Renting vehicles or sending crew out in their own cars?
MovieInsure can add Hired & Non-Owned Auto to your production package and walk you through the passenger van MVR requirements before they slow down your schedule.
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FIELD GUIDE — HNOA
Hired & Non-Owned Auto: closing the gap your production doesn’t see.
You don’t own a single company vehicle — so why would you need auto coverage? Because the moment someone rents a van, borrows a grip truck, or grabs props in their own car for the shoot, your production is exposed. Personal auto policies almost never cover business use. Here’s what HNOA actually protects, and where productions get caught out.
COVERAGE: Hired Auto + Non-Owned Auto PROTECTS AGAINST: Third-party bodily injury & property damage WHO’S EXPOSED: Any production, even with zero owned vehicles WATCH FOR: Passenger van MVR requirements
01 — THE GAP
Two coverages, one exposure.
Standard personal auto policies almost universally exclude business-related driving. HNOA splits into two halves depending on whose vehicle it is — match each real-world scenario below to the coverage that responds.
1 Renting a camera truck for the shoot
Your production doesn’t own the truck — you’re renting it for the day, and your crew is driving it under your production’s name.
Hired Auto 2 Leasing a production van for the whole shoot
A multi-week lease on a cargo or passenger van used to move gear or cast between locations.
Hired Auto 3 A PA grabs last-minute props in their own car
Their personal auto policy covers commuting, not running a business errand on your production’s behalf.
Non-Owned Auto 4 Crew driving to a location scout
Same issue — a personal vehicle used for a work purpose falls outside most personal policies entirely.
Non-Owned Auto 5 A contractor moving gear in their own truck
Independent contractors driving their own vehicle for you are treated the same as employees for this purpose.
Non-Owned Auto 6 A one-day rental on a specialty grip truck
Any vehicle your production rents, leases, or borrows — even for a single day — falls under Hired Auto, not Non-Owned.
Hired Auto A
Hired Auto Liability
Vehicles your production rents, leases, or borrows
Covers camera trucks, production vans, and travel vehicles brought on for work — protecting your production the moment it takes the wheel of something it doesn’t own, on a rental agreement.
B
Non-Owned Auto Liability
Personal vehicles used for production business
Shields your company when employees or contractors use their own cars to run errands, transport equipment, or scout locations — the coverage their personal policy was never designed to provide.
02 — UNDERWRITING NOTE
Passenger vans get extra scrutiny.
If 12- or 15-passenger vans are anywhere in your production plan, plan for this step before you lock your schedule.
Required before binding
Every driver needs a motor vehicle record (MVR) on file.
Underwriting standards on 12- and 15-passenger vans are stricter than standard production vehicles. You’ll be asked to submit the driving record for every individual designated to operate one — not just your primary driver.
Build this into your prep schedule: gather driver names as soon as your call sheet firms up, since MVRs confirm your drivers meet safety requirements and keep coverage — and your premium — from being held up at the last minute.
03 — WHAT’S INCLUDED
Beyond the liability minimum.
A well-built HNOA policy does more than satisfy a vendor requirement — it backs your production up if something actually goes wrong.
→ 01
Physical damage options
Comprehensive and collision protection for the hired or non-owned vehicle itself, not just third-party claims against it.
→ 02
Defense costs
Pays for legal defense if your production entity is named in a lawsuit arising from a covered auto incident.
→ 03
Seamless integration
Bundled with your broader production package so a single certificate can satisfy vendor and location auto requirements.
MovieInsure.com Insurance Services — film, production & event insurance nationwide.
This guide is educational and not a substitute for reviewing your actual policy documents.
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