8 Best Insurance Policies for Dump Truck Businesses

Are you starting a dump truck business and are considering the type of insurance policies to buy? If YES, here are best insurance policies to buy. Almost half-million truck accidents happen every year on the nation’s roadways – many of them involving dump trucks, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Therefore, if you own a dump truck as an owner operator or you are a business owner with a dump truck fleet, you need proper dump truck insurance. Coverage for dump trucks fall under commercial vehicle insurance, a general category of insurance. Dump truck owners, like the owners of other commercial vehicles, are expected to carry liability insurance in order to have these trucks operational on the roadway.

Since dump trucks are designed primarily for use in off-the-road applications, the design of these trucks entails that collision with regular vehicles can leave behind fatal repercussions. Every week in the U.S., the Bureau of Labor and Statistics notes that there is at least one fatality related to dump truck accidents.

According to reports, the average price of a standard $1,000,000/$2,000,000 General Liability Insurance policy for a small dump truck business ranges from $97 to $109 per month based on location, size, payroll, sales, and experience. Although the rates you pay are based on the truck, including the make, model, year, weight and so on, it may also be based on things such as your driving history and credit.

What are the Best Insurance Policy for Dump Trucks?

1. Non-trucking Coverage (NTL)

This type of policy is ideal for independent owners and operators of dump trucks who take on contract jobs. The coverage provides liability insurance if the owner operator is involved in an accident outside the scope of commercial use. It covers damages and injuries to third parties that occur when you are driving your truck for non-business purposes, such as running personal errands.

If you have a dump truck accident when you are not working, non-trucking liability pays for the other person’s medical bills and property repairs. This coverage is mainly for drivers under a lease with a motor carrier. Even though they typically are covered by their motor carrier’s general liability insurance, that policy is only for business activities like hauling cargo, dead-heading or traveling for maintenance. Drivers still need non-trucking liability insurance to cover non-business driving.

2. Motor Truck General Liability

This type of coverage protects your business from liability when you or your employees cause damage to a customer’s property while your vehicle is being operated on the customer’s property. General liability insurance, sometimes called public liability insurance in the trucking industry, covers third-party bodily injuries and property damage that are common to most businesses and aren’t related to truck driving.

Owner-operators with authority, freight forwarders, and motor carriers are required to carry public liability insurance by law. Nonetheless, the coverage is a good idea for any business owner because it pays for a number of common business risks. Drivers under lease do not usually need general liability insurance as most are covered by the motor carrier’s policy

3. Physical Damage Insurance

Physical damage insurance pays for damages and repairs to your dump truck caused by certain covered perils, including accidents, natural disasters, theft, and vandalism. Note that it is not legally required, but it is recommended for all drivers. Additionally, most lenders require physical damage insurance for financing. Physical damage insurance comes in two parts:

• Collision: Pays for damage to your rig when it collides with another vehicle.
• Comprehensive: Pays for damage caused by most other perils, including theft, hail, vandalism, and fire.

Most motor carriers’ liability insurance extends to drivers, but that doesn’t cover physical damage to the driver’s truck.

4. Motor Truck Cargo Insurance

The cargo you haul sometimes is required to be covered by insurance. This is usually a requirement of most shippers and clients, although limits may vary. Motor truck cargo insurance covers your responsibility for the cargo you carry, typically paying out when it is lost or damaged. The coverage is not a legal requirement, but it is recommended for all owner-operators and for-hire motor carriers. Basic triggers for motor truck cargo insurance include:

• Fire
• Collision
• Theft
• Water damage
• Equipment breakdown
• Striking of a load

5. Bobtail Insurance

Bobtail insurance is liability insurance that covers you and your dump truck when you are driving for business but not hauling a load, like when you are travelling between jobs. The policy pays your legal bills if someone sues after an accident. Motor carriers often require leased drivers to carry bobtail insurance. Some examples of accidents that trigger bobtail insurance include accidents:

• On the way to pick up your first load
• After you drop off a load and are on your way to pick up the next
• On your way home after a delivery

Note that this insurance is often confused with non-trucking liability coverage. Both cover gaps in the liability insurance commonly provided by motor carriers. However, bobtail insurance covers business-related driving, whereas non-trucking is for personal driving.

6. Trucking Liability Insurance

Trucking liability insurance, also known as primary liability, pays for injuries and property damage you may cause others when operating your dump truck. Interstate truckers who haul non-hazardous goods are federally mandated to have a minimum of $750,000 of truck liability insurance. Intrastate truckers have to carry the minimum as mandated by their state’s laws. Trucking liability policies usually require every truck to be scheduled or listed on the policy. Insurance companies will not pay claims if the truck is not scheduled.

7. Trucking Umbrella Insurance

The amount of damage a dump truck can cause means claims often exceed your dump truck liability limits, and this makes trucking umbrella insurance a valuable coverage. Like other commercial umbrella policies, this policy extends the limits of underlying liability policies. If a claim costs more than what your other insurance covers, umbrella liability pays the rest.

8. Environmental Coverage

This coverage protects you from pollution-related losses, costs, and fines in the event of a turnover or spill. It may pay for cleanup and restoration costs too.

Companies That Offer the Best Insurance Policies for Dump Truck

1. Progressive Commercial

Progressive Commercial is the best insurer for owner-operators who want discounts on top of already low rates. It provides a long list of discounts for their dump truck insurance customers, reducing rates for having a commercial driver’s license (CDL) for two years, being in business for three years, or paying in full at the start of a policy. As the business division of the nation’s third-largest commercial auto insurance provider, Progressive Commercial has plenty of experience getting truckers fast, affordable coverage they need.

2. Commercialinsurance.net

Dump truckers who have been declined by other insurers should try Commercialinsurance.net. As a referral service, Commercialinsurance.net works with more than 200 insurance carriers, agencies, and brokerages, many of which can cover hard-to-insure businesses. Dump truckers who use this service also get help comparing quotes and coverage from a company representative who then connects you directly to an agent who can complete your purchase. Since Commercialinsurance.net works with so many carriers and brokers, most truckers see the carriers’ best price on their dump truck insurance policies.

3. Travelers

Travelers is a popular insurance company with a long history of offering quality coverage to businesses of all sizes. Its broad cargo insurance coupled with Free State and federal filings assistance and fleet safety resources make it the perfect company for small fleets of company-owned trucks, especially for manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors who often have a wide travel radius. Travelers offer its commercial trucking insurance through Northland Transportation.

4. Lancer Insurance

Lancer Insurance is the ideal commercial truck insurance company for long-haul truckers who want to keep all of their essential policies with one carrier. It provides a commercial package for owner-operators and fleets with up to 10 power units that combine liability, physical damage, general liability, and cargo coverage so that policyholders only have to deal with a single bill, renewal date, and claims adjuster. In addition, Lancer keeps policyholders abreast of regulatory updates and safety best practices, even offering onsite safety visits to help with driver training and loss prevention.

5. HUB International

HUB International is one of the best choices for dump truckers with routes throughout the United States and Canada. Aside from that HUB can cover your business extensively, it also offers member benefits that include a 24/7 roadside assistance program. For just $399 per year, dump truckers get coverage for loads, tire changes, replacement parts, and more. HUB International is a huge global property and casualty insurer with a team of specialists dedicated to ensuring the transportation industry. It offers a wide array of policies for owner-operators, motor carriers, and towing businesses of all sizes.

Conclusion

Getting the best dump truck insurance for your business requires focusing on value, not price. The cheapest policies are not often the best. Additionally, insurance coverage that is too low can hurt your business if you are driving under your own authority because it can prevent you from getting jobs with freight brokers. Owner-operators who want the appropriate coverage should work with an agent with experience in truck insurance.