How you use your car and your reasons for driving it have a substantial effect both on the type of car insurance you need and on the cost of any potential car insurance policy. There are multiple types of vehicle use classifications that are taken into account when it comes to car insurance. These are used by insurers for determining premiums and, in extreme cases, for determining whether a person is even eligible for coverage.

Vehicle use is classified by assessing the employment of the person driving the vehicle and the type of vehicle. For example, a commercial vehicle such as a dump truck will automatically be listed as a commercial use vehicle and, as such, cannot be listed for personal use. Most commonly, the differentiation that must be made is between commute vehicles—the car you drive to work or school, and pleasure vehicles—the car you drive only for personal, non-career purposes. In this case, commute vehicles are used much more frequently and are expected to be driven every day, whereas the use of pleasure vehicles will be much more sporadic. This means that a commute vehicle will tend to cost more to insure, especially if you compare two similar vehicles.

Another common question often arises between artesian vehicles—a vehicle used by professionals such as carpenters and plumbers that needs to carry lightweight materials and tools but not heavy equipment, and commercial vehicles—trucks and vans used to transport all kinds of commercial materials and equipment. In this case, it is important to accurately describe the use of your vehicle when applying for auto insurance to ensure the proper coverage is assigned to you. If artesian car insurance—the cheaper option—is filed for, the vehicle must not be used to transport heavy industrial equipment for the coverage to remain valid. Improper use of an insured vehicle can result in cancellation of a policy and even declination of a future policy.