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FAQs about Commercial Trucking Insurance: What You Need to Know

Are you a small business owner or commercial truck driver who’s looking for information about commercial trucking insurance? If so, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we’ll answer all of your burning questions about commercial trucking insurance, so you can rest easy knowing you’re covered. 

We’ll start with the basics: what is commercial trucking insurance? In short, it’s a type of insurance that provides financial protection against losses arising from the use of commercial trucks. This type of coverage is important because it can help cover the costs of any damages that may occur due to an accident or other unforeseen circumstances.

So, what do you need to know about commercial trucking insurance? We’ll cover some of the most frequently asked questions in this article, so you can make an informed decision. Let’s get started! 

Do I Need Commercial Trucking Insurance?

If you’re a commercial truck driver, you may be wondering if you need commercial trucking insurance. The answer is yes! Commercial trucking insurance is a must-have for any commercial truck driver. Not only is it required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and state laws, but it also provides a layer of protection in case of an accident.

Primary liability coverage is the most common type of commercial trucking insurance required by law. This coverage pays for medical expenses, property damage, and legal fees in the event of an accident. General liability coverage is also required and covers third-party claims, such as bodily injury or property damage.

There are other types of coverage that may be beneficial for commercial truck drivers but are not necessarily required by law. For instance, bobtail coverage covers the truck when it is not being used to haul freight, and motor truck cargo insurance covers the freight itself. These types of coverage offer additional protection in the event of an accident.

What Are the Different Types of Commercial Truck Insurance

1. Primary Liability Coverage

Primary Liability Coverage is one of the most important types of commercial truck insurance. It provides protection for you and your trucking business in the event of an accident or other incident that causes bodily injury or property damage. Primary Liability Coverage is usually required by law to operate a commercial truck in the US, and it is typically the most expensive type of coverage.

2. General Liability Coverage

General liability coverage is one of the most important types of commercial truck insurance. It provides business owners with protection against a variety of third-party claims for bodily injury, property damage, and personal and advertising injury.

This type of coverage is necessary for any business that operates a commercial truck, as it will provide protection if a third party is injured due to the truck’s operations. This type of coverage may also provide protection if the truck’s operations damage a third party’s property.

In addition to providing protection against third-party claims, general liability coverage can also provide protection against legal costs associated with defending a lawsuit. This type of insurance can also provide coverage for medical payments, which can help to cover the costs of medical treatment for those injured as a result of the truck’s operations.

3. Physical Damage Coverage

Physical Damage Coverage is a type of commercial truck insurance that covers repairs or replacements to your truck and trailer in the event of a collision, fire, theft, or other physical damage. This type of insurance is important for truckers as it can help protect their assets and keep their business running smoothly.

The Bottom Line: The Importance of Having Commercial Trucking Insurance

In conclusion, having commercial trucking insurance is essential for any business that operates trucks on public roads. It provides financial protection against accidents, theft, and other liabilities. It also helps businesses comply with state and federal regulations, and provides peace of mind for businesses. For these reasons, businesses need to make sure they have the right commercial trucking insurance in place.

Are you looking for the best insurance coverage in Conyers, GA? If so, you’re in luck! The Tabb Insurance Agency is dedicated to providing Conyers residents with the best insurance coverage options available. With years of experience in the insurance industry, we’re committed to making sure you get the protection you need at an affordable price.

Understanding the Details of Commercial Car Insurance

You might need to obtain commercial car insurance coverage if you own a business that depends on vehicles for its operations. Additionally, you may need commercial coverage if you use your personal vehicle for job-related activities other than commuting to work, running errands, or going on road trips.

The sections below show more about how commercial car insurance works and how it can benefit your company.

Overview of Commercial Car Insurance

Despite sharing many characteristics with personal auto insurance, commercial auto insurance is created expressly for automobiles used for or by a business. This can apply to both personal vehicles and those you purchase for a company you operate.

Commercial auto insurance may provide both liability coverage and collision coverage for company vehicles and their drivers. If you are in an accident, the former helps cover the other driver’s repair costs and medical expenses. The latter pays for any damages or medical costs you or your vehicle may incur in the event of an accident.

One advantage of purchasing commercial auto insurance for your business is that your premiums are frequently tax deductible. To potentially lower your yearly tax liability, you can deduct them as a business expense.

Tax deductions for personal auto insurance rates are uncommon unless you use the car for business. You may not be able to subtract the entire premium amount even then. 

Common Coverage of Commercial Car Insurance

  • Delivery vans or trucks
  • Work vans
  • Dump trucks
  • Vehicles used in construction, such as forklifts
  • Food trailers and trucks
  • Service utility trucks
  • Box trucks
  • Company vehicles

Benefits of Commercial Car Insurance

Some cases that are unique to a business and its requirements are covered by commercial car insurance. For instance, you could require non-owned vehicle coverage as part of your policy if you have employees who use company cars or trucks. 

If you are self-employed and exclusively use your vehicle for business, you must have a commercial policy that covers it.

Commercial auto insurance might provide liability and accident damage protection. The limits of your liability coverage may be more than what you typically receive from a personal insurance policy.

This is helpful if you’re worried that your business will be sued after an accident involving you or one of your employees.

Commercial auto insurance may also cover other benefits besides liability and collision insurance. The following are some of these further advantages:

  • Accident-related personal injury claims or medical expenses
  • Theft, vandalism, falling objects, or weather-related damage
  • Uninsured or underinsured drivers’ damages
  • Costs associated with renting a temporary replacement vehicle for your business 
  • Rental cars for clients or staff
  • Cars owned by employees and used for work

The contents of commercial cars might be covered by your insurance. For instance, if you were to run a contracting business and transport tools or supplies in your work vehicles and the supplies inside the van were stolen, your commercial auto insurance policy might give compensation. 

Conclusion

If your company needs commercial car insurance, do your homework on the available possibilities before choosing one. Ask your current insurer if they also provide business insurance if you already have personal auto insurance. 

You might be able to get a deal on business insurance as an existing client. Additionally, if you’re occupied with running your everyday business operations, having all of your insurance in one location may be simpler than dealing with various insurers.

Get your commercial auto insurance in Conyers from The Tabb Insurance Agency. We offer different insurance plans and high-quality service in Conyers, Georgia, for your personal and business needs. Call us now to get started.

Is Employer-Provided Insurance Enough?

You sit down with your new employer to discuss benefits, and they mention providing a low-cost or free life insurance policy. Great! You’re set, right? Don’t be so sure… Insurance provided through an employer group policy, especially life insurance, is likely not going to be sufficient for your needs and those of your dependents.

It Looks Good On Paper, But…

We’re human. If someone gives us something for free – or even cheaper than we expect – we jump at the chance to take it. This is completely understandable, but you shouldn’t let the “too good to be true” nature of employer-provided insurance blind you from seeing what you really might need coverage-wise. A life insurance plan provided through your employer likely amounts to only one or two times your salary. True, you may have the option to purchase additional coverage through your employer’s plan, but even this additional coverage might not be sufficient.

What Happens if You Leave Your Job?

If you find yourself in between jobs, and you have lost your employer-provided life insurance, your dependents will be left vulnerable in the unthinkable case of your death. Just like other workplace benefits, employer-provided insurance is not portable. You could leave your job for a number of reasons – health issues, termination, retirement, or simply wishing to move on. Even taking a leave of absence or switching to a part-time schedule could affect your eligibility for benefits. To protect against dangerous gaps in your insurance coverage, the smart thing to do is to purchase your own individual life insurance policy.

It’s Better to Act Now

Another factor to consider is your age and health status. If you are young and healthy, now is the best time to purchase life insurance in the individual market. Your premiums will likely be lower, and as you age your premiums may be higher, or it may be more difficult to qualify for coverage. Avoid potentially being declined in the future by securing the coverage you need now.

Determine What You Really Need

Opinions vary on how much life insurance the average person needs. Most experts recommend 10 times your salary. Some individuals may be able to get away with purchasing less, or even with sticking with or adding to their employer-provided coverage. That’s great! However, people with large numbers of dependents or significant debts will certainly need the most coverage they can afford. An independent insurance agent can assist you in determining how much life insurance you should have based on your own unique circumstances. Reach out today to get a quote from an agent with the experience to understand what you need.

Strategies to Reduce Employee Illness and Injury

As a business owner, the health and safety of your employees should be a top priority. Not only are healthy employees happier, but they are more productive, too. Ultimately, having high health and safety standards will also reduce costs to your business since insurance premiums will be lower with a cleaner safety record. Additionally, having employees that are healthy and able to work will reduce costs that would arise from loss of productivity or hiring and training in the case that your employee has an accident and is unable to continue.

ROOT CAUSES

Workplace injuries or illnesses can occur for a number of reasons. Improper application of safety procedures or protective gear, misuse of equipment, lack of ergonomic solutions, and overexertion from overtime work are common themes that lead to workplace injury–or even death. It is important to pay attention to the past injuries or accidents that have occurred at your business, so you can plan to prevent them in the future.

EDUCATION IS KEY

The best way to ensure that health and safety standards are met in your workplace is to regularly educate both management and staff about the proper procedures. While everyone may receive this kind of training in orientation, employees that stay on for several years will eventually forget what they learned and may unintentionally lapse in their duties to uphold the company’s standards. For this reason, it is a good idea to schedule employee health and safety refreshers at regular intervals.

DEVELOP A PLAN

With regular meetings about wellness and safety comes an increased awareness of the unique safety concerns that may be present at your business. Each type of business will have its own specific concerns. Meetings can be an excellent way to hear the concerns and opinions of all employees and identify matters that may need to be investigated or procedures that may need to be adjusted. If your business does not already have a health and safety plan, use these meetings to develop one based on the input of your management and staff.

GET INSURED

Implementing high health and safety standards can do a lot to reduce the frequency of employee illness and injury, but accidents may still happen. In the case that they do, you want to make sure your company has the right insurance coverage to take care of your employees and prevent losses to your business.