Insurance might not be the most thrilling topic, but it's certainly an essential one. Let's face it: accidents happen, and when they do, having the right coverage can make all the difference.
We are excited in our partnership with HNI to give you small fleet coverage at large fleet prices. This is one of many advantages of being a TrueNorth member.
In this article from our partner, we'll cover the world of insurance for your trucking business and explore some of the common coverages you should consider.
Auto Liability Insurance
Auto liability insurance (or liability coverage, as it’s also known) helps pay for the costs of the other driver’s property and medical injuries if you are “at fault” in an accident. Your insurer will pay for the property damage and injuries up to the covered limit. There are two types of liability auto insurance, and each covers different items:
Bodily injury liability coverage, often referred to as “BI” coverage, pays for the costs associated with injuries for which you are legally liable.
This means that your actions caused injury to another person and you were found legally responsible for those injuries.
Your BI coverage will pay for bills associated to those injuries, such as:
Medical expenses
Pain and suffering
Lost wages
Property damage liability coverage, often referred to as “PD” coverage, pays for damage done to another person’s or company’s property, as well as for the loss of use of that property.
This means that your actions caused damage to property (a car, a house, a tree, etc.) and you were found legally responsible for those damages.
Your PD coverage will pay for associated bills, such as:
Vehicle repair
Repair to the living room wall you crashed through
Removal of the knocked over tree
Physical Damage Insurance
Physical Damage insurance offers protection for over-the-road equipment. Various deductibles, self-insured retentions, location-specific catastrophe coverage, and other options offer flexibility for a motor carrier’s needs.
Optional coverage can be provided for permanently installed electronic equipment such as computers, cell phones, and other communication equipment. Rental reimbursement, deductible reimbursement for owner-operators, and coverage for shipping containers are also available.
Coverage is automatically provided for:
Payments for certain fluids in a covered loss.
Coverage for towing expenses resulting from a covered loss.
Downtime coverage payments for a covered loss: $450 per week for up to eight weeks after the waiting period
Cargo Insurance
The HNI program's cargo insurance provides broadened cargo insurance for motor carriers who are transporting covered cargo under a bill of lading or shipping receipt.
Features of this coverage include:
Coverage for unrecoverable freight charges after a loss.
Coverage for loss recovery expenses.
Coverage for clean up and pollution removal expenses up to $10,000.
One physical damage deductible applies to the single loss for a single-unit loss involving covered cargo, a tractor, and a trailer. Instead of a deductible applying to each of the units involved in a covered loss, only the highest single deductible of the three applies when the loss occurs away from the premises.
Worker's Compensation Insurance
Workers Compensation insurance provides wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of employment in exchange for mandatory relinquishment of the employee's right to sue his or her employer for negligence.
Additional claims services are available, including subrogation services, medical bill reduction processes, pharmacy programs, nurse case managers, and semi-annual insured claims reviews.
General Liability Insurance
General Liability (CGL) covers third-party injuries and property damage which occur on our insured’s premises.
To guard a company’s financial assets, the HNI program's GL policy provides broadened coverage including the following:
Bodily injury and property damage (other than autos).
Personal injury and advertising injury liability.
Some medical expenses.
Products and completed operations.
Limited fire legal liability on rented or leased property.
Many contractual liabilities from an “insured contract.”
Erroneous delivery of products.
Host liquor liability (as long as the motor carrier is not in the business of manufacturing, distributing, selling, serving, or furnishing alcohol).
Certain off-premises use of any unlicensed “yard goats.”
You can get all of these coverages through our partner HNI with special TrueNorth member discounts. Visit HNI here to get a quote and find the right insurance policy for your company.