CIS makes your truck insurance Affordable & EASY!
Owner Operators & small Motor Carriers need Primary Commercial Auto Liability Insurance to legally haul freight for hire.
If you’re driving your truck and get into an accident, this coverage helps take care of injuries or damage to someone else’s property.
Plus, it’s there for you and has your back if you ever get sued!
Affordable Commercial Auto Liability insurance for Owner-Operators & small Motor Carrier starts with a few key factors.
- Motor Carrier with DOT Authority vs Leased on Owner Operator
- FMCSA and State Minimum Liability Requirements
- Truck Type
- Cargo
- Radius
Commercial Auto Liability is all about protecting others, but it benefits you too.
In most trucking accidents, the coverage limits you choose are enough to handle a typical claim against you.
Why? Because FMCSA insurance requirements are much higher than standard auto insurance.
So while catastrophic claims do occur, most trucking liability claims are settled within your policy limits.
But if you ever do get sued for causing a driving accident, your Commercial Auto Liability coverage kicks in to support your legal defense.
Commercial Truck Insurance Liability –Think About It...
Imagine this accident: You’re driving in the right lane in heavy traffic when a speeding car suddenly cuts in front of you, then quickly weaves back out to pass a slower car in the left lane. The slow poke driver panics, swerves into your lane, and clips your front bumper, spinning back into their own lane—right into oncoming traffic. The highway patrol shows up and calls it everyone’s fault. Here’s the thing about liability: it basically means, "you’re liable to get sued." Simple as that.
FAQ
General Liability is not a required insurance coverage by FMCSA or your state.
However, your customers might request that you carry General Liability for Truckers because it covers delivery accidents that can happen during loading and unloading or other claims outside of actual driving.
Even if your customer does not require it, are there other reasons for you to pick up a General Liability policy?
In our Think About It trucking accident example above, the personal injury and property damage you may have caused while driving would fall under your Primary Commercial Auto Liability policy.
But let’s take the storyline further. Let’s say that after the accident you get out of your truck in the attempt to give aid to someone who was injured, but cause further injury in the process?
Perhaps you’re exhausted after the accident, drink and smoke more than you should have and fall asleep in your motel room causing a fire?
What if it’s not you driving the truck at all, but a driver you’ve hired with a less than sterling driving record or other questionable history?
In these cases and more, a General Liability policy could come into play for lawsuits for things that can happen while NOT operating your truck.
Watch this video to learn more about the difference between commercial auto liability vs general liability
With larger trucks, the answer is No because your Motor Carrier will provide the Primary Commercial Auto Liability and you will provide your own NonTrucking Liability policy. However, there is a grey area with smaller units and types of contracts which require you to carry your own Primary Commercial Auto Liability and list the Motor Carrier as Additional Insured.
Learn More About Truck Liability Coverage
We’ve been with CIS since March of 2012. They’ve saved us tons of stress over Commercial Auto Liability coverage and rates. Very competitive and they certainly take the extra steps to make sure we are well informed, covered, legal & safe. I stopped even shopping years ago. It doesn’t take long, talking to other brokers to tell that all other brokers have no interest in doing the extra work that CIS does. Thanks a ton Shelly, John, Christina, Kelly & Rachel! FIVE STARS!!!
