What it does
CA DS 03 is ISO's declarations form for the Business Auto Coverage Form. Item One identifies the company, producer, named insured, mailing address, policy period, form of business (corporation, LLC, individual, partnership or other), premium and audit period, and lists the endorsements attached (the 10 13 edition prints IL 00 17 Common Policy Conditions and IL 00 21 Broad Form Nuclear Exclusion by default). Later items show the schedule of coverages with the covered auto symbols, limits and premiums, the schedule of covered autos, and rating schedules for hired autos and non-ownership liability.
The current multistate edition is 11 20; 10 13 and 03 10 preceded it. Massachusetts uses its own business auto declarations, MM 00 97, for compulsory risks.
Why agents care
- The symbols on the declarations, not the coverage form, decide which autos each coverage applies to. A wrong symbol (for example, 7 instead of 1 or 2) can leave newly acquired autos uncovered beyond the 30-day reporting window.
- Hired auto and non-ownership liability rating lines must be completed for symbols 8 and 9 to be priced; cost of hire and employee counts drive that premium.
- Item Two is where physical damage symbols and deductibles appear, including hired auto physical damage.
Quoting tips
Check the declarations against the application: vehicle list with VINs, garaging addresses, radius and use, driver list, cost of hire, and number of employees using their own autos. Confirm that every endorsement requested by contract (CA 20 48, CA 04 49, CA 04 44) is listed in the endorsement schedule.
