Auto Garage Insurance
If you repair, service, store, park, tow, or sell vehicles, you have exposures that a standard commercial auto policy does not handle well. The Ontario Garage Policy is built for auto businesses because it can cover liability arising from garage operations and customer vehicles in your care, custody, or control, with options for open lot and other garage-specific needs.
What Garage Is Designed to Cover
Customer vehicles in your care
Coverage can be structured for customer vehicles you are repairing, servicing, storing, or parking. This is often the make-or-break piece for shops, dealers, and storage operations.
Open lot and vehicle inventory exposures
Dealers and many repair facilities have vehicles exposed on an open lot. We structure coverage around how vehicles are stored, secured, and moved, including theft and damage considerations.
Adding General Liability (CGL)
The garage policy handles vehicles while they are in your care, custody and control. Once they leave the lot there exists a completed operations exposure handled by adding commercial general liability.
Who This Coverage Is For
Repair and service shops
Mechanical, collision, glass, tire, specialty performance, and inspection operations.
Dealers and auto sales
New and used dealers, wholesalers, and businesses holding customer vehicles or inventory.
Parking and storage operations
Parking lots, seasonal storage, and businesses that store vehicles for others.
Towing and roadside operations
Where the operation involves towing, storage, and customer vehicle handling (often coordinated with additional coverages depending on the setup).
Repair and service shops
Mechanical, collision, glass, tire, specialty performance, and inspection operations.
Dealers and auto sales
New and used dealers, wholesalers, and businesses holding customer vehicles or inventory.
Parking and storage operations
Parking lots, seasonal storage, and businesses that store vehicles for others.
Towing and roadside operations
Where the operation involves towing, storage, and customer vehicle handling (often coordinated with additional coverages depending on the setup).
If you have customer vehicles on your lot, you need the right policy.
We'll help you understand your options and shop the market for the best quotes.
We'll review your operation, how vehicles are handled, and what contracts require. Then we'll build the right structure, including the key endorsements that most garages miss.
Key Things to Know
The Owned Automobile Exclusion endorsement
Many garages carry separate coverage for their owned vehicles (service trucks, tow trucks, courtesy vehicles). In those cases, a garage policy is often endorsed to exclude owned automobiles, so coverage is properly allocated and you are not paying twice.
Open lot pilferage and theft exposures
Open lot losses can include theft, vandalism, catalytic converter theft, and parts pilferage. We structure coverage based on how vehicles and keys are controlled, lighting and fencing, camera coverage, and after-hours procedures.
Garagekeepers vs property vs auto liability
Auto garage programs often involve multiple parts: liability for operations, coverage for customer vehicles, coverage for inventory on premises, and coverage for owned vehicles. We coordinate them so you do not find out after a claim that the wrong section responds.
The Owned Automobile Exclusion endorsement
Many garages carry separate coverage for their owned vehicles (service trucks, tow trucks, courtesy vehicles). In those cases, a garage policy is often endorsed to exclude owned automobiles, so coverage is properly allocated and you are not paying twice.
Open lot pilferage and theft exposures
Open lot losses can include theft, vandalism, catalytic converter theft, and parts pilferage. We structure coverage based on how vehicles and keys are controlled, lighting and fencing, camera coverage, and after-hours procedures.
Garagekeepers vs property vs auto liability
Auto garage programs often involve multiple parts: liability for operations, coverage for customer vehicles, coverage for inventory on premises, and coverage for owned vehicles. We coordinate them so you do not find out after a claim that the wrong section responds.
Common Add-Ons and Endorsements for Auto Garages
These are the pieces that turn a policy into a garage program. We'll recommend what fits your operation and contracts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a garage policy if I already have a commercial auto policy?
If you have customer vehicles in your care or auto-related operations, often yes. A standard commercial auto policy is usually built for owned vehicles, not garage operations and customer autos.
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