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Bobtail Insurance for Semi-Truck Drivers

When you purchase a semi-truck, one of the first things you must do is get it properly insured. This involves getting primary liability insurance, as well as considering bobtail insurance.

Many drivers overlook Bobtail insurance, also known as non-trucking liability insurance. While it’s not always necessary to own a truck, this insurance can add significant value if you’re involved in a semi-truck accident while not driving on a delivery route.

This guide explores exactly what non-trucking liability insurance is, what it covers, and whether you should get bobtail insurance for your semi-truck.

What is Bobtail Insurance Coverage?

Bobtail insurance protects commercial truck drivers when operating their trucks without a trailer or cargo. It’s sometimes also referred to as non-trucking liability insurance.

Bobtail insurance is important because most commercial trucking insurance policies only provide coverage when the truck is driving or hauling freight. However, all kinds of possible issues could happen to your semi-truck while it’s not in action – which is when bobtail liability insurance will cover you.

Bobtail insurance is a different product from primary commercial trucking insurance. Primary insurance covers the truck while it’s engaged in commercial activities, such as hauling cargo. Bobtail insurance specifically covers the truck during non-business use or when it’s operating without a trailer.

Having both primary commercial truck insurance and non-trucking liability insurance provides complete coverage for your vehicle.

What Does Bobtail Insurance for Semi-Trucks Cover?

Insurance policies change with each broker, so each bobtail insurance plan is unique. However, bobtail liability insurance typically provides two main areas of coverage.

Non-Commercial Use

Bobtail insurance covers situations when a commercial truck is being driven for non-business or personal use. For example, if a trucker is driving the tractor (the front part of the truck) without a trailer for personal reasons, like going home after delivery, this coverage can protect them.

Bobtail insurance can also provide coverage for a parked semi-truck when it’s not in commercial use. Many commercial truck insurance companies only offer coverage when the truck is in active service.

Liability Coverage

The main focus of bobtail insurance is on liability protection. This type of truck insurance can help cover the costs if the truck driver is involved in an accident while not hauling a trailer and they are found to be at fault. This includes bodily injury and property damage liability. Truckers must have proper liability coverage at all times.

Who Needs Bobtail Insurance?

Anyone who owns a semi-truck can benefit from having non-trucking liability insurance.

This is especially true if you’re an owner-operator, as you’ll probably drive your truck’s trailer non-commercially at times. As your semi-truck is such a valuable asset, you’ll want to make sure it’s adequately insured at all times – which is why bobtail insurance is so valuable.

Trucking companies or truck lease agreements might sometimes require bobtail insurance. So, some truck drivers may need to take out a bobtail insurance policy to buy a semi-truck. You could get bobtail insurance coverage for a single commercial vehicle or this non-trucking liability coverage for an entire fleet.

If you often drive your truck without a trailer, then getting bobtail insurance is worth considering. Bobtailing is also known to be more dangerous than driving a loaded truck, so having this coverage can add a great deal of value. Without it, you may have to pay enormous legal fees and damages costs in the event of an accident.

Even if it’s not legally mandated, it’s a good idea for truckers who operate their vehicles without trailers to have this coverage to avoid potential financial risks.

How Much Does Bobtail Insurance Cost?

As with any commercial vehicle insurance policy, the cost of non-trucking liability insurance depends on various factors. These are mainly focused on:

Your personal driving history: It’s more likely for truck drivers with a longer driving record and more experience with a CDP to get lower premiums on their non-trucking liability insurance.
Usage: How long you plan to need bobtail liability insurance based on how often you drive without a trailer will be considered. The more you bobtail, the more expensive your insurance premiums could be.
Insurance history: Any bobtail insurance company considers past insurance claims and policies to understand your risk profile.
Your coverage limits: Of course, the amount you want to be covered up to in liability costs dictates how much you’ll pay for your bobtail truck insurance. The higher your coverage is, the higher your costs will be.

So, the cost of bobtail insurance can vary greatly depending on the driver’s circumstances. Different bobtail insurance companies will also charge differently.

However, East Insurance Group says drivers often pay around $400 to carry bobtail insurance. Temporary bobtail insurance policies are also available at lower annual premiums.

Where to Find Bobtail Truck Insurance

Many commercial vehicle insurance providers offer bobtail coverage. Most insurers provide quotes on their websites. It’s also worth looking into insurance comparison sites to see what bobtail and trucking liability insurance options are available. This also makes it easy to compare quotes.

Take a look at our roundup of the top commercial truck insurance brokers to help you find the best bobtail insurance coverage.

Conclusion

While saving money on insurance costs may seem attractive, being caught short without insurance can be an absolute killer for your trucking business. This is why it’s essential to consider non-trucking liability insurance if it makes sense for your situation.

You might even need non-trucking liability insurance to purchase a semi-truck in the first place.

If you’re looking to buy a new truck, contact us at Mission Financial Services. We make it easy for all commercial truck drivers to gain financing for their ideal semi-truck.

Commercial Truck Insurance For New Drivers

As a new commercial truck driver, it can be difficult to find good insurance coverage for your vehicle. Insurance companies often see new drivers as risky and only provide coverage to those who have been driving trucks for two or more years.

Additionally, the companies that do offer insurance for new drivers often charge high rates. This means you may end up paying two or three times more than experienced drivers. However, there are ways to find affordable insurance coverage if you know what type of coverage you need and how to search for cheaper options.

What Type of Coverage Do New Truck Drivers Need?

The type of commercial trucking insurance coverage you need as a new driver depends on the category of commercial truck drivers you belong to. There are two main categories of commercial truck drivers:

Company Drivers

Company drivers work for a trucking company as employees or independent contractors. You don’t need commercial trucking insurance if you’re a new truck driver directly employed by a trucking company. The company is responsible for insurance coverage.

However, you may need insurance coverage if you’re an independent truck driver working for a trucking business.

Owner-Operators

Owner-operators have their own trucking business and operate their commercial vehicles. There are two types of owner-operators: those who work under the authority of a motor carrier (leased owner-operators) and those who operate on their authority.

Leased Owner-operators

Leased owner-operators are covered by their motor carriers’ commercial truck insurance coverage.

Depending on the requirements of a motor carrier, an owner-operator with leased authority may need to purchase motor truck cargo or bobtail commercial truck insurance. If you fall under this category, read your lease agreement carefully to determine which additional insurance coverage you need.

Own Authority Owner-operators

Own authority owner-operators are solely responsible for purchasing all the mandatory commercial truck insurance policies they require to thrive. This includes some or all of the essential truck insurance coverage options outlined below.

What does Commercial Truck Insurance for New Drivers Cover?

Commercial auto policies for new drivers offer various essential and optional insurance coverage.

Essential Commercial Truck Insurance for New Drivers

Essential trucking insurance for new drivers is coverage all new truck drivers should consider to protect their ventures from significant financial losses. These coverage options include:

Trucking Primary Liability Coverage

Primary liability coverage is the minimum commercial truck insurance all trucking companies and owner-operators must have to operate in nearly all states. It includes bodily injury and physical damage coverage if you cause an accident. With a primary liability cover, your insurance company pays for the injured parties’ medical expenses and covers any damages to their vehicles.

Physical Damage Liability Insurance

Physical damage coverage protects your commercial trucks from all losses and damages they are exposed to on the road. Most commercial insurance companies offer this coverage in two parts:

Collision coverage: This insurance helps pay for repairing or replacing your vehicle if it is damaged in a collision with another vehicle or object.

Comprehensive coverage: This cover includes compensation for non-collision losses such as theft, fire, vandalism, and harsh weather conditions.

Unlike primary liability insurance, physical damage coverage is not required by law. However, it’s critical commercial truck insurance for new drivers as it protects the main asset, providing business security.

Non-Trucking Liability Insurance

Non-trucking liability coverage protects you if you get into an accident when driving your commercial truck for errands unrelated to work.

General Liability Insurance

Motor truck general liability insurance coverage pays for bodily injury and physical damages unrelated to driving your commercial truck but involving your business. This includes bodily injury compensation for accidents on your business property or those for-hire truckers caused away from your location.

Motor Truck Cargo Coverage

Motor truck cargo coverage protects the goods you haul. It’s an essential coverage option for most leased owner-operators as some motor carriers require truck drivers under their lease to carry cargo insurance.

Optional Commercial Truck Insurance For New Drivers

As a new driver, you should get more coverage to reduce risk and ensure you succeed. To do this, consider the following optional commercial truck insurance for new drivers:

Loss mitigation: Used to cover any losses that exceed your truck insurance policy limits.

GAP protection: GAP (Guaranteed Asset Protection) insurance is optional. This coverage covers any “gap” between the actual cash value of your vehicle at the time of loss and what you owe on your auto loan or lease.

How To Find Affordable Commercial Truck Insurance For New Drivers

There are three steps you can take to find affordable truck insurance for new drivers.

Step 1: Evaluate Your Business Needs

Evaluating your business needs will help you identify the coverage you need to avoid purchasing excess or unnecessary coverage. To do this, assess the common factors insurance providers use to set their commercial truck insurance premiums. These include your operating radius, vehicle and cargo type, FMCSA requirements, location, etc.

Step 2: Compare Quotes From Multiple Commercial Truck Insurance Companies

Get quotes from several commercial truck insurance companies and settle for one with high-quality coverage at an affordable rate.

Look at how the rates of different commercial truck insurance providers fare compared to the national average rates. Here’s a guide to help you understand the average commercial truck insurance cost for various coverage options.

Also, evaluate different commercial truck insurance companies based on their reputation, customer support, and availability to get the best insurance company.

You can get quotes from multiple commercial truck insurance providers at once through commercial trucking insurance brokers like Evolution Insurance Brokers.

Step 3: Negotiate Best Deal

Once you’ve identified the best commercial truck insurance providers, negotiate with each and settle for the best deal. Major insurance companies might be reluctant to offer discounts to new truck drivers, but it’s worth a try.

Final Thoughts

Getting the right commercial truck insurance policy gives you the financial stability and peace of mind you need to grow your venture. You might lose thousands to millions of dollars in settlement claims without insurance.

For additional peace of mind and security for your trucking business, we’ve partnered with TrüNorth™ to provide comprehensive commercial truck warranty protection. We can also help finance your commercial truck purchases to help you grow, even if you’re a first-time buyer. Contact us to learn more.

How To Handle A Fatal Semi-Truck Accident

Handling a fatal semi-truck accident is more complex than handling an accident involving regular cars.

Semi-trucks are subject to strict regulations that may not apply to regular cars. You must comply with all the FMCSA semi-truck accident regulations to be safe.

Additionally, more than one party can be liable for the crash. You need to handle the truck accident in a way that protects your rights to compensation for all injuries and damages incurred.

There are nine steps you should take to abide by the law and optimize your chances of maximum compensation. This will help you deal with the aftermath and get back on track sooner.

Handling a Fatal Semi-Truck Accident: 9 Steps

Some truck accidents lead to severe injuries or fatalities. It can be terrifying, but you must stay at the accident scene and avoid panicking.

If you leave the accident scene before following due process, you risk losing your truck driving license or having criminal charges filed against you. Doing this also reduces your chances of getting compensated for any damages. Here’s how to handle a fatal semi-truck accident correctly.

At The Accident Scene

Step 1: Confirm That Everyone is Safe

In a fatal truck accident, your safety and that of your passengers should be your top priority. If you’re injured, stay still until help arrives. If you’re uninjured and can move, check on other occupants of your truck and occupants of other vehicles involved.

Avoid moving any injured victims, as it may make their condition worse.

Step 2: Call Emergency Services

Call 911 to get first responders dispatched to the accident scene as soon as possible. In most states, calling the police to the scene and filing a report is mandatory if the crash led to severe injuries, multiple fatalities, or extensive damage to vehicles.

When dealing with the authorities and any other party approaching you, words matter. Be careful not to admit fault to anyone in any way when giving an account of what happened. Anything you say throughout the investigation can work as evidence against your claim.

Step 3: Collect Evidence

Start building your case by documenting the accident scene. Take pictures of the damage incurred to use as evidence when proving your claim to insurers or the court should your case get to trial. Specifically, take photos of the following:

Your semi-truck and the damage sustained
The other vehicles involved in the crash
Skid marks, shattered glass, and other physical evidence on the ground, such as car parts
Landmarks and street signs to show the location of the truck crash

Often, fatal truck accidents cause a traffic build-up and are newsworthy. You might get tempted to share photos of the scene on your social media pages, but don’t do it. Your online post could weaken your claim and reduce the settlement amount.

Step 4: Get Information on Those Involved

It’s also critical for you to get the details of everyone involved in the crash. In an accident including another semi, pickup, and a cab, the following info may come in handy:

Drivers’ names and addresses
License number of the other semi-truck driver plus the trucking company they work for
The plate number of the semi and further identifying details like the make or model
Insurance company info, including policy number
Eye witnesses’ names, phone numbers, or addresses
Generally, the more information you get, the easier it is for you to file a personal injury claim correctly if you were not the at-fault party.

After The Accident

Step 5: Seek Medical Evaluation and Document Treatment

Seek medical evaluation even if you feel fine. Keep all medical records, including your expenses, safely. You may need these to submit with your claim.

As a company truck driver, you must take post-accident alcohol and drug tests following applicable federal alcohol testing requirements. Your employer is required by law to ensure this happens.

Step 6: Get The Vehicle Appraised

If you’re an independent truck driver or owner-operator, get your semi-truck appraised to evaluate the damage and estimate the repair cost. Ensure you follow the vehicle appraisal guidelines your insurer requires so they don’t refuse to settle your claim.

For those with towing add-on coverage, you can have your vehicle towed. However, request the mechanic not to repair any damage until you clear the vehicle with your insurer.

Step 7: Contact a Commercial Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer

Consult a qualified semi-truck accident attorney before reaching out to your insurance company. The lawyer will help you identify the legal routes you can take and how much in settlement you deserve. Your legal team can also help you handle multiple insurers and deal with any lawsuits you may face.

Step 8: Alert Your Insurance Company

Once you know your legal stand, alert your insurance company and file a claim. Ensure you do this within the time frame specified by your insurer to avoid denial of coverage.

You may also want to file settlement claims with the insurers of all the parties responsible for the accident if you were not at fault. These may include your trucking company, vehicle manufacturers, repair companies, government entities, etc. It’s best to let your lawyer handle this so you can get maximum compensation from each party.

Step 9: Complete Repairs or Get a New Semi

The last step is to get your truck repaired to get back on track. You can also opt to purchase a new semi if the one you have is irreparable. Mission Financial Services can help finance your commercial vehicle loan repairs or new semi-truck purchase. Here’s a step-by-step guide on financing a semi-truck you can follow to get the help you need.

Conclusion

It’s worth emphasizing that you should avoid talking to the representatives of insurance providers (including your own) before consulting your lawyer.

Insurers almost always put their interests first, and they’ll offer less than you deserve. This will happen from when the accident occurs until a fair settlement is reached, so you must stay vigilant throughout.

For more information on financing your truck’s repairs or buying a new one after a truck accident, contact us at Mission Financial Services. We are always ready to help you get your life back on course and can customize our financing options to your specific situation.

What to Do in an Accident With Semi Truck

As a truck driver, you’ll need to know precisely how to deal with a semi-truck accident if one happens.

While it’s essential to know how to avoid accidents in the first place, accidents still happen all the time. Nearly 388,000 truck accidents happen annually across the U.S.

If you can’t prevent the accident from taking place, the best thing you can do is to deal with the accident as efficiently as possible. Each accident is different and will come with its challenges. However, the same general process can be followed after an accident occurs.

Here are the steps you should follow if you’ve experienced a semi-truck accident.

What to Do in an Accident With Semi Truck: Steps to Follow

Check for Injuries

First and foremost, check yourself and others involved for any injuries. While there’s much to consider during a truck accident, safety should always be your priority.

If anyone is injured, call 911 immediately to request immediate medical attention. Even minor injuries should be reported, as a complete medical evaluation may reveal the injuries to be more severe than suspected.

Identifying possible injuries will also help you understand how best to deal with the truck accident in terms of moving vehicles and clearing up any wreckage.

Once emergency services have been notified about any injuries, you can move on to dealing with the semi-truck accident.

Move to Safety

If possible, move your vehicle to the side of the road or a safe location to avoid further accidents. Turn on hazard lights to alert other drivers.

This isn’t possible for some truck accidents, and it’s not a good idea to try to move any vehicles if they’re in hazardous situations. However, if your vehicle is alright and you can clear the road without causing any harm, then try to do this.

Before moving the vehicle, though, you’ll want to take pictures of the car accident. This is important for the truck accident investigation – more on this later.

Call Law Enforcement

Once the scene is as safe as possible, the next step is to alert the authorities about the truck accident.

Contact the police to report the accident, even if it’s minor. Having an official report can be valuable for insurance claims and legal purposes. If you’re a truck driver who crosses state boundaries, it’s wise to know which local law enforcement numbers to call for each state you travel through.

Exchange Information

You’ll need information to contact the other driver’s insurance company. Make sure you exchange this information before departing the scene of the accident.

Exchange contact, insurance, and driver’s license information with the other driver. Include their company name, contact number, and any relevant details. Semi-truck accidents can sometimes be tricky to report and follow through with insurance, but having the other driver’s contact details will help the process.

Gather Evidence

An essential part of dealing with a semi-truck accident is gathering enough evidence to report the accident to your insurance company.

If it’s safe to do so, take photos of the accident scene, the positions of the vehicles, any damage sustained, and road or weather conditions. Taking videos with your mobile phone will also be useful.
The more detailed your documentation is, the better, as this will all help make the insurance claims process go faster. So, take your time carefully documenting the scene of the accident.

Obtain Witnesses

If there were any witnesses to the accident, ask them for their contact information. Their statements can provide valuable support for your case.

While this isn’t always possible or necessary, having an extra witness statement is always helpful to help with any legal claims or police reports.

Limit Communication

While exchanging information with the involved parties is essential, avoid discussing fault or assigning blame at the scene. Stick to the facts when talking to the police, other drivers, and witnesses.

Always try to keep a cool head and focus purely on the accident and how best to deal with it. While your emotional condition can be difficult after a semi-truck accident, staying calm and collected will make the process easier to manage.

Contact Your Insurance Company

As soon as you’ve dealt with the accident, notify your insurance company about what happened. They will guide you on the necessary steps for filing a claim and getting compensation.

Having reliable insurance is one of the most essential parts of starting a trucking company. Once you’ve found the right commercial truck insurance provider, ensure you know how to reach them in an emergency.

Seek Medical Attention

Even if you don’t feel seriously injured, seeking medical attention after an accident is always advisable. Some injuries might not be immediately apparent and could become more significant as time passes.

Avoid Settlement Agreements

While this differs from case to case, it’s generally best to avoid settlement agreements immediately.

Do not sign any settlement agreements or release forms from the trucking company or their insurance representatives without consulting your legal counsel. Make sure you deal with a lawyer when going through settlement negotiations. This will help you get the best deal and compensation for your situation.

You must consult an attorney if the accident resulted in significant injuries, damages, or disputes. Try to consult with a personal injury attorney specializing in commercial vehicle accidents. They often offer a free consultation – so make use of these.

Conclusion

Semi-truck accidents may be the last thing you’ll ever want to deal with. However, they sometimes cannot be avoided.

Knowing how to deal with these accidents will help you get through the accident faster and safer. Following the proper steps will also make it easier to get an appropriate settlement after the accident.

If you need to purchase a new semi-truck, you may need to find the right financing solution to make it happen. Get in touch with us at Mission Financial Services, where we help all kinds of commercial truck drivers access the financing they need to purchase a semi-truck.

Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyers You Should Know About

Navigating a car accident involving commercial vehicles is often challenging. Still, the right commercial vehicle accident lawyers can make things less complicated.

With the right commercial car accident lawyers, going through the claims process to get adequate compensation from an insurance company becomes simple. The lawyers guide you while handling almost everything on your behalf.

There are two types of commercial vehicle accident lawyers you should know about. We discuss this in detail below and share a few insights on what to consider when looking for a commercial vehicle accident lawyer.

Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyers: Why Do You Need One?

If you find yourself in an accident involving commercial vehicles, the two types of commercial accident lawyers you can turn to for help in seeking compensation include:

Regular car accident lawyers
Commercial truck accident lawyers

Both types of accident lawyers fall under the category of personal injury lawyers. Still, they differ in terms of the cases they work on.

Regular car accident lawyers work on all vehicular accident cases, including those involving commercial motor vehicles like buses and taxicabs. In contrast, commercial truck accident lawyers specialize in truck accident cases.

For accidents involving commercial trucks, such as semi-trucks, tanker trucks, and delivery trucks, it’s best to get an experienced truck accident lawyer instead of a regular car accident lawyer.

Why You Need Commercial Truck Accident Lawyers for Truck Accident Cases

You should get experienced trucking accident lawyers for all truck accident lawsuits and not any other type of personal injury lawyer for the following reasons:

Truck Accidents Are Fatal

The size and weight of large trucks make truck crashes more fatal than accidents involving other vehicles. Truck accident victims may suffer life-changing injuries requiring immediate medical attention and additional long-term treatments.

An experienced truck accident attorney is better positioned to calculate the amount of settlement you deserve based on the damages incurred. These may be:

Economic damages: These include current and future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, property damage, and legal fees.
Non-economic damages: These include mental anguish, fear, anxiety, and any other emotional pain and suffering experienced because of the accident.

Truck accident attorneys can also help you access medical treatment on a lien basis if you cannot pay for medical expenses upfront.

Truck Accidents Are Complicated

Semi-truck accidents happen due to a combination of factors. This means more than one party might be legally responsible for an accident involving large commercial vehicles.

For example, a truck crash may occur due to driver error. Say the truck driver failed to stop on time and collided with other commercial vehicles. The error might have happened because the truck driver was asleep or the vehicle malfunctioned.

In this case, four different entities might be liable for the truck crash:

The truck driver: Was the driver driving under the influence?
Truck company: Did they require the truck driver to be on the road for too many consecutive driving hours, leading to driver fatigue?
Truck manufacturer: Did the malfunction occur due to a manufacturing defect?
Truck maintenance company: Did the malfunction happen as a result of poor maintenance?

It’s easier for experienced commercial vehicle attorneys to identify all the parties responsible for the truck collision above and pursue compensation from each one.

Regular personal injury lawyers might find this challenging. So, your chances of getting maximum compensation from multiple liable entities are higher when you get a trucking accident lawyer.

Tractor Trailer Accident Cases Are Tedious and Time-Consuming

The stakes are higher in trucking accident cases than in other personal injury cases. Because of this, insurance companies usually employ underhand tactics to make truck accident victims settle for less than they deserve.

Some of these tactics include intimidation and delayed responses to an accident claim. Truck companies might also put up a fight. They’ll try to interfere with the case by wiping out evidence incriminating them or their commercial drivers.

You need aggressive legal representation to handle several insurers of all liable parties identified in a truck accident claim. This can be tedious, time-consuming, and overwhelming for regular car accident lawyers. On the other hand, commercial truck accident lawyers have mastered truck accident law. They can help you quickly navigate trucking accident cases.

What to Look For in a Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyer

Consider the following factors to find the best truck accident lawyers when you need one:

Detailed Free Consultation

Most law firms offer free case evaluations for truck crash victims. You can always tell how much effort an accident law firm will put into your case from how they handle this initial free consultation.

Experience

An accident law firm handling sizable commercial truck accident cases for decades likely has more experience than a newly established truck accident law firm.

History of Success

How many truck wreck cases has the commercial vehicle accident attorney worked on, including those they’ve taken to trial and succeeded? The answer to this question is often a good indicator of a lawyer’s expertise.

Availability of Resources

Proving fault in commercial truck accidents requires resources. You want to ensure your legal team has enough resources to handle your case. The right resources should include expert witnesses like economists, truck accident reconstructionists, and trucking industry investigators.

Fees

Ensure you understand how a law firm charges for their services before you work with them. Usually, truck accident attorneys operate on a contingency. They’ll take a cut from your settlement.

Final Thoughts

Accidents involving semi-trucks are common even though FMCSA enforces strict safety regulations for trucking companies and their commercial drivers. Their impact is devastating and can lead to severe injuries that affect your work.

You need a qualified commercial truck accident lawyer to help you get the settlement you deserve for all damages incurred in a crash. This might not remove the pain, but it can ease the financial burden of dealing with the aftermath. So, you can focus on bouncing back.

To learn more about finding the right semi-truck accident lawyer for your case, check out our blog.

Best Commercial Truck Insurance Brokers

Finding the best commercial truck insurance brokers can be a tricky task.

Before you go ahead and sign a policy with the first insurance provider you come across, make sure you understand what options are out there. Different commercial insurance plans can vary significantly in both cost and coverage. Your truck is your business’s most important asset, so you must protect it adequately.

This guide explores some of the best brokers to consider to help you find the right insurance company to match your commercial trucking needs.

How To Choose The Best Commercial Truck Insurance Brokers

There are many different commercial truck insurance companies- each offering its unique policies, pros, and cons.

Choosing the right commercial truck insurance company is one of the most important decisions when setting up your trucking business. Your insurance provider can majorly impact your business’s financial security and overall operations.

To help you make an informed choice, here are some crucial steps and considerations to consider when choosing between commercial truck insurance companies.

Assess Your Needs

Understand your business’s unique commercial trucking insurance needs. Factors like the type of trucks you have, the cargo you transport, the routes you take, and your safety record all play a role in the kind of commercial auto insurance you choose.

Research Reputation

Always look for commercial truck insurance companies with a solid reputation in the industry.

Read online reviews, ask for recommendations from other trucking businesses, and check the broker’s history of claims handling and customer service. Getting first-hand feedback from their clients is incredibly valuable when choosing a commercial truck insurance policy.

Expertise

Choose a broker with experience in the commercial trucking industry. Truck insurance can be complex, so working with a broker who understands the specific challenges and regulations of the trucking industry is essential.

Coverage Options

Understand the range of coverage options the commercial trucking broker offers. They should be able to customize policies to meet your unique needs, business size, and motor truck cargo.

This means small owner-operators or trucking companies operating a large fleet can find a suitable commercial truck insurance policy.

Compare Quotes

Getting quotes from multiple brokers to compare their commercial truck insurance premiums and coverage is always a good idea.

This will give you a clear picture of the market rates and help you identify unusually high or low quotes. It will also help you understand which commercial auto insurance policy offers the best coverage.

Claims Handling Process

Ask about the broker’s claims handling process. You want to look for a broker that offers smooth and efficient claims processing. The easier and faster it is to make claims, the more value you could get from the commercial insurance provider.

Transparency

The commercial truck insurance provider should be transparent about the terms and conditions of their policies. Avoid brokers who seem evasive or hesitant to provide clear information. Make sure you understand every detail of the insurance costs, terms, and coverage that they offer.

Additional Services

Some brokers offer extra services like risk management advice, safety training resources, and compliance support. These value-added services can be valuable for your trucking business.

You’ll also want to understand the full range of coverage options the broker offers. Beyond simply insuring your vehicle, look for business insurance, general liability, non-trucking liability coverage, cargo insurance, medical costs, rental reimbursement, and more. There are many different elements that your commercial truck insurance policy can cover.

8 Best Commercial Truck Insurance Brokers To Consider

Now that you know what to look for in a commercial truck insurance broker, it’s time to compare different companies. Here are some of the best commercial truck insurance brokers to consider.

Progressive Commercial

Progressive Commercial is a big name in the insurance industry, offering a range of commercial insurance options. Additionally, Progressive vehicle insurance provides comprehensive coverage for commercial trucks, including plans for trucking businesses of all sizes.

Nationwide

Nationwide provides all kinds of insurance plans – including coverage for commercial trucks. The company has a strong presence in the insurance market and offers flexible plans to match your specific needs.

Allstate

Allstate offers tailored commercial truck insurance solutions. The company provides detailed coverage solutions, helping protect your vehicle and business. This includes collision coverage, liability coverage, comprehensive coverage, and more.

OOIDA

Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) offers affordable coverage for small business owners. The association provides a full range of coverage options tailored to individual truck drivers’ needs.

Aon

Aon is a global company that offers a range of insurance products – including commercial truck insurance. Their policies are flexible to match your specific business needs.

CoverWallet

CoverWallet is technically not an insurance company – it’s an online insurance aggregator tool. However, comparing commercial trucking insurance options is beneficial to find the best broker for your needs.

Evolution Insurance Brokers

Evolution Insurance Brokers offers comprehensive coverage for truckers. Their commercial trucking insurance policies are designed to meet the needs of truckers and businesses of all sizes – including short and long-haul trucking insurance.

The Hartford

The Hartford is a well-respected and long-standing trucking insurance provider. This commercial trucking insurance company is ideal for large fleets, offering nationwide comprehensive coverage options. The company also offers multiple discounts, making the commercial truck insurance cost worthwhile.

Conclusion

These are some of the best commercial truck insurance companies out there. However, the broker and insurance policy you choose should come down to your specific business requirements. Always compare policies and providers to find a solution that matches your business needs perfectly.

Commercial truck insurance is an essential step in buying a semi-truck. You’ll also need to get the proper funding. If you’re interested in purchasing a new vehicle, then get in touch with us at Mission Financial, where we can help you gain the financing you’re after.