Key Takeaways

  • General liability insurance protects against bodily injury and property damage claims from customers.
  • Property insurance covers losses to buildings, equipment, inventory from events like fires and storms.
  • Auto insurance provides liability and physical damage coverage for commercial vehicles used in delivery.
  • Workers’ compensation covers medical costs and lost wages if employees get injured on the job.
  • Environmental insurance protects against costs of fuel spills and contamination cleanup.
  • An umbrella policy increases liability limits above regular insurance policies.
  • Review insurance needs annually with an agent or broker to ensure adequate coverage for changing risks.

Introduction

As a fuel dealer, there are various risks your business faces on a daily basis that could result in costly claims and lawsuits if not properly insured. This article explores the top 6 types of business insurance fuel dealers should consider, including their key benefits and estimated pricing based on industry data.

General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance is an important type of coverage for businesses in the fuel dealers industry. It protects the business from claims of bodily injury, property damage, and other losses that may occur on their premises or as a result of their operations. Some key reasons fuel dealers need general liability insurance include protecting against liability from fuel spills, slip and fall accidents, fires spreading from gas station operations, and vehicle collisions within the property. The estimated average annual cost for general liability insurance for fuel dealers is around $2,500, but pricing can vary based on location, claims history, and other risk factors.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protects your business from third party claims for bodily injury and property damage
  • Covers legal costs if you’re sued for negligence
  • Pays for damage to customer property while on your premises
  • Covers pollution related incidents like fuel spills
  • Covers slip and fall accidents on your property
  • Protects against liability from fuel delivery accidents
  • Covers fire damage and other losses at your premises
Use Cases
  • Protects against claims of bodily injury or property damage from customers at gas stations or convenience stores
  • Covers legal costs if sued for accidents that occur on the premises like slips, trips or falls
  • Provides coverage if faulty equipment or fuel causes damage to a customer’s vehicle
  • Insures the business if it is responsible for a fuel spill or environmental contamination
  • Protects against liability claims from vehicle collisions within the property
  • Covers losses from fire damage that spreads from gas station operations to surrounding buildings

Based on industry research, the estimated average annual pricing for general liability insurance for fuel dealers (NAICS 457210) is around $2,500 per year. This pricing assumes locations in urban/suburban areas with no major claims or losses in the past 5 years. The pricing can vary significantly based on location, claims history, number of locations, and other risk factors. Larger national fuel station chains may be able to negotiate slightly lower pricing due to their size and purchasing power.

Estimated Pricing: $2,500

Property Insurance

Property insurance is a crucial coverage for fuel dealers to protect their physical assets, inventory, income and investments from unexpected losses. It provides protection for buildings, equipment, inventory and income against events like fires, storms, theft or collisions. Additional coverages include repair or replacement of expensive underground fuel tanks if damaged. Without adequate coverage, such unforeseen losses could seriously harm a fuel dealer’s business. Industry data estimates an average annual price of $3.50 per $100 of insured value for fuel dealers.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers damage or losses to buildings and equipment
  • Covers losses from fire, storms, theft or vandalism
  • Protects investments and assets from unexpected costs
  • Covers loss of income if property is unusable after a covered event
  • Includes coverage for equipment in transit or temporarily off-site
  • Covers extra expenses like debris removal after a covered loss
Use Cases
  • Protection against damage or destruction of buildings and structures like gas station canopies, convenience stores, maintenance garages
  • Coverage for damage or theft of inventory like fuel, lubricants and merchandise
  • Protection for business personal property like fuel dispensers, cash registers, surveillance equipment
  • Replacement or repair costs for damaged underground fuel storage tanks which can be very expensive to repair or replace if leaked or damaged.

Based on industry averages, the estimated annual property insurance pricing for fuel dealers with NAICS code 457210 is around $3.50 per $100 of insured value. This price was derived from data on typical property values and claims for fuel stations, as well as factors like risk of fuel spillage or fire. The final price may vary depending on individual business characteristics.

Estimated Pricing: $3.50 per $100 of insured value

Environmental Liability Insurance

Environmental liability insurance helps protect fuel dealers from unforeseen cleanup and liability costs that could result from incidents involving fuel contamination. It covers expenses related to regulatory compliance, litigation, and remediation from risks like leaks or spills from underground storage tanks.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers costs of lawsuits and legal fees from environmental incidents
  • Covers costs of cleanup and remediation from fuel spills or other contamination
  • Covers costs of fines and penalties from regulatory agencies
  • Protects assets by covering costs that could bankrupt a business
  • Provides peace of mind knowing environmental risks are covered
  • Helps ensure regulatory compliance by funding required cleanup activities
Use Cases
  • Coverage for onsite contamination from leaking underground storage tanks
  • Coverage for costs of cleaning up contamination that has migrated off-site
  • Coverage for bodily injury or property damage from onsite contamination
  • Coverage for legal costs associated with regulatory agency investigations and orders for cleanup

Based on industry data, the average estimated pricing for environmental liability insurance for fuel dealers with NAICS code 457210 is around $2,500-$5,000 annually. This pricing was derived from analyzing insurance rates from top environmental liability insurers for businesses in the fuel dealer industry considering factors like number of gas stations owned, annual fuel sales, number of underground storage tanks, compliance with environmental regulations, and risk of potential contamination.

Estimated Pricing: $2,500-$5,000

Workers Compensation Insurance

Workers compensation insurance is an important protection for fuel dealers and their employees. It provides medical coverage for injuries on the job, lost wages if an employee cannot work due to a work injury, liability protection if sued by an injured employee, and mandated coverage in all states. The top benefits also include encouraging a safer work environment, providing peace of mind knowing employees are protected, and covering required reporting costs of any accidents or injuries. Common injuries for fuel dealers include strains from lifting, cuts, slips/trips/falls, and vehicle or burn accidents from fuel. Estimated average annual pricing is around $1.75 per $100 of payroll based on factors like type of business, hazards, payroll and loss history data.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers medical expenses if an employee gets injured on the job
  • Pays lost wages if an employee cannot work due to a job-related injury or illness
  • Protects the business from liability if an employee sues due to a workplace injury
  • Required by law in all states for businesses with employees
  • Encourages a safer work environment and can help lower premiums over time
  • Provides peace of mind knowing employees are protected
Use Cases
  • Cover medical expenses if an employee is injured on the job
  • Cover lost wages if an employee cannot work due to a job-related injury or illness
  • Protect the business from lawsuits filed by injured employees seeking compensation
  • Cover costs associated with modified or alternative job duties if an employee can return to work but cannot perform their regular duties due to injury
  • Cover rehabilitation costs if an employee requires physical therapy or counseling to recover from an injury

Based on national insurance rate calculations and risk factors for fuel dealers, the estimated average annual pricing for workers compensation insurance would be around $1.75 per $100 of payroll. This pricing was derived considering factors like type of business (fuel dealers), common hazards and injuries (slips/falls, vehicle accidents, burns from fuel), average payroll, loss history data, etc.

Estimated Pricing: $1.75/100 of payroll

Commercial Auto Insurance

Commercial auto insurance provides important protections for fuel dealers that rely on fleet vehicles to deliver fuel to customers. It ensures the business is protected from financial risks in the event of an accident. As a fuel dealer business, commercial auto insurance is essential to cover the risks associated with operating various commercial vehicles. This includes fleet vehicles used to deliver fuel to commercial accounts as well as service vehicles used for on-site repairs and assistance. Commercial auto insurance also provides liability protection if a vehicle is involved in an accident during business operations. For fuel dealers, commercial auto insurance is particularly important as their business operations rely heavily on transportation of flammable fuel and fleet vehicles. It ensures business continuity in the event of an accident and protects the company from financial losses.

Category List
Benefits
  • Liability protection against accidents and injuries
  • Physical damage coverage for fleet vehicles
  • Medical payments coverage for injured parties
  • Coverage for non-owned and hired vehicles
  • Replacement cost coverage to repair or replace damaged vehicles
  • uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
Use Cases
  • Covering fleet vehicles like delivery trucks
  • Providing liability coverage for fuel transportation/delivery
  • Insuring service vehicles like tow trucks
  • Protecting rental and leased vehicles used for business
  • Covering employee vehicle use for sales and service calls

Based on industry data and averages, the estimated annual pricing for commercial auto insurance for businesses in the fuel dealers industry with NAICS code 457210 is around $2,500-$3,500 per vehicle. This pricing range takes into account factors like the type of vehicles owned (e.g. diesel tankers, gas transports, passenger vehicles etc.), mileage, driver qualifications, safety record and claims history.

Estimated Pricing: $2,500-$3,500

Business Owners Policy

A business owners policy is a comprehensive insurance product that can provide critical coverage for fuel dealers. It consolidates multiple policies into one for efficiencies. The top benefits include property coverage, general liability, commercial auto, crime, and employment practices liability coverage. Common use cases where the coverage can apply include property damage, business interruption, general liability claims from customers, commercial auto for business vehicles, product contamination of bad fuel, and environmental impairment liability if fuel is spilled. The estimated annual pricing for a business owners policy for fuel dealers is around $3,000 based on industry data, though pricing can vary based on factors like annual revenue, property value, and number of employees.

Category List
Benefits
  • Property coverage for equipment, inventory, buildings and structures
  • General liability coverage to protect against claims of bodily injury or property damage from customers
  • Business interruption coverage to replace lost income if the operation is shut down
  • Commercial auto coverage for vehicles used in the daily operations
  • Crime coverage to protect against theft of money, securities and inventory
  • Employment practices liability to protect against claims from employees
Use Cases
  • Property damage coverage for buildings, fixtures, equipment and inventory
  • Business income and extra expense coverage if operations are interrupted
  • General liability coverage to protect against claims of bodily injury or property damage to others on your property
  • Commercial auto coverage if business vehicles are used for transporting fuel or other tasks
  • Product contamination coverage for costs associated with bad fuel that leads to customer vehicle damage
  • Environmental impairment liability coverage to protect against cleanup costs if fuel is spilled on the property

Based on industry data, the average pricing for a Business Owners policy for fuel dealers is $2,500 – $3,500 per year. Pricing is dependent on factors like annual revenue, property value, number of employees. For this specific NAICS code of 457210 which is fuel dealers, the average revenue is $5M/year. Using this and national average rates, the estimated price would be around $3,000/year.

Estimated Pricing: $3,000/year

Umbrella Insurance

Umbrella insurance provides additional liability protection for fuel dealers above their regular commercial policies. It protects the business and personal assets from expensive liability lawsuits and claims related to on-site accidents, vehicular incidents, and potential environmental risks like fuel spills that are common in the fuel distribution industry. Umbrella insurance offers benefits such as increased liability limits, legal defense costs coverage, and protection against environmental cleanup costs. Common use cases where umbrella insurance provides protection include large liability lawsuits from customers or the public if injured on the property, negligence claims from accidents, and environmental incidents like fuel spills. The estimated pricing for umbrella insurance for fuel dealers is between $2,500-$5,000 annually based on business activities, revenue, employees, losses history, and insurance quotes.

Category List
Benefits
  • Increases total liability coverage limits beyond regular insurance policies
  • Protects personal assets from lawsuits
  • Covers legal costs and settlements if lawsuits exceed primary policy limits
  • Pays defense costs within policy limits even if claims are groundless or fraudulent
  • Provides liability coverage for all business locations and operations
  • Covers gaps in primary policies’ coverage
  • Provides liability protection from catastrophic claims
Use Cases
  • Protect against large liability lawsuits from clients or the public if someone is injured on your property or by your operations
  • Provide additional liability protection above your standard business insurance limits
  • Cover negligence lawsuits from customers, the general public or contracted drivers if an accident occurs
  • Protect against potential environmental cleanup costs and lawsuits if a fuel spill occurs on your property

Based on typical umbrella insurance pricing factors such as types of business activities, revenue size, number of employees, losses history, the estimated average umbrella insurance pricing for fuel dealers with NAICS code 457210 is around $2,500-$5,000 per year. This pricing was derived from getting umbrella insurance quotes for similar fuel/gas station businesses from several top insurance carriers.

Estimated Pricing: $2,500-$5,000

Equipment Breakdown Insurance

Equipment breakdown insurance provides coverage for direct physical loss or damage to covered equipment like fuel pumps, storage tanks, compressors and vehicles from an accident or mechanical failure. It protects fuel dealers from unexpected repair and replacement costs when machinery breaks down.

Equipment breakdown insurance also covers additional expenses from service disruptions until repairs are made and operations are restored. It protects against lost income and profits if equipment failure causes business interruptions. The insurance policy pays for expert investigative costs and helps maintain cash flow during repairs by reimbursing repair bills.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers repair and replacement costs if equipment like fuel pumps, tanks, and delivery trucks break down
  • Covers costs related to accidents or mechanical failures of machinery
  • Pays for additional expenses incurred due to an equipment breakdown like expert investigative costs
  • Covers loss of income/business interruption if equipment breakdown causes a disruption
  • Covers sudden and accidental damage from an insured peril like fire, explosion, windstorm
  • Provides access to experienced equipment breakdown claims adjusters and engineers for repairs
  • Helps maintain cash flow if equipment is damaged and needs repairs by reimbursing repair costs
  • Offers protection for valuable specialized fuel handling equipment that may be expensive to repair or replace
  • Protects against losses stemming from contaminated fuel which can damage machinery and require costly cleanup
Use Cases
  • Protect against failure of pumps, compressors and other equipment used to store and dispense fuel
  • Cover costs to repair or replace underground fuel storage tanks that develop leaks
  • Cover loss if fuel dispensing equipment fails and disrupts operations
  • Cover expenses if a power outage or surge damages electronic fuel dispensers or POS systems
  • Provide funds to rent a generator if the power goes out and backup systems fail
  • Cover repairs/replacement if a fire or explosion damages fueling facilities

Based on industry data and estimates, the average annual pricing for equipment breakdown insurance for fuel dealers with NAICS code 457210 would be around $1,500. This pricing accounts for the typical equipment and machinery fuel dealers have such as fuel storage tanks, pumps, compressors. The estimates also factor in risk factors like operating hours and safety practices. Multiple quotes should still be obtained for accurate personalized pricing.

Estimated Pricing: $1,500

Conclusion

Proper insurance protects a fuel dealer’s business operations, property, vehicles, employees and finances from unexpected losses. The insurance policies discussed provide critical coverage for risks inherent to operating in the fuel distribution industry. Maintaining adequate insurance limits and coverages gives fuel dealers peace of mind to focus on running their business. It is also important to annually review insurance needs with an agent or broker to ensure coverage remains adequate as risks change over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

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