GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE
A growing number of risk managers require for-hire truckers to have Trucking General Liability Insurance. It pays for injuries or property damage you cause as a result of business activities NOT directly related to operating your truck.
Who Needs Trucking General Liability Insurance?
If you’re a for-hire trucker, or motor carrier, you’ll most likely need Trucker’s General Liability.
Examples of situations where a trucker would need trucking general liability insurance:
- Customers or others on insured’s premises for “business purposes.”
- Loading and unloading using a mechanical device not attached to truck or trailer (forklift, front end loader, crane).
- Products and completed operations coverage, excluded by the auto policy.
- Erroneous delivery of products, including liquids. Delivery of products damaged in shipment that cause damages after delivery. The trucker delivered the product, then left, the auto policy does not cover products/completed operations claims.
- Libel and slander exposures. Writing or saying something injurious. For coverage to apply to the person originating the comments, the information cannot knowingly be false or in willful violation of the law.
- Takes in outside repair or performs owner-operator repair (not leased to the trucker). Helps a disabled trucker fix his brakes (gratis) and they fail later.
- Sells an extra tire or parts to another trucker.
- Bodily injury resulting from using self-defense to protect persons or property.
- “Guard dog”, any size, used to protect business property.
- Furnishes free beer at the Christmas party or after a safety meeting. Employee drives home drunk and hits a school bus.
- Contractual liability – Leases, key stop agreement, intermodal, etc.
- Insured rents a motel room while traveling or getting truck repaired. Goes to sleep smoking (or leaves the battery charger on) and burns down room. Fire legal for room.
- Insured gets a call about a previous employee and fails to tell about drug problems.
- Insured did not properly screen driver (negligent hiring).
- Insured gets sued because of someone else’s auto accident (vicariously).
- Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability CAUSED BY THE INSURED
Trucking General Liability Insurance will provide the following coverages:
- Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability
- Medical Payments
- Liability from Products / Completed Operations
- Damage to Premises Rented to You
Limits, Deductibles, and Other Details
General Liability limits are usually the same as the Auto liability and most common is $1 000 000. The rates vary on the type of business, years in business, and deductible amounts