Also known as: hired and non-owned auto · HNOA insurance · hired and non-owned auto coverage · non-owned auto liability insurance
Commercial auto liability coverage for vehicles your business rents (hired) and personal vehicles employees drive for company business (non-owned), even when your startup owns no cars of its own.
Hired and Non-Owned Auto (HNOA) is commercial auto liability coverage that protects your business against claims arising from vehicles it does not own. The "hired" part covers autos the company rents, leases, or borrows, such as when an employee rents a car on a business trip. The "non-owned" part covers employees' personal vehicles used for company business, like running errands, visiting clients, or making deliveries. It pays for third-party bodily injury and property damage the business becomes legally liable for from those vehicles, and it maps to commercial auto symbols 8 (hired) and 9 (non-owned) on the declarations page. HNOA is liability-only: it does not pay to repair the rented car or the employee's personal vehicle itself. It is commonly added to a business auto policy or a business owners policy (BOP), and many startups need it even though they own no company cars.
HNOA is commercial auto liability coverage for vehicles your business uses but does not own. The hired part covers vehicles you rent or lease, and the non-owned part covers employees' personal cars used for company business. It pays for third-party bodily injury and property damage the business becomes liable for, and it maps to commercial auto symbols 8 (hired) and 9 (non-owned).
No. HNOA is liability-only, so it pays for injury or damage the business causes to others, not physical damage to the hired vehicle or the employee's own car. To cover damage to a rented vehicle, you would add hired auto physical damage coverage or rely on the rental company's own protection. An employee's personal auto policy is generally the primary coverage for their own car.
Often yes. If employees ever rent a car for a business trip or drive their own vehicle for company errands, client visits, or deliveries, the company can be held liable through vicarious liability. HNOA responds to those claims, which is why it is one of the most relevant auto coverages for an early-stage company with no fleet.
Definitions are educational and may be modified by your specific policy language, endorsements, and state rules. For regulatory guidance, refer to the California Department of Insurance or the NAIC.
Last updated: July 2026.