The cleaning services industry employs more than 3 million Americans, according to data research firm Statista. From housekeepers to carpet cleaners and janitorial services, many of these small businesses rely on vehicles to travel between job sites, transporting workers and equipment. That makes buying a commercial vehicle insurance policy essential for protecting your employees and assets as well as complying with state law.
In most every state, cleaning businesses that own or lease vehicles must carry commercial liability auto insurance. This type of insurance covers your financial responsibilities if you or one of your employees causes an accident while driving a work vehicle and includes bodily injury and property damage liability.
Cleaning and janitorial businesses can supplement that coverage with comprehensive and collision insurance. Comprehensive insurance covers non-collision events, like fire, theft, natural disasters, vandalism, broken glass and animal damage. Collision insurance covers accidents and collisions with another vehicle or object.
On average, a cleaning business can expect to pay about $173 per month or $2,075 per year for commercial vehicle insurance, according to Insureon, an agency that specializes in business coverage.
However, what a cleaning business pays for liability, comprehensive, and collision insurance depends on several factors, such as the age of your employees and their driving records, the types of vehicles you own, what those vehicle are used for, the coverage you choose and other criteria, says Kristin Thelen, director of account management for Insureon.
In this guide, we’ll share the average cost of commercial auto insurance for cleaning service businesses and explain how insurance companies calculate premiums. We’ll also share some tips for saving money on your commercial car insurance policy.
- The average cost of commercial vehicle insurance for a cleaning business is $2,075 per year, or about $173 per month.
- Commercial vehicle insurance premiums depend on factors including industry, location, fleet size, claim history, policy limits and deductible amount.
- Commercial auto insurance is a legal requirement in most states for cleaning service businesses that own or lease vehicles or trucks.
- Most commercial insurance companies, including Auto-Owners, Progressive, Thimble and State Farm, offer vehicle insurance for cleaning service businesses
How much is commercial auto insurance for a cleaning service business?
The average cost of commercial vehicle insurance for cleaning services businesses is $2,075 per year, or about $173 per month, according to Insureon. However, the actual amount your business will pay depends on several rating criteria, as well as the carrier. For example, Next Insurance estimates that the average carpet cleaning service pays $165 monthly.
Below are average monthly commercial vehicle insurance costs for a select group of cleaning businesses, based on Insureon estimates:
- Carpet cleaning: $171
- House cleaning: $138
- Janitorial services: $168
Types of cleaning businesses that may need commercial auto insurance
Many cleaning services must go where the work takes them, making the right commercial vehicle insurance policy essential. Below are some of the most common types of cleaning businesses that may need commercial auto coverage:
- Carpet cleaning
- House cleaning
- Janitorial services
- Pool cleaning
- Pressure washing
- Septic tank cleaning
- Window cleaning
How are commercial auto insurance rates determined for cleaning services?
Insurers use different criteria to determine the risk of insuring your cleaning or janitorial service. The riskier your business is to insure, the higher your insurance premium will be.
Where your cleaning service is located is one of the biggest factors affecting commercial auto premiums for cleaning businesses. For example, if your business operates in a state that regularly experiences severe weather, or if you garage your vehicles in a neighborhood with high crime, you can expect to pay a higher insurance premium.
Vehicle usage is another thing that determines your business auto insurance cost. If your commercial cleaning business has multiple vehicles driven long distances, you can expect to pay more than a housekeeping service that owns a single van for in-town jobs. The types of vehicles you own can also impact your premium.
Other factors include:
- Business type
- Number of vehicles
- Claim history
- Driving records for your workers and yourself
- Endorsements and policy limits
How does commercial auto insurance work?
Below is a real-world example of how a cleaning service can benefit from commercial vehicle insurance:
Dana W. owns a cleaning and facilities services business in Raleigh, North Carolina, with eight employees and five commercial vans. One of Dana’s employees is driving to a job site and accidentally rear-ends another car at a stop sign. The work van is fine, but the other car sustained $5,000 in damage. In this case, Dana’s commercial auto insurance policy would pay to repair the other car, minus her deductible.
Do policy limits affect commercial auto insurance premiums?
Commercial auto insurance policy limits have a direct effect on premiums. The higher your coverage limit, the more expensive your rate will be. When you’re purchasing commercial auto insurance for your cleaning service business, it’s important to choose the right amount of coverage.
Nearly every state requires small businesses to carry a minimum amount of commercial auto insurance. Most states require liability insurance, but others have additional requirements, like uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance and personal injury protection (PIP).
If you choose a full coverage policy, your commercial auto insurance will also cover the cost of repairing a business vehicle or replacing one that gets totaled in a covered loss. Full coverage also includes comprehensive insurance, which covers non-collision damage, such as theft, vandalism, hail, falling objects and floods.
While a state minimum coverage policy is the cheapest commercial auto insurance you can legally have, paying a higher premium for a full coverage policy will provide much more financial protection in case of an accident or other covered loss.
Many insurance companies recommend a business coverage limit of $1 million, according to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I), an industry trade group. While you might think a higher limit will add to your costs, Triple-I says it doesn’t add much to the price, especially considering the additional protection it provides.
How cleaning businesses can shop for commercial auto insurance
If you’re shopping for commercial auto insurance, it’s a good idea to get multiple quotes for your cleaning business. Comparison shopping will help you find the most affordable commercial auto insurance for your industry, fleet size and other factors.
Here are some tips for getting the most accurate commercial auto insurance quotes for cleaning businesses:
- Gather driver information. First, gather information for all the drivers you want to insure on the policy. This might include all your employees or select employees, but you should insure anyone who drives work vehicles on a regular basis. You’ll need to submit drivers’ names, addresses and driver’s license numbers when you get a quote. Some insurers might also ask for their Social Security numbers.
- Figure out what coverages you need. Decide what commercial auto insurance coverages you need. If you want physical damage coverage for your work vehicles, you should consider a full coverage policy with collision and comprehensive insurance. Many insurers also offer endorsements – or add-ons – like roadside assistance and rental car coverage. You’ll pay extra for these coverages, but they fill gaps in your standard policy.
- Choose your policy limits. Before you get commercial auto insurance quotes, you should consider the policy limits you need. If you specialize in cleaning industrial or commercial properties and haul a lot of equipment, you may need more insurance than a residential housekeeping service. Similarly, you might need higher coverage limits if you drive business vehicles long distances, or drive in congested areas, where an accident might be more likely.
- Select a deductible. Commercial auto insurance policies require a deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage. This is the portion of a claim you’re responsible for paying out of pocket. Choosing a higher deductible will result in a lower monthly premium, while a lower deductible will have a higher premium. Choose a deductible that you can comfortably afford in case of a claim.
How a cleaning business can save on commercial auto insurance
Commercial auto insurance premiums are different for every cleaning or janitorial service. Premiums can vary depending on your location, fleet size, employee driving records, claim history and other factors. However, there are ways to save on business vehicle insurance.
Here are some ways that you can reduce your commercial auto insurance costs:
- Look for discounts. Many commercial auto insurance companies offer discounts that can lower cleaning and janitorial business auto premiums. When you purchase an insurance policy, ask an agent about the discounts available and how you can qualify.
- Bundle your policies. You can usually save money on commercial auto insurance by bundling your policy with another product, like general liability insurance or commercial property insurance.
- Pay in full. Most insurers will give you a discount on commercial car insurance if you pay your annual premium upfront and in full, rather than in monthly installments. Some insurers also provide a discount if you sign up for automatic payments.
- Enroll in a telematics program. Some insurance companies offer a telematics-based savings program. These programs track driving behaviors and trip patterns. If your employees drive safely, you could get a discounted premium.
- Review your coverages regularly. It’s a good idea to review your commercial car insurance coverages regularly. If you’re able to reduce your coverage or remove insured employees, for example, it could lower your overall insurance costs.
- Choose a higher deductible. Raising your deductible will lower your monthly premium. However, choose a deductible you can afford in the event of a claim.
- Shop around. One of the best ways to save money on commercial auto insurance is to shop around and compare quotes from multiple companies. Comparison shopping makes it easy to see which insurer offers the lowest rate for the coverage you want.
Which insurance companies offer commercial auto insurance for cleaning services?
Most commercial insurance companies sell vehicle insurance for cleaning businesses. Here are some companies you might consider if you’re shopping for this type of insurance:
- Auto-Owners
- Progressive
- Thimble
- State Farm
Insurance.com, which is owned by the same company that operates CarInsurance.com, has a list of the top 10 commercial auto insurers.
Sources
Insurance Information Institute. “Business Vehicle Insurance” Accessed June 2025.
Frequently asked questions
Does your industry affect the cost of commercial auto insurance?
Yes, the industry your business operates in impacts your commercial car insurance premium. In general, businesses in high-risk industries, like trucking and manufacturing, pay higher premiums than lower-risk industries, such as professional services. However, other factors also affect your premium, like your location, fleet size, vehicle types and policy limits.
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