Non-Trucking Auto Liability Insurance
Non-trucking liability is sometimes known as bobtail insurance. It is designed to cover any possible damage to the truck during the time that it is being operated while not actually on the job. For example, your employee may be using the truck for a recreational purpose at the time that it is involved in an accident. Or it may sustain damage during a visit to a filling station or rest stop.
Non-trucking insurance is designed to pay out for these occasions that will not be covered by other forms of trucking insurance. Your best bet will be to combine a policy of non-trucking insurance with another policy, such as Comprehensive or Cargo insurance. This way, the policies can overlap in order to keep you covered at all possible times while you or your employees operate the vehicle.
Restrictions Included in Non-Trucking Liability Insurance
Your liability insurance coverage will not apply if you are transporting any kind of goods or cargo. If anything is being done that relates to your business, this type of coverage is not provided. Some examples include driving to or from your business, gassing up your vehicle, driving to a repair shop for routine maintenance or service, driving during a layover or even washing your truck. If anything were to happen during these instances, it’s likely that you would be utilizing your primary liability coverage.
Do You Need Physical Damage Coverage?
As the owner or operator of a commercial vehicle, you may want to consider adding physical damage coverage to your non-trucking liability insurance policy. If a certain amount of physical damage takes place during an accident, insurance will pay for these damages. This applies to vehicular collisions, vehicle theft, natural disaster damage and the total loss of your vehicle.
Budgeting for Non-Trucking Liability Insurance Coverage
If you have already purchased trucking liability insurance, it’s likely that you’ll be able to affordably add non-trucking liability coverage to your policy. There are a number of different add-ons that can help provide more comprehensive coverage for your fleet of vehicles. Working with a knowledgeable professional can ensure that you’re covering all of your bases when purchasing insurance.
While you may be telling your drivers not to use your fleet for personal use, you may have employees who choose to do so anyway. There may be a last-minute situation where they make the choice to take their vehicle somewhere outside of work. Even if you think you have the best safety precautions in place and the best drivers in town, you’ll want to strongly consider non-trucking liability insurance for those moments where it is questionable whether a vehicle is being used for personal or business use. We’ve all heard of an employee borrowing a truck to help a friend move or pick up a large item. While this process may take place in under an hour, there are many different accidents that can occur during this time frame. You don’t want to put your business at risk for something like this.
To understand what non-trucking liability insurance actually covers and to decide if this would be a beneficial policy for you to invest in, we encourage you to reach out to our staff here at StarNet Insurance Group. We would be happy to walk you through the different policy options that are available, guiding you towards making the right decision that will positively impact your business and your budget. Give us a call today.