How to Insure a B.C. Mobile Mechanic

June 16, 2025

You’ve taken your skills as a mechanic on the road. Before you start fixing customers’ cars, make sure that you have the business liability insurance you need to protect yourself financially from lawsuits.

B.C. mobile mechanics need customized commercial insurance that covers your business and your customers’ vehicles and also protects you against any legal claims made against you.

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What is insurance for mobile mechanics in British Columbia?

Insurance for B.C. mobile mechanics protects mechanics who don’t operate from a fixed location, like a garage or workshop. Instead, a mobile mechanic visits their clients’ homes and workplaces to work on their vehicles.

What B.C. mobile mechanics should consider when getting insurance

• Insurance that covers customers’ vehicles when test driving them
• Business liability coverage should you be sued
• Insurance that covers your equipment and tools
• Adequate insurance to cover your van/vehicle carrying your tools and equipment

How much does insurance for mobile mechanics cost?

There isn’t a set price to insure a mobile mechanic in British Columbia.

The following factors are usually considered when determining the cost of your business insurance:

• Areas that you serve
• Services provided
• Number of employees
• Years of experience
• Annual revenue
• Any past claims

Liability insurance is an essential part of your B.C. mobile mechanic insurance package. You’ll need these liability coverages to help protect your business from lawsuits.

Commercial general liability (CGL) insurance

CGL insurance is necessary liability insurance for B.C. mobile mechanics. Without commercial general liability insurance, you will pay costs related to third-party (customer/supplier) injuries or damage to their property out of your own pocket.

If you were sued, commercial general liability insurance would cover the legal costs to defend the claim against your mobile mechanic business in court, as well as costs to cover damages to compensate third parties whether you win or lose your case.

What kind of risks does commercial general liability insurance cover?

• Injury to a third party who is not your employee
• Damage to someone’s property
• Damage to rented property
• Medical bills if someone is injured
• Legal costs and settlement costs of liability lawsuits filed against you
• Liability lawsuits related to slander and libel

Cyber liability insurance

Do your mobile mechanic business keep client information online and take online payments? If so, your mobile mechanic business could be hacked by cyber thieves. Cyber liability insurance will help protect you financially.

Professional liability (Errors and Omissions insurance)

Professional liability insurance protects you against claims from your customers that allege negligence, misconduct, and failure to deliver services as promised. For example, it can help protect you against an error in repairing or servicing a vehicle as a mobile mechanic.

If you don’t have this type of insurance coverage as a B.C. mobile mechanic, you could be paying out of pocket for a lawyer, court fees and other related expenses if there’s a lawsuit against you.

Other recommended insurance for B.C. mobile mechanics

Garage liability insurance

Garage liability insurance helps protect your mobile mechanic business in case of property damage to your customers’ vehicles and third-party bodily injury resulting from its operations.

It covers damage to a customer’s vehicle due to an accident when you or one of your employees test drives a vehicle following a repair.

Garage liability insurance is a type of umbrella policy that provides coverage for the day-to-day operations of your mobile mechanic business. It adds a layer of protection to your commercial general liability (CGL) policy.

Garage keepers insurance

Garage keepers insurance covers damage to vehicles you are working on that you do not own. Garage liability insurance does not cover this so you need to have adequate garage keepers coverage.

Tools and equipment insurance

Tools and equipment insurance replaces or repairs damaged, stolen, or lost equipment and tools, accessories, or other property that you use in your work as a B.C. mobile mechanic.

Anything valued at less than $1,500 is considered a tool and anything above that limit is considered equipment.

Mobile property insurance

If you regularly move equipment to different work locations, mobile property insurance provides coverage for property that you don't store at a fixed location.

Mobile property insurance covers transit. It also covers theft that could happen due to property not being stored in a secure location, as opposed to commercial property insurance that covers property generally expected to be in a designated location.

Commercial property insurance

Commercial property insurance protects your B.C. mobile mechanic’s office or headquarters and its contents from damage or loss related to severe weather, natural disasters, theft, and vandalism.

Property you may need to insure as a mobile mechanic:

• Buildings and other structures
• Furniture, equipment, supplies
• Inventory, computers
• Documents such as payroll, accounts receivable

Pollution liability insurance

Pollution liability insurance covers clean-up costs, third-party bodily injuries (such as respiratory illness), or damage to a customer’s vehicle caused by pollution or toxic substances you use to do your work as a mobile mechanic.

Final thoughts

Mobile mechanics in British Columbia need adequate business liability insurance to protect themselves against lawsuits.

5 FAQs about mobile mechanics insurance

How to get the best rates for mobile mechanics insurance?

Shop around and compare insurance quotes for mobile mechanics. Maintain clean insurance and driving records. Ask about any discounts for which you could qualify.

How much does insurance for mobile mechanics cost?

There isn’t a set price for insurance for mobile mechanics. Factors such as services offered, coverage needed, annual revenue, location, and any past claims will be taken into consideration by insurance providers.

Can I get mobile mechanic insurance tailored to my needs?

Yes, insurers for mobile mechanics can customize your business insurance based on your needs.

I am only working part-time as a mobile mechanic. Do I need insurance?

Yes, you would still need business liability insurance to protect yourself and your work, especially against lawsuits. Lawsuits can be quite expensive. Having insurance gives you peace of mind and shows that you are a professional about work.

I don’t have a garage. Why do I need insurance as a mobile mechanic?

You need mobile mechanic insurance to cover your tools and protect yourself against lawsuits while working at customer locations. You also need it to cover damage to vehicles you are working on that you do not own.