Trucking Insurance For Owner Operators- No one particular insurance plan provides a solution to all owner-operators. You will have various insurance depending upon your range, haul type, level of experience, and driving record. Furthermore, insurance requirements and plans vary by state, so make sure to review your state’s regulations.

What are the Different Kinds of Trucking Insurance Plans for Owner-Operators?

Once you identify the risks associated with the trucking industry and the importance of insurance for an owner-operator, it is imperative to ensure that you have the ideal coverage for your specific business. Here is a list of the standard commercial insurance policies for owner-operators:

• Primary Auto Liability

It is a federal requirement for owner-operators to opt for primary auto liability. Each truck must have commercial auto insurance. This liability insurance offers protection if a third party succumbs to injury in an accident.

• Convenient Procedures

General liability is different from auto liability. It protects if there’s damage incurred due to something other than a vehicle.

• Bobtail

Bobtail coverage, alternatively known as non-trucking liability, covers the truck when used for personal or off dispatch. It offers protection when the owner-operator is not insured with primary liability coverage. For instance, when owner-operators are heading home after a load has been dropped off and an accident occurs, bobtail coverage comes to the rescue. 

• Passenger accident coverage

Passenger accident coverage offers insurance protection for guest passengers in your truck. Passenger Accident Coverage, acting as a blanket coverage, helps give you peace of mind while traveling & hauling with other people in your vehicle.

 FAQs

Q. Which factors affect insurance prices?

CDL experience plays a significant role in being approved for trucking insurance and pricing. Owner-operators with experience of fewer than three years may have difficulty getting insurance from a retailer with transportation as a specialization. Insurance retailers require evidence of a sound driving record and proper business management. An unavoidable determining factor in insurance price is the down payment. If you can pay the insurance premium without installments, insurance carriers may offer discounts on the total cost. The entire lump sum is a high upfront cost, but it’s usually cheaper in the longer run.

Q. What should you consider while getting insurance?

All of the insurance information might be overwhelming. However, a broker can tend to all of your confusion. Questions like how the insurance company is ranked, whether an unlimited policy exists, whether the insurance company has around clock claims reporting ability, and if there are references that you can cross-check are important to ask from your broker.  

Conclusion

When going over trucking insurance plans, you must make sure that you have full coverage. Having insufficient insurance coverage can result in you having a lot of costs to cover yourself and minimal protection in case of an accident. The ideal trucking insurance you will need as an owner-operator will differ as per your type of operations—the right thing to consult an insurance retailer specializing in trucking insurance. For more information, you may visit Gillson Trucking.