Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are living in the era of the reemergence of the small business. Thanks to the power of the Internet small, independently owned companies are once again on the rise, and we're seeing an absolute boom of small niche stores the likes of which haven't been seen since the department store came to town! If you're a small business owner, congratulations. You're a part of a new era in history. Now what are you doing about your car insurance?

Most of us don't think a whole lot about car insurance when we're starting a small business. Sure, commercial trucking companies and rental cars need a commercial car insurance policy. That's just a given. But what about the little guy? What about the private contractor or the Mary Kay sales professional? You might be surprised to find out small businesses like these need commercial car insurance coverage just as much as the next guy.

What's the Difference Between a Commercial Car Insurance Policy and an Everyday, Ordinary, Run of the Mill Policy?

One of the questions insurance agents hear the most is, "What's the difference between a commercial policy and a regular one?" The differences are subtle, so they're a little tricky. First and foremost, a personal car insurance policy won't cover accidents that take place while you're on company business. Picking up the boss's dry cleaning once a month doesn't usually send too many red flags up, but if you're on the road all day, every day you need to make sure you're covered by a policy that's going to do its best to keep you safe out on the highways.

Commercial policies are designed specifically for businesses and offer not only a convenient paid claims service for drivers out on company business but also higher liability limits, which is good news when you've got a flatbed full of lumber. And they're almost always more cost effective at this higher level of coverage than just about anything else on the market, meaning your car insurance rates are going to be considerably lower than they would be if you'd simply tried to cover your car under a regular car insurance policy.

Not to mention a full fledged commercial car insurance policy is going to cover your employees if and when they have to take a company vehicle out on the job, saving you from the inevitable employee that decides to re-enact "Thelma and Louise" during their lunch hour.

Who Needs Commercial Car Insurance?

The people who need commercial car insurance include (but are not limited to):

• Catering

• Newspaper Deliver

• Door-to-Door Sales or Consulting

• Landscaping/Snowplowing

• Day Care

• Real Estate

In other words, if you're going to be spending even part of your day out on the roads you're going to need a commercial car insurance policy standing by keeping your car safe. Remember, a commercial policy isn't just something as nice to have (although it is). It's a necessity for any business whose profit and loss sheets have a healthy sense of self preservation.

As a small business you've got enough expenses. Do you really want to add to them because you didn't pick up the right kind of car insurance?