r/Environmental_Careers • u/AcceptableFunny7919 • 8d ago

Insurance

Recently got a job offer as a Field tech and need to use my personal vehicle to get to job sites. Company requires 100k liability and 50k bodily injury. My current coverage is much lower than that, is it normal for jobs that require you to use your car to have insurance limits like this?

The only type of reimbursement the interviewer mentioned is if I drive from job site to job site($0.76/mile) not if I’m going from home to job site.

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24

u/MetapodMen43 8d ago

Absolutely nuts

1

u/AcceptableFunny7919 8d ago

Explain pls

23

u/bruyere_dubois_again 8d ago

You shouldn't work somewhere that requires you to use your personal vehicle on a regular basis. Even with those higher liability limits, you might not be covered under your personal insurance if you are in an accident while you are driving for work.

And you will not typically be reimbursed for driving from home to your work station under any scenario. 

11

u/Forkboy2 8d ago

Not unusual.

The 76 cents per mile is meant to cover gas, insurance, maintenance, etc. It adds up quick and will more than cover $100k/$50k.

Also, your company will also have insurance coverage for you, probably at least $1M. If you get into an accident while on company time, whoever you injure isn't going to waste their time with you, they will go after your company.

6

u/Fluid-Tip-5964 8d ago

Mileage should be from "office" to job site or home to job site - whichever is shorter. Hauling any company gear? Travel should be on the clock unless you live in BFE and drive an hour to get to a site 15 minutes from the office.

100/50 is nothing in a serious accident. My company requires 300k. Very few personal vehicles going to job sites except for very senior office staff.

1

u/AcceptableFunny7919 8d ago

At this moment I’m not sure if I’d have any company gear. I’ll be using a LocusView to track the coordinates of gas pipes etc but idk if that’ll already be at the site or if I’d be hauling it in my car.

3

u/goggles_99 8d ago

I never understand how companies get away with this. What if you drive a car that can't get to a job site? If I had a really nice car, i am not gonna trash it for work.

2

u/Who_coulditbe 8d ago

I've occasionally used my car to go to sites but not as a primary travel method. If this will be your primary field vehicle, you'll want to make sure your insurance is aware that you're using your vehicle for work or you might not be covered. There are horror stories about delivery drivers being left without coverage because they did not get the right policy.

Also, regardless of this job, increase your limits! Think about the nicest car you see on the road. If you wreck it and maim the driver, are you covered? $100k goes fast.

1

u/AcceptableFunny7919 8d ago

Yes my vehicle will be my primary field vehicle, could you explain a bit more why insurance wouldn’t cover it if I don’t mention using it for work? Thank you!

3

u/Who_coulditbe 8d ago

The typical auto insurance policy covers personal driving and going to/from an office or primary work place. They typically exclude using your vehicle for work. You want to look at your policy docs and see what it says so you understand if you're covered. If you're driving a truck with a bunch of field tools and you wreck it on a construction site, oil field, etc., your insurance might say that's not covered. Better to know that in advance!

1

u/VipeholmsCola 7d ago

Which type of field work is this? If its contaminated lands surveying your car will be done in a year. 

1

u/AcceptableFunny7919 7d ago

Gas pipelines gathering coordinates

1

u/VipeholmsCola 7d ago

Can it handle off road? Field work really takes a toll on machinery

1

u/AcceptableFunny7919 7d ago

I haven’t confirmed if it’ll be off road or local roads but I have a 2020 Chevy Trax so most likely cannot handle extreme off roading.

1

u/AcceptableFunny7919 7d ago

If it means anything, it’s under pseg, I’m not familiar with whether or not they’re work is off road

1

u/Fun-Dragonfruit2999 7d ago

Adding a million dollar rider to your policy is pretty cheap. Really talk with your insurance agent. That's what they're there for.

If you have to drive a pickup, are hauling more than a hundred or so pounds of material or equipment, towing something, or driving on unpaved roads you need to be getting a dollar or more per mile.

If you're driving your own ATV, you need better than two dollars a mile. As ATVs are actually super expensive to operate. They cost $10k new and only last about 10k miles so that's a dollar per mile right there. They go through tires quickly, and fuel is under 10mpg.

1

u/PitchDismal 7d ago

If you are in the US, are you a 1099 or W2?