Commercial truck insurance, like regular car insurance, can help protect you in the event you’re involved in an accident or your vehicle is damaged. You’ll need to shop for this type of insurance if you own or lease a truck or you’re running a business with a fleet of trucks and drivers.
Keep reading to learn a bit about commercial truck insurance coverage so you’ll have a better idea of what you need to do to properly insure your semi before you hit the road.
Commercial Semi Truck Insurance: The Basics
With the right commercial semi truck insurance, you can rest assured that you’ll have coverage specifically designed for drivers like you.
There are different levels and types of trucking insurance. Ultimately, what you need might depend on where you work, the type of trucking job you have, the type of cargo you transport, laws and requirements, and more.
Here are some of the many options to consider:
- Primary liability – If you’re in an accident, this type of insurance can help cover the cost of the damage you cause to people and property.
- General liability – If you want more protection for your trucking business, this type of insurance is worth looking into.
- Cargo – In the event that your cargo is damaged, such as during a storm or in an accident, this type of insurance can be there to help.
- Physical damage -If your truck is damaged, this type of insurance can help cover the cost of replacement or repairs.
- Bobtail – If you’re driving your truck without a trailer attached (a.k.a. bobtailing), this type of insurance can help cover you if you’re involved in an accident.
- Uninsured motorist – This coverage can be helpful if you’re in an accident with someone who is underinsured or uninsured.
Commercial truck insurance requirements
What kind of insurance do you need for a semi truck? Well, the goal is to get the right amount of coverage for your peace of mind, but you also need to meet legal requirements for working as a trucker on the open road.
Remember, with the appropriate policy in place, you’ll be protected as a driver, your truck and cargo will be protected, and if you own a business, it will be covered as well.
Typically, you can begin with primary liability insurance as your base and then work from there, adding on more insurance, such as physical damage insurance, as you see fit. That way, you can be covered if you’re responsible for causing harm or doing damage to others and their property, and you can be covered against damage to your property as well.
How Much Is Insurance on a Semi?
When shopping for high-quality insurance for truck drivers, don’t be surprised if you come across some high prices.
The overall cost may depend on several factors, such as where you’re located, the type of truck and cargo you need to insure, your record as a driver, and whether you run a business with a fleet of vehicles or you’re working independently.
For example, a primary liability policy and physical damage insurance might cost thousands. And if you’re adding general liability or bobtail insurance, you might need to pay a few hundred more for each of these levels of coverage.
What is the Best Commercial Truck Insurance?
There are multiple trucking insurance providers you can turn to when you’re ready to get the coverage you need for all of your commercial trucks. Shop around to compare rates so you can find the ideal policy at a price that fits your budget. Then, you can get on the road with greater confidence and security, knowing your insurer will provide you with much-needed support if you ever need it.
Sources:
https://www.merchantmaverick.com/understanding-commercial-truck-insurance/
https://www.cdl.com/trucking-resources/experienced-truck-drivers/commercial-truck-driver-insurance
https://www.caranddriver.com/car-insurance/a36320549/truck-insurance-cost/
Updated: November 16, 2021
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This is a very informative blog post, but I think this just make some little effect like they have to pay the insurance cost. But on the other hand, they also get a free hand of their all lost if an incident happens.
Commercial truck repair seems like it can be pretty expensive. I know that if I was driving freight, I would want to eliminate unneeded expenses. I did not know that you need specialized insurance when not hauling.
Thanks for helping me understand that the most basic commercial truck insurance includes collision as well as comprehensive insurance coverage. If I was in charge of a fleet of commercial trucks, I would want to be sure that if any of my drivers got in any sort of wreck that we would be covered. I also thought it was interesting and helpful that you added that speaking with an insurance professional is the best way to know what coverage is necessary.
Very good comments. There are lots of ways to cover your rig. I love that the physical damage coverage also incudes physical damage not involving an actual accident. This can be crucial if you’re carrying a load and something happens while loading up your truck. There are physical damage coverages. Thanks for you post.
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