A primer on truck insurance coverage and truck liability insurance
There are numerous different types of commercial truck insurance available. This is due to the fact that the commercial truck industry is so complex.
Some motor carriers and independent haulers transport a wide variety of goods, while others only transport specific types of freight. As is the case with many construction vehicles, others carry no cargo at all and serve only as business service vehicles. In the case of tow vehicles or automotive carriers, the "goods" being transported sometimes consist of another automobile.
Due to the high level of specialization in the truck industry, commercial truck insurance has had to expand to become just as comprehensive. The diverse facets of the industry are currently covered by a wide variety of protection options. The type of insurance protection required will rely on factors like state and local laws, the type of cargo and business truck, and the specific needs of the motor service or independent driver with regard to coverage amount.
Primary Truck Liability Insurance
First and importantly, every truck driver needs to have primary liability insurance.
This covers the cost of damages and bodily injury suffered by third parties in an accident that a truck driver may also be responsible for. All commercial truck drivers are required to have this insurance coverage, which is the most fundamental kind available.
Additional Truck Insurance Protection
However, damage to your personal property is not covered by primary liability protection. Independent transporters need to pay attention to this because failing to do so could put their cars in danger while on the road and prevent their contracted employers from covering the cost of repairs. To cover these costs, a separate bodily injury policy could be purchased.
Bodily injury provisions are frequently provided in the form of total protection. The trade-off is that your personal property is protected, regardless of fault, and complete protection includes provisions against calamity, fire, or theft in addition to the physical damage insurance coverage clauses. Comprehensive protection is frequently more expensive than the simple truck insurance coverage required by law in order to operate your vehicle.
Bobtail Insurance
Returning to independent truckers, bobtail insurance is a crucial form of protection for them. When independents are not actively dispatched (and hence not covered by an employer's liability policy), it acts as a secondary option to primary legal responsibility protection.
Cargo insurance is another type of protection. To protect against liability for damage to cargo you don't own, cargo insurance coverage may need to be purchased in addition to liability insurance. If you haul hazardous materials, it can be mandated by federal or state law.
