Bobtail Insurance For Trucks – What You Need To Know

If you are driving a huge truck, you will have to undertake many responsibilities to safeguard your personal and financial interests. Unlike a conventional vehicle like a car or a van, a truck is a different line of transportation where you need to take care of additional insurance and coverage liabilities by yourself.

As a trucker, you must understand the need and reasons when it comes to bobtail insurance vs. physical damage coverage requirements. Without prior knowledge of the bobtail insurance, and the physical damage coverage options, you will be putting yourself at risk by taking out your truck on the road.

Commercial auto insurance policies for trucks includes the bobtail insurance. If you are a new truck driver wondering when do you need bobtail insurance and why the answer is a relatively simple one, when the truck does not have a trailer attached to it, you will be eligible for the bobtail coverage plan for trucks.

So, the policy is for you if you meet either of the undermentioned criteria.

1- You are a truck driver, operating a truck that belongs to someone else and it does not have a trailer attached.
2- You want to protect yourself from legal actions, or expensive court settlements in case of accidents and collisions of your truck with other vehicles.
3- Your motor carrier policies include carrying the insurance.

Physical damage coverage is the comprehensive vehicle coverage plan that is similar to the insurance plans of other commercial vehicles. It will cover your truck for damages and losses that are the part of your policy. When you go for the physical damage plan, you sit with the policymaker and discuss all options for coverage that will safeguard your financial and safety interest as a trucker. The premium of your physical damage policy will depend on the number of covers you apply for in the plan. You have the option to go for multiple insurance plans at a time or select a method that meets your basic insurance requirements.

How will the Bobtail Insurance Protect You?

The Bobtail policy is exclusive to liabilities. It gives you protection in case of a truck colliding with other vehicles, and the carriage is in someone else’s ownership. In this situation, it goes without saying that at the time of the accident the truck must not have a trailer attached to it.

You will get coverage if you are returning after the delivery of the load.
You get into an accident while you are going to pick the first load.
You get into an accident as you head to your home after the deliveries and are driving the truck.

In all the above scenarios it is important to remember that the policy will not cover and pay for the physical damages of the truck. It will cover other necessary expenses that include legal fees, medical costs, injury claims, and settlement issues.

The Bobtail Insurance Average Cost

Like many vehicles insurances, this type of insurance also checks for many factors that contribute to the average cost of the policy. When a truck driver asks for this insurance, the provider will check for details such as the driving history of the truck driver, any prior accidents on record, the limit requested by the driver, and how many instances will the truck be on the road without a trailer. A driver with no prior accident and a request for a reasonable limit will get the policy for lower rates. On the other hand, if the driver record is not clean, and there are many violations of traffic on his license, not only the price of insurance will go high, but the insurance company has the right to decline the request. On average, with every other requirement met, a truck driver can get the policy for $30 to $60 per month that will provide coverage up to $100,000.

Luckily with fierce online competition, it is not difficult to schedule your quotes online. When you shop for this insurance plan you will find some insurance companies that are exclusively offering this specialized trucking coverage, and you have an option to reach out to the insurance agent, or some sites have interactive features where you can schedule your bobtail insurance quote online as per your requirements.

How to Get the Best Policy?

Like any other policy, the main things to consider when looking for the bobtail insurance is to get at least three quotes and compare the prices and the features of the plan. While you want to save money, you will not want to align yourself with an insurance provider where you make a few dollars savings and let go of some critical insurance cover in the policy. Carefully go through the policy features, read the fine print and seek consultancy with the insurance agent for the matters where you want more information and details. Usually, you will get a no-obligation consultancy with the insurance providers so you should capitalize on that and get all the details from few insurance providers before you decide to purchase a plan.

You can get the coverage in a matter of minutes; however, it is in your interest to align yourself with a quality insurance provider. As a rule of thumb, stay away from agents who offer you cheap third party insurance options, or huge discounts that otherwise does not make any sense. You can find many reputable insurance agencies that will provide you with bobtail insurance at competitive rates. Always check for the insurance company details, such as the number of years they have in this business, the total insurance portfolio, and the claim settlements. A good insurance provider will gladly share all these details with you and give you the security and assurance you look for in an insurance plan. Remember that in case of an accident you should immediately reach out to the insurance company as soon as possible and document your case. If you delay such reports, it can impact your situation and reduce the settlements you may otherwise get for the liabilities.