Bus Insurance

Running a business that uses buses means you or your hired drivers are transporting people. Because you deal with the public, you need the right protection to cover your vehicles, liability, and potential injuries to your passengers in the event of an accident on the road. Whether you have just one bus or a fleet of buses, you need bus insurance to protect your investment.

Fortunately, a local independent insurance agent can help you find the right bus insurance coverage. These agents are experts at matching you to the ideal insurance solutions for your unique business and its operations. First, though, here's a breakdown of bus insurance coverage, why it's important, and more.

Commercial Bus Risk Statistics

When searching for a bus insurance policy, it can be helpful to understand just why coverage is necessary. Here are some recent commercial bus statistics to illustrate the importance of having bus insurance.

• More than 15,000 bus accidents occur annually.
• About 47% of these bus accidents result in injuries.
• About 1.5% of these bus accident injuries are fatal. 
• In one recent year, 13,268 individuals were injured in bus accidents.

Since accidents are so common, it's critical to protect your school bus, limousine, or tour buses and any passengers with the proper commercial auto insurance.

Types of Buses Commercial Bus Insurance Covers

Several types of commercial buses exist, and they're classified by purpose. There are charter buses, school buses, coach buses, tour buses, and many more. As each type of bus has different roles, usage, and environments, coverage for each can vary. 

Charter buses and tour buses may be hired several times a year and run greater distances across state boundaries. On the other hand, school buses are used most often, have children on board, and are often limited to district or enrollment boundaries around a school. 

The following types of buses, professionals, and businesses can benefit from commercial bus insurance:

The frequency and number of miles driven annually for different types of buses varies widely, so coverage needs vary, too. Working together with an independent insurance agent in your town is a great way to ensure your bus or business gets equipped with the proper bus coverage.       

What Does Commercial Bus Insurance Cover?

Similar to auto insurance, commercial bus insurance, a specific type of commercial auto insurance, can be broken up into several types of coverage. Due to its large size, a bus can cause extensive physical damage and injuries in an accident, so you'll need to evaluate the appropriate coverage limits based on potential costs. A commercial bus insurance policy typically includes the following:

• Liability insurance: This covers your company in case one of your buses is involved in an accident in which you or one of your hired bus drivers is at fault. Commercial auto liability coverage has two parts:
  • Bodily injury liability: This portion of the liability policy covers the costs of medical care for a driver or passengers in another vehicle involved in the accident.
  • Property damage liability: This portion of the policy covers the costs of damage done to other vehicles or other people’s property.
• Collision coverage: Pays for damage to your bus from a collision with another object, regardless of fault. 
• Medical payments coverage: This pays for your medical expenses, as well as those of your passengers, in the event of an accident, regardless of fault.
• Comprehensive coverage: Pays for damage to your bus due to a non-collision event such as a flood or theft. 
• Uninsured/underinsured motorists: This covers accident costs if the driver at fault does not have sufficient insurance to pay for your damage.
• Hired/non-owner auto liability: This covers accident expenses for vehicles used for business purposes that aren't owned by your company.
• Inland marine insurance: This can provide physical damage coverage for your company's buses and other property while in transit.

Depending on how you use your bus, you may want to add additional riders or optional coverage types to your policy. For example, if your passengers are children, you may want to protect your company financially if a driver or employee is accused of abuse or molestation. 

You can also consider excess liability coverage, known as an umbrella insurance policy. Umbrella insurance can dramatically increase your liability coverage to protect your business from hefty lawsuit costs that exceed your existing policy's limits.

How Much Does Commercial Bus Insurance Cost?

Rates for commercial bus insurance vary considerably, depending upon the number of vehicles you have, the use of the buses, the distance driven, and other factors. Some of the factors that go into the cost of commercial auto insurance include the following:

• The number of buses you own
• The number of passengers each bus can transport
• The driving records and experience of company drivers
• The number of miles you estimate each bus to travel in a year
• The type of business you have and the purpose of each bus or fleet

You can also ask your independent insurance agent about common commercial auto insurance discounts that could reduce your policy's rates considerably.

Who Sells Commercial Bus Insurance?

It's easy to find commercial bus insurance from a top-rated insurance company when you know where to look. Here are a few of our recommendations for the best commercial bus insurance companies.

Commercial Bus Insurance Company	Overall Carrier Rating
Progressive	5 Stars
Travelers	5 Stars
EMC Insurance	5 Stars
Central Insurance	5 Stars
Liberty Mutual	4.5 Stars

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An Independent Insurance Agent Can Help You Find Commercial Bus Insurance

Independent insurance agents can help you evaluate your transportation business's needs when it comes to commercial bus insurance. They have access to multiple insurance companies and they know where to find the best coverage around. 

They can shop and compare policies and provide you with quotes for only the carriers that offer the best blend of coverage and cost. And down the road, your agent can help you file commercial auto insurance claims and update your coverage as necessary.