Bobtail Liability For the Trucking Industry

Posted by Andy Johnson | Trucking | Saturday 19 February 2011 3:47 am

Trucks are not cheap by any means, and the costs to service and repair them are phenomenal. Trucking companies are at greater risk of this since their trucks are always on the road. Insurance is a very important thing to invest in whether you are a big trucking company or an independent operator. If you are interested in going down that road then consider the different types of coverage that you can get. A particularly interesting one you should take a long look at is bobtail liability. Primary liability with trucks is the same as that which you will find with other vehicles. It is essentially a set amount of coverage that you will receive in order to cover any damages caused by you if you were driving a truck. Most states will require that you have this at the very least. Without it you can end up spending months, even years paying off debt, and your business could go belly up.

Physical damage coverage is designed to cover the costs of repair or replacement as a result of damage to your truck or trailer. These are damages not caused by you, and can include collision, fires, earthquakes, storms, floods, theft and vandalism. The amount you pay will depend on how much your truck is worth. The higher the value the more you will pay. Bobtail insurance, sometimes referred to as non trucking liability, is designed to provide coverage for any damages that happen while the truck is not in use for business purposes. This means that it covers any accidents when you have not been dispatched. This may include getting the truck washed or going to the store. Damages sustained while in official use will be covered by the primary liability.

Although the above three types of coverage are the main types of insurance any truck operator should look to have, there are a number of others that can come in handy. Trucks don’t just get driven around for nothing, and there are items on board. Accidents happen and when they do the responsibility is the driver’s. Trailer interchange coverage is designed to cover the costs of damages that are sustained by the trailer or any equipment belonging to somebody else. Motor truck cargo coverage covers the costs of damage to the cargo that was meant to be delivered.