Vehicle Damaged in Transit

June 11, 2012

Our insured is a vehicle transportation company that has a businessowners policy with a garagekeepers endorsement. A vehicle was damaged in transit while in the possession of the insured. Would the garagekeepers endorsement apply to this situation or would there be another coverage that would apply? Are there any exclusions that would apply to this scenario?

Ohio Subscriber

The GKLL coverage applies to sums that the insured is legally obligated to pay as damages for loss to a customer's car that is left in the insured's care. It makes no difference if the customer's car is on the insured's premises or not. If the car is damaged while the insured has it in his care, the GKLL coverage applies. The only thing to check on is whether the in transit operation was part of the garage operations of the insured. Garage operations include all operations necessary or incidental to a garage business. So, presumably, the insured was moving the car as part of his garage operations and so, the GKLL coverage is there if the insured is liable for the damage.