Commercial Auto Coverage Symbols
By: Scott Simmonds, CPCU, ARM, CMC

Commercial auto policies specify the extent of coverage provided by using symbols to indicate the breadth of the protection.

The declarations page of your auto policy outlines coverage areas (liability, uninsured motorist, medical payments, etc.) with coverage symbols that apply to the type of insurance. The applicable symbols are numbers 1 through 9.

Symbol "1" is the broadest - "any auto". Symbol "9" provides coverage for non-owned vehicles only. Using symbol "7" reduces the coverage to claims from vehicles listed on the policy only. Insurers sometimes use combination of symbols - 8 and 9, for example, to provide coverage for hired and non-owned autos.

Symbol 1 in the liability section would provide coverage for any auto liability claim brought against an insured. Symbol 7 in the liability section would limit liability coverage to claims that come from a vehicle listed on the policy - significantly restricting the coverage.