Garage Keepers Insurance in Vermont

What Is Garage Keepers Insurance?

Automotive garages that service and repair vehicles may be held responsible for any damage that customer vehicles incur while they’re in the car of a garage. Considering many garages have multiple customer vehicles at a given time and vehicles can be quite expensive, this potential liability risk can be quite substantial. Garage keepers insurance helps protect Vermont garages that service vehicles from this particular risk.

Garage keepers insurance is a highly specialized form of commercial liability insurance for automotive garages. Like other liability insurance coverages, garage keepers liability coverage will usually pay any legal fees, settlement or judgement associated with a covered claim.

What Vermont Businesses Need Garage Keepers Liability Insurance?

Broadly speaking, most Vermont businesses that service or repair customers’ vehicles should have garage keepers liability insurance in place. This includes businesses such as:

Dealerships that have large automotive service centers
Independent automotive garages
Gas stations with automotive garages
Auto body shops
Auto glass repair and installation centers
Quick oil change and lube shops
Emissions testing sites
Tow truck operators
Vehicle painting specialists
Audio sound system specialists

In addition to these service and repair businesses, valet parking operations also usually can benefit from the protections that garage keepers coverage provides. Although valets don’t do actual automotive repair work, these businesses are still entrusted with customers’ vehicles and can be held responsible for damage that vehicles sustain.

What Types of Incidents Does Garage Keepers Liability Insurance Cover?

Most garage keepers liability insurance policies cover the following causes of damage:

Fire
Vandalism
Theft
Extreme weather
Collisions
Other accidental damage

To be covered, the damage usually must occur while a vehicle is in a business’ possession.

Additionally, policies’ exact terms and conditions can vary. To fully understand the precise incidents that a specific policy covers, businesses should review that policy with a knowledgeable agent who’s familiar with this type of insurance.

Does Garage Keepers Coverage Protect Customers’ Personal Belongings?

The standard protections in garage keepers policies normally don’t extend to personal belongings that customers have in their vehicles. These belongings sometimes are covered by a customer’s auto or homeowners insurance policy if they’re lost in a covered incident.

If a business wants to protect customers’ personal belongings that are in vehicles, however, an endorsement that offers this protection might be available. Endorsements are narrowly defined optional protections that get added onto policies. Adding an endorsement that protects customers’ belongings might help promote goodwill and maintain a business’ reputation if there’s a claim involving the loss of possessions.

Is Garage Keepers Coverage Purchased by Itself?

Garage keepers coverage might be purchased on it’s own, but it’s usually included within a larger package policy. Many businesses get it alongside other coverages that are applicable to auto service centers or similar businesses, for instance.

How Much Does Garage Keepers Coverage Cost?

Premiums for garage keepers coverage vary depending on a business’ location, size of operation, chosen limit and other factors. In general, however, this coverage is usually quite affordable. It’s almost certainly more affordable than what covering a major claim could cost if no protection is in place.

How Can Businesses in Vermont Get Garage Keepers Insurance?

For help finding garage keepers insurance, contact the independent insurance agents at Paige & Campbell Insurance. Our agents have worked with many Vermont businesses that need this and similar coverages, and we’ll help you find the coverage option that’s best for your particular business. Since we’re an independent agency, we can recommend the best options from among many insurance companies that operate in the state.