverage. Your state’s workers’ compensation statutes determine the amount of benefits injured workers are entitled to, which impairments or injuries are covered, how those impairments will be evaluated, and how medical care will be delivered.
Talk with your independent insurance agent about workers’ compensation insurance. Your agent should be able to educate you about your state’s workers’ compensation requirements, and help you find adequate coverage.
How Much Does Oil Change Service Insurance Cost?
The cost to cover your oil change service with a comprehensive business insurance program will vary depending on:
- The size of your shop
- Your shop’s location
- The number of employees you have
- The services you provide
- The value of your commercial property, including your building (if you own it) and all of its contents
- The types of coverage and the coverage limits that you require
- The crime and weather risk in your city
Find and Compare Quotes
An independent insurance agent can work with you one-on-one to determine the types and amounts of coverage you need. Your agent can get quotes from multiple insurance companies so you can evaluate the cost and coverage options and make the best choice.
Benefits of an Independent Insurance Agent
Independent insurance agents simplify the search process for finding the right oil change service insurance. They’ll walk you through some handpicked policy options and explain the details and options.
Most importantly, they’ll be there for you when claim time comes. They know the ins and outs of the process and will make sure your claim is handled appropriately.
Save on Business Insurance
Our independent agents shop around to find you the best coverage.
The Lowdown on Online Quotes
Online quotes can be tempting. They are fast and easy to get—but are they accurate? And are you getting quotes for the right coverage? For business owners, choosing speed over accuracy can cost you.
Online quotes can’t and don’t see the whole picture. They can leave out important coverage that will leave you devastated if something unexpected happens. And they can leave out cost-saving opportunities that an agent can help you take advantage of.
Instead of getting an online quote, find an independent insurance agent now, and get one-on-one consultation and affordable options for the best coverage for your unique needs.