What is Trucking General Liability Insurance?
Auto liability, or general liability, truck insurance is similar to the type of insurance that most drivers have. Legally, all drivers are required to have liability insurance. Proof of truck liability insurance is required at the state and federal level, and this proof needs to be sent to the appropriate agencies. The cost of auto liability truck insurance depends on the state and region in which the truck company is located, as well as both the driver’s and the company’s history.
Do I Need General Liability Insurance For My Trucks?
Every truck is required by federal law to be covered by primary liability, which protects other drivers and their property should the truck driver get into an accident and cause personal injury or property damage. In most cases, this type of insurance will be provided by the motor carrier, so drivers leased to a motor carrier will not have to worry about purchasing that particular type of insurance. If a driver owns their own vehicle and operates under their own authority, he/she will need to purchase it themselves.
What Does Trucking General Liability Insurance Cover
This type of truck insurance protects the vehicle any time it is used outside of the scope of the lease. Most motor carriers will require their drivers to be covered by either workmans compensation or occupational/accidental insurance. For drivers who qualify for occupational/accidental insurance, that can be a lower cost option. In most states, self-employed owner operators can opt out of state mandated workers compensation coverage and elect to buy the occupational/accidental insurance.
Due to the fact that primary liability insurance does not cover damage to leased/owner operator vehicles, drivers/owners will also want to purchase physical damage insurance. This form of truck insurance is collision insurance that covers damage to the vehicle. The policy should be written for the trucks market value, and no more.
