Check on the Right Insurance for POV Usage
Check on the Right Insurance for POV Usage
By Myrna Pashinski
NAPS Rocky Mountain Area Vice President
Let’s talk about insurance. We all know how important it is to have health insurance; one major illness can bankrupt us. We all know having life insurance is meant to help our families in the event something happens to us, heaven forbid.
We carry riders on our life insurance to cover hospital stays or help for in-home health providers. We also have automobile insurance and include uninsured motorists’ coverage.
Now, here’s a question for you: How many of you are using your personally owned vehicle (POV) at work? I’m going to guess it’s less than 5%. How many of you use your POV to do street observations, deliver mail, drive to training or for any other work-related reason?
If you work in Delivery and Customer Service, I think the percentage is a large majority of you; in Processing Operations, very few. If you are in Field Headquarters, I’m guessing you use your POV on many occasions.
Did you know when you use your POV at work you are covered for personal injury at work in the event you have an accident, but your POV is not? Here’s what Google AI says:
“If you’re using your personal car for work while employed by the USPS, there are a few important points to consider regarding auto insurance coverage:
1) Personal Auto Insurance and Business Use
Standard personal auto insurance policies are typically designed for personal use, such as commuting or running errands.
Most personal policies will not cover accidents that occur while you are using your vehicle for business purposes, such as delivering mail.
Some personal policies may allow for limited or incidental business use, but this often requires a specific endorsement or add-on to the policy.
2) USPS Employee Considerations
USPS vehicles are self-insured by the federal government and are exempt from state insurance laws.
If you’re involved in an accident while on duty in your personal vehicle, you are covered by a statute that protects you from personal liability.
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident while on duty, it is expected that your personal insurance (or you personally if you lack coverage) will cover the damage.
If you regularly use your personal vehicle for USPS duties, you may need a business-use policy or a commercial insurance rider to ensure adequate coverage.
3) Recommendations
Review your personal auto insurance policy. Check for any exclusions regarding business use of your vehicle.
Discuss with your insurance agent. Explain that you use your personal vehicle for USPS work and ask if you need additional coverage or an endorsement.
Consider a business-use endorsement or commercial insurance. This will help ensure you are properly covered for accidents while on duty.
Inform your insurance provider. Be transparent about your vehicle’s use to avoid potential claim denials.
Understand potential gaps. Be aware that even with an endorsement, there might be gaps in coverage, so discuss this with your agent.
In summary, while the USPS offers some protection through self-in-surance, you likely are responsible for insuring your personal vehicle used for work purposes. It’s crucial to check your policy and speak with your insurance agent to ensure you have the appropriate coverage—such as a business-use endorsement or commercial insurance—to protect yourself and your vehicle while on duty with the USPS.”
While protecting the value and usability of your car at work is important—and I encourage you to get the appropriate add-on insurance coverage—here are two things I recommend:
Read the Management Instruction and consider completing PS Form 1799 with your manager.
Contact your insurance provider and make sure you have the appropriate business-use endorsement or commercial insurance that protects you.
Remember, just because the tort process may cover the person you hit and/or injure or worse, you also could be taken to court. You need the right insurance to protect you, your family and maybe even your home from loss.