A Quick Guide To Common Policies

When shopping for commercial trucking insurance, there are several factors to consider.  Will you be buying coverage for just yourself or for an entire fleet of trucks and drivers?  What is your usual cargo and what state or local laws are in place to regulate that cargo?

These are questions that can be answered fairly easily and once you have those answers you can begin choosing the truck insurance coverage that works best for you or your business.

The following are a small sample of commonly available truck insurance.

Trucking Liability Insurance

All commercial vehicle drivers are required by the United States Department of Transportation to carry some type of trucking liability insurance.  Trucking liability insurance covers the cost of damages sustained in accidents caused by commercial trucks.

Comprehensive Insurance

Also referred to as physical damage insurance, it covers the costs for damage to personal assets, primarily the truck itself.  Independent owner/operators are encouraged to purchase these policies for themselves, as employers may not provide it.

Bobtail Insurance

Bobtail insurance, or non-trucking liability insurance, is another type of insurance commonly purchased by independent drivers.  Bobtail insurance provides the same basic liability coverage as primary liability, but drivers only pay for it when they are not covered by an employer’s policy.

Trailer Interchange Insurance

It is common practice in the trucking industry for drivers to trade trailers mid-route and finish each other’s hauls.  These situations involve trailer interchange agreements, which are contracts between the two drivers agreeing to finish the other’s delivery.  The drivers’ insurance will not cover the trailer once it has been exchanged, so a trailer interchange insurance policy helps them maintain coverage in such an instance.

Additional Trucking Insurance Info:
Looking for some related trucking insurance articles?  Check out our other pages like: Trucking Insurance: Primary Trucking Liability Insurance Explained or Trucking Insurance: Physical Damage Insurance Protects Your Truck