It’s hard to find an industry that isn’t supported by a goods carrier or transportation service. It is these service providers, and the expansive capabilities of their equipment, that make up the backbone of commercial trucking.
These service providers aren’t just a random, or chaotic network of drivers though; these service providers are the organized businesses that structure the flow of our everyday needs. Like most businesses, they carry their own set of must-haves to keep their business moving forward, their employees safe, and their loads delivered on time.
Amongst the traffic triangles, the tools, the flashlights and the first aid kit, there’s the support available in most all urgent situations: commercial truck insurance.
Commercial Truck Insurance: the Types of Trucks & Industries it Covers
Though the most familiar truck that comes to mind when the topic of commercial trucking is discussed might be a semi truck, there are a number of other common trucks that populate the commercial trucking industry.
- – Semi- Trucks are a standard that specialize in large load hauling. These are the trucks that carry specialized, oversized loads and other goods of all sorts long distances over land. As of 2021, there were over 4 million semi trucks in operation in the U.S. alone
- – Package Delivery Trucks have become a common place in nearly all cities, towns, neighbors, and even rural areas. Whether its the classic bread trucks delivering to another business, or the rapidly expanded online shopping world’s much needed package delivery vans, these commercial trucks are commonly found daily not far from home. With over 1.3 million package delivery drivers, and their associated trucks in use, there is a reason this industry relies on the much needed commercial truck insurance coverage.
- – Box Trucks, much like those offered by moving services like U-Haul, are an incredible tool and resource that are provided to the community when it comes time to move a lot, all at once. Though not a full semi-truck like you see on the interstate, these trucks are still considered commercial trucks, and thus can be covered with their own commercial truck insurance.
- – Dump Trucks specialize not only in transporting heavy loads, but also the quick offloading of such loads. These are the trucks we often see transporting loose materials such as gravel, dirt, or sand. An unexpected place we see dump trucks, though? On snowy roads since snow plows are technically classified as dump trucks.
- – Car Haulers are seen moving vehicles up and down the interstates and are an essential part of the auto industry. For every vehicle we find on car lots, they aren’t individually driven from the manufacturing plant to the showroom. That has amounted to over 450,000 vehicles shipped every single year as of 2022.
- – Garbage Trucks beep down our roads every week, and we depend on them to remove the refuse gathered throughout the week of living our fast paced lives. In 2011 alone, there were over 136,000 of these trash trucks in operation across the U.S. As the trends of waste generation have increased, so has the waste management industry. The need for more garbage and refuse trucks to match this expansion means more trucks in motion and more commercial truck insurance to tag along.
Whether it’s transporting the goods we use everyday, or the cars we drive; whether they are delivering our online purchases, or picking up the trash leftover each week- commercial trucks are a part of our everyday lives. We are happy to know in all the ways they help make our lives flow, having the right tools and resources, (commercial truck insurance included), keeps them protected and keeps their own flow going
Commercial Truck Insurance: What is it & What Exactly Does it Cover?
Commercial truck insurance is a specially tailored set of auto policies paired with commercial coverage made to protect the unique type of commercial businesses that use trucks.
Common coverage includes:
- – Bodily Injury: covers the medical bills and the potential lawsuit costs that may arise from an accident that was your fault. This also covers someone who might slip and fall on your property.
- – Damaged Property/Damaged Commodities: If your truck damages someone’s property, this will cover the cost to fix and replace the property. Also, general liability insurance will cover the cost and damages if you deliver commodities to the wrong address.
- – Driver Accidents At Delivery Locations: Many variables fit under this particular category, but if your driver causes any damage to property at another site, your general liability will cover the damage.
- – Libel, Slander, & False Advertising Claims: If you conduct any sort of advertising or represent your brand out on the road, general liability coverage also helps out in the event of a libel, slander, or false advertising lawsuit.
Other options to consider and add include:
- – Motor Truck Cargo Insurance: If you suffer cargo damage through accident, disaster, or getting stranded in an ice storm or traffic jam, this insurance endorsement will protect your commodities and any products/items you haul.
- – Bobtail Insurance Coverage: In an accident with just your truck and no trailer attached. this coverage could be added by endorsement and covers accidents that happen specifically when the truck is not being used for a job.
- – Uninsured/Underinsurance Motorists Coverage: covers your medical payments as well as the damage to your truck if you were hit by another at-fault party that happened to not be insured or under-insured.
- – Reefer Breakdown Coverage: A refrigerated truck might have its own equipment and mechanisms to worry about. This specific endorsement to a trucking insurance policy would cover the cost of lost cargo, refrigeration breakdown, or damage of the product due to a collision.
Commercial Truck Insurance: Common & Uncommon Claims
The more common claims made under commercial truck insurance policies include accidents, theft, cargo damage, and liability claims. Just like in normal auto policy claims made following incidents, accidents can result in property damage and bodily injury to others, meaning the coverage of Bodily Injury and Damaged Property/Damaged Commodities is vital. The cargo or load damage claims typically arise from goods being damaged or lost during transport. what are the most unique claims made for commercial truck insurance
Some of the more uncommon or unique claims made under commercial truck insurance policies include coverage for cargo theft, environmental cleanup, and downtime expenses. Some commercial trucking insurance policies even offer specialized coverage for specific types of cargo, such as hazardous materials or livestock.
As often as we see so many of the different types of commercial truck on the roads everyday, its hard to not realize how much this industry delivers the very things that help our lives move forward. Its these service providers that make our lives happen, and we want to provide the right information and service to help make theirs happen too!
For any and all questions, we are here to help. You can access information regarding our Commercial Truck Insurance or reach out directly to us.
541.482.0831 Ashland
541.857.0679 Medford