Primary Trucking Liability Insurance Explained

Truck insurance comes in a variety of forms.  There are policies designed to cover everything from personal property damage, accident-related damage to other vehicles, specific types of dangerous or otherwise highly regulated cargo, and many more.

Your level of coverage will depend on your individual coverage needs and the regulations applied to your facet of the commercial truck industry.

One type of coverage that you can’t ignore: primary trucking liability insurance. Liability coverage is not only incredibly important to have; it is also required by federal law for all commercial vehicles operating in the United States.

Trucking Liability Insurance
Primary trucking liability insurance is designed to cover the costs associated with damage to property and medical expenses as a result of a traffic accident.  The coverage is carried by the truck driver or his employer and covers only the costs for the other party.  Additional coverage is required to cover damages to your own truck, trailer, or cargo.

Primary Liability

In the event of an accident involving a commercial truck, the primary liability policy will cover the costs for the other driver but not to your own property.  This means that the policyholder is responsible for covering the cost of repairs or replacement for trucks, cargo, and trailers in these instances.  To protect your personal property, consider purchasing some form of physical damage coverage.

A Note For Independent Haulers
If you make your living as an independent owner/operator, then you will only need coverage when you aren’t covered by your contracted employer’s blanket policy. Bobtail insurance is a type of truck insurance that covers drivers when they are not actively in the employ of a motor carrier.  It allows drivers to remain insured when not covered by employers without having to purchase a second primary liability policy.

Further Trucking Liability Insurance Reading
For more information, check out other trucking liability insurance articles, including: Commercial Truck Insurance: Trucking Liability Insurance Isn’t Always Enough and Commercial Trucking Insurance: Primary Trucking Liability Insurance Simplified