Description: Covers bodily injury and property damage you cause to others while operating your truck. This is where most of the cost for commercial trucking insurance comes from; it's by far the most expensive part of any policy.
When It Protects: If you're at fault in an accident that injures another person or damages their property.
Why Add It: This is mandatory by law and ensures compliance with FMCSA regulations. It protects you from significant financial losses due to lawsuits or claims.
Description: Covers damage to the insured truck or trailer. Collision coverage applies to accidents involving other vehicles or objects, while comprehensive covers non-collision events like theft, vandalism, fire, or natural disasters.
When It Protects: If your truck is damaged in an accident, stolen, or affected by events like hailstorms or vandalism.
Why Add It: Essential for protecting your investment in the vehicle, especially if you have a loan or lease. Without it, you bear the full cost of repairs or replacement.
Description: Protects the value of the goods you’re hauling in case of theft, damage, or loss during transit.
When It Protects: If cargo is stolen, damaged in an accident, or affected by covered perils like fire.
Why Add It: Required by most shippers and brokers to meet contract obligations. Without it, you could face significant financial liability for lost or damaged goods.
Description: Covers injuries and damages caused by another driver who has no insurance or insufficient coverage.
When It Protects: If you’re in an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver and need medical care or vehicle repairs.
Why Add It: Provides peace of mind and financial protection since many drivers lack adequate insurance. Typically very cheap annually, and covers you in a worst case scenario.
Description: Covers non-driving-related liabilities, such as injuries at your business premises or damage caused during loading/unloading.
When It Protects: If someone is injured on your property/truck while not driving. Or if you accidentally damage a customer’s property while delivering goods. For example, someone hops into your truck to help unload and hurts their back.
Why Add It: Recommended for broader protection beyond driving-related risks. Check your contract(s) requirements to see if this is required; it often is when haling for someone like Amazon.
Description: Covers physical damage to a trailer you don’t own.
When It Protects: If a borrowed or leased trailer is damaged while in your possession.
Why Add It: Necessary if you regularly use trailers owned by others to avoid paying out-of-pocket for damages. If you are hauling OnTrac or Amazon trailers (for example), they will typically require you get this coverage.
Description: Covers loss of perishable cargo due to refrigeration unit failure on reefer trailers.
When It Protects: If the refrigeration unit malfunctions and spoils the cargo during transport.
Why Add It: Essential for haulers of temperature-sensitive goods like food or pharmaceuticals. Cargo coverage will not cover the loss if the reefer unit breaks down, which is why you would want to add specific reefer breakdown coverage.
Description: Provides liability coverage for vehicles you rent (hired) or don’t own but use for business purposes.
When It Protects: If you rent a truck temporarily or employees use their personal vehicles for work-related tasks.
Why Add It: Important for companies that occasionally rent vehicles or rely on employee-owned vehicles for business use.
Description: Covers liability when driving your truck without a trailer attached (e.g., after dropping off a load).
When It Protects: If you're involved in an accident while driving without a trailer outside of dispatch duties.
Why Add It: Necessary for owner-operators who frequently drive without trailers between loads.
Description: Covers liability when using your truck for personal reasons outside of business operations.
When It Protects: If you’re driving your truck for personal errands and cause an accident.
Why Add It: Useful for owner-operators who occasionally use their trucks outside work-related activities.
Description: Covers medical expenses and lost wages if employees are injured on the job.
When It Protects: If a driver suffers an injury while loading cargo or during transit.
Why Add It: Often required by law if you have employees; provides critical protection against workplace injury claims.
Description: Offers coverage for medical expenses, disability benefits, and accidental death for independent contractors (not employees).
When It Protects: If an independent owner-operator is injured while working but isn’t covered by workers’ comp.
Why Add It: A cost-effective alternative to workers’ comp for covering independent contractors.
Description: Prevents your insurer from pursuing recovery from other parties after paying a claim on your behalf.
When It Protects: Required in contracts with shippers/brokers who want assurance they won’t be held liable by your insurer after a claim.
Why Add It: Often required by contracts; ensures compliance with business agreements.
Description: Ensures your policy responds first (primary) and does not share liability with other policies (non-contributory).
When It Protects: Required when working with shippers/brokers who want assurance their insurance won’t contribute to claims involving you.
Why Add It: Commonly required in contracts; provides clarity on claim responsibility.
Description: Covers physical damage to trailers owned by others but used under interchange agreements.
When It Protects: If you damage another party’s trailer while using it under a trailer interchange agreement.
Why Add It: Essential for businesses involved in trailer interchange agreements to avoid costly out-of-pocket repairs. Again, typically only need this if required by contracts.
Description: Provides coverage required under UIIA agreements for intermodal trucking operations (e.g., hauling shipping containers).
When It Protects: Ensures compliance with UIIA requirements when hauling containers from ports/rail yards.
Why Add It: Often mandatory if participating in intermodal transport; ensures uninterrupted operations at ports and rail facilities.