Key Takeaways

  • General liability insurance protects against injuries to customers and third parties during delivery services
  • Commercial auto insurance covers vehicles, drivers and liability from accidents during deliveries
  • Commercial property insurance protects premises, equipment and assets from fire, theft and property damage
  • Workers’ compensation provides benefits for employee injuries on the job
  • Umbrella insurance provides extra liability coverage above primary policies

Introduction

As a local delivery or messenger service business, it is important to understand the types of insurance coverage needed to protect the operation. Key insurance considerations for businesses with NAICS Code 492210 include general liability, commercial auto, commercial property, workers’ compensation and commercial umbrella policies.

General Liability Insurance

“General liability insurance provides important protection for businesses in the local messenger and delivery industry. This type of insurance helps limit financial risks from accidents and injuries that could occur during daily operations like making deliveries. As a delivery or messenger service, you face risks every time you go to a customer’s property or are on the road making drops. General liability insurance helps protect your business if something unexpected were to happen. Due to the nature of the work involving vehicles and customer premises, local delivery and messenger services need to manage risks of accidents. General liability insurance is useful coverage that can help limit liability from claims related to injuries or property damage arising from service operations.”

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers legal costs and damages if a customer or third party is injured on your premises
  • Protects your business assets from costly lawsuits if an accident or injury occurs during delivery or messenger services
  • Covers theft of customer goods while in your care during delivery
  • Covers vehicle accidents and injuries that happen during delivery services
  • Covers legal defense if you are sued, even for frivolous claims
  • Protects your business license and ability to operate if claims exceed your assets
  • Covers hired and non-owned auto liability if employees use personal vehicles for work
  • Pays medical expenses for injured customers or third parties if an accident occurs during services
  • Covers property damage to customer items or premises if an accident occurs during delivery or work
  • Satisfies insurance requirements to work with large business customers who require contractors to carry liability coverage
  • Protects your personal assets like your home and car if the business is sued and assets are not enough to cover claims
  • Covers incidents that cause bodily injury or property damage and happen suddenly and accidentally like a slip and fall
  • Provides coverage for incidents that happen away from business premises like during delivery routes
Use Cases
  • Protecting against vehicle accidents during deliveries
  • Covering claims from injuries to customers or third parties
  • Covering damage to customers’ properties during deliveries
  • Covering claims from delivery persons slipping/falling on clients’ properties
  • Covering claims from customers’ pets accidentally harming delivery persons on their property

Based on typical factors used to price general liability insurance such as number of employees, annual revenue, industry risk level, claims history etc., the estimated average annual pricing for a small business in the local messengers and delivery industry with NAICS code 492210 and 10 employees, $500,000 annual revenue would be around $2,500. The pricing is derived from industry data and average quotes from top insurance carriers for this industry and business profile.

Estimated Pricing: $2,500

Commercial Auto Insurance

Commercial auto insurance provides important liability and property protection for businesses that rely on vehicles to transport goods and make deliveries. It shields companies financially from expenses related to accidents, damages, injuries, and lost income that can occur while vehicles are in use for commercial purposes like deliveries and transportation services.

Commercial auto insurance offers essential coverage for local delivery and messenger services businesses. The top benefits include liability protection, reimbursement for vehicle repairs, replacement costs if vehicles are totaled, optional lost wage coverage, and medical payment coverage for injured drivers. Common use cases involve liability for accidents during deliveries, collision coverage for vehicle damages, and comprehensive theft or loss protection. Annual premiums generally range from $2,500 to $5,000 per vehicle depending on business and risk factors.

Category List
Benefits
  • Liability protection in case of accidents
  • Coverage for vehicles used in deliveries and messenger services
  • Reimbursement for vehicle repairs after an accident
  • Replacement costs if a vehicle is totaled
  • Optional coverage for lost wages if vehicles are in the shop
  • Coverage for medical bills if a driver gets injured on the job
Use Cases
  • Liability coverage in case of accidents during deliveries
  • Collision coverage for damage to delivery vehicles
  • Comprehensive coverage for theft or damage to delivery vehicles

Based on average commercial auto insurance rates for businesses in the local courier and local delivery industry, the estimated annual premium would be around $2,500-$5,000 per vehicle. Rates are typically calculated based on number of vehicles, driver qualifications, years in business, business location/territory, annual miles driven, liability limits, and claims/violations history.

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

Commercial Property Insurance

Commercial property insurance provides key protection for local messenger and delivery businesses. It covers losses to business property, equipment, vehicles and helps continue operations after covered incidents. The top estimated annual cost is $1,500 based on industry risks and average property values. Commercial property insurance protects local messenger and delivery businesses from financial losses due to common risks like fire, theft, accidents and natural disasters by covering damages, replacement costs and business interruption expenses. It provides peace of mind knowing your vehicles, equipment and premises essential to operations are protected.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers damage or loss to business property and equipment
  • Protects from losses due to fire, theft, vandalism and other common risks
  • Covers business interruption and extra expenses if property is unusable after a covered loss
Use Cases
  • Protection against fire damage to vehicles and office properties
  • Coverage for theft of vehicles, packages, and other business property
  • Liability coverage in case of accidents that damage customer or third party properties

Based on industry risk factors and average property values for businesses in this industry, the estimated annual pricing for commercial property insurance would be around $1,500. This was calculated based on an estimated average insured property value of $100,000 and average risk factors/underwriting considerations for businesses that operate delivery fleets and have premises to conduct business operations.

Estimated Pricing: $1,500

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Workers’ compensation insurance provides essential protections for businesses in industries like local delivery and messenger services. It covers medical expenses and lost wages for employees injured on the job, protects the company from expensive lawsuits, and ensures compliance with state laws. It also demonstrates a commitment to employee safety and well-being, which protects the company’s reputation. Typical coverage costs around $1.25-$1.50 per $100 of payroll and provides benefits for common injuries in this industry such as vehicle accidents, cargo handling injuries, slips and falls, and musculoskeletal disorders.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers medical expenses if an employee is injured on the job
  • Pays lost wages if an employee cannot work due to a job-related injury or illness
  • Protects the company from expensive lawsuits if an employee is injured and decides to take legal action
  • Reduces turnover by providing benefits to injured employees
  • Ensures compliance with state law requiring businesses to carry workers’ comp insurance
  • Demonstrates a commitment to employee safety and well-being, protecting the company’s reputation
Use Cases
  • If a delivery driver is injured in a car accident while making deliveries
  • If a messenger is injured while delivering packages on foot, by bicycle, or motorcycle
  • If an employee suffers repetitive stress injuries or musculoskeletal disorders from sorting or handling packages
  • If an employee suffers injuries from accidents using equipment like trucks, bikes, vehicles to make deliveries
  • If an employee trips or falls while making deliveries on foot and gets injured

Based on industry risk factors and average claim costs, the estimated average pricing for workers’ compensation insurance for businesses in the local messengers and local delivery industry (NAICS Code 492210) would be around $1.25 to $1.50 per $100 of payroll. This industry involves goods delivery services within urban areas which can involve risks such as vehicle accidents, cargo handling injuries, slip and falls, etc. Claims for injuries like vehicle accidents, slips/falls, and lifting injuries are factored into the pricing.

Estimated Pricing: $1.25-$1.50/100 of payroll

Commercial Umbrella Insurance

As a local delivery or messenger service business, it is crucial to have adequate liability protection in place to shield yourself from financial risks. Commercial umbrella insurance provides additional coverage above your primary policies to help protect your assets and business from large lawsuits.

Category List
Benefits
  • Provides additional liability coverage above your underlying commercial general liability, commercial auto or other policies
  • Covers you against lawsuits for injuries or property damage caused to others in excess of your primary liability limits
  • Protects your personal assets and financed property like equipment and vehicles if your primary coverage limits are exceeded
  • Covers liabilities not covered under your primary policies like personal injury and advertising injury claims
  • Covers legal costs like attorney fees if a lawsuit is filed against you
  • Protects you against rising costs of large settlements and jury awards that continue to increase over time
  • Provides seamless coverage when multiple claims exhaust your primary liability layers
  • Covers you across all your business operations and locations with one umbrella policy
Use Cases
  • Protect against lawsuits from accidents during delivery or messengers services that causes injuries
  • Protect against lawsuits if a delivery driver causes a car accident during delivery services
  • Protect against lawsuits if a delivery driver gets into an accident while on the job that causes property damage
  • Protect against lawsuits from slip and fall accidents at company facilities
  • Protect against lawsuits from cyber incidents like data breaches that results from phishing attacks targeting employees

Based on typical rates for Commercial Umbrella Insurance and considering the risks associated with the Local Messengers and Local Delivery industry, the estimated average annual pricing would be between $1,500 to $3,000 per $1 million of coverage. Pricing is usually determined based on factors such as the company’s annual revenue, number of employees, loss history, types of vehicles used, and other underlying insurance policies.

Estimated Pricing: $1,500-$3,000

Conclusion

Choosing the right insurance packages is essential for local delivery and messenger service companies to manage risks inherent in daily operations. The coverage options discussed provide essential liability protection and financial security for vehicles, employees, property and the overall business.

Frequently Asked Questions

Share via
Copy link