Most of the insurance you take out for your trucking company covers incidents or accidents while you work. However, if you want complete coverage, then you should consider adding a non-trucking liability policy to your insurance portfolio. How does non-trucking liability insurance work? What are its benefits?
What Is Non-Trucking Liability Insurance?
Your general liability insurance covers you if one of your truck drivers has an accident while they are on the job. If someone is injured or something is damaged, then you use this coverage when you make a claim. However, this insurance only covers times when your truck is being used for work.
Non-trucking liability coverage steps in if one of your drivers has an accident while they are using one of your trucks for personal reasons. You get the same kind of liability coverage here. A non-trucking policy will pay for medical expenses and property damage. The only difference between these two policies is your driver's work/leisure status at the time of the accident.
Some trucking companies take out this insurance on a company-wide basis. They insure their trucks and drivers. Others require their drivers to buy this coverage if they might ever use a truck for personal reasons.
Why Buy Non-Trucking Liability Insurance?
Regular liability insurance gives you limited coverage. If you allow your drivers to use their trucks on personal trips, then you need the extra coverage of a non-trucking policy. If you don't have this coverage, and a driver has an accident in one of your trucks when they aren't on the job, then you could be held liable for any costs.
Non-trucking liability insurance is also useful even if you have a policy of non-personal use on your trucks. You can't 100% guarantee that a driver will never use a truck for personal trips. For example, a driver might be called home because a member of their family has a medical emergency. They might simply leave their job and drive home in your truck to get there as fast as they can. Or, a driver might ignore your rule and take a truck home at night to get a quick start in the morning.
If they have an accident now, then your regular liability insurance won't be much help to you. It doesn't matter if you tell your drivers not to use their trucks for personal use. You could still be hit with a lawsuit. You cover all your bases, and protect your business finances, if you have this additional coverage. Your insurer will pick up the bodily injury and property damage costs.
To learn more, talk to commercial truck insurance companies.
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