Insurance Coverage

Commercial vehicles have the potential to do extraordinary damage. Without the proper insurance coverage, the victims may suffer. Did you know that a typical semi-truck or big rig can weigh up to 80,000 pounds? Now picture that vehicle getting into an accident with a regular passenger vehicle. Who do you think is likely to suffer the most?
Because commercial vehicles have the potential to inflict this extent of damage, it is absolutely essential that the trucking company is covering their drivers with the proper insurance. Having a lesser policy (being under-insured) is a good way to guarantee that it’s going to be difficult for the accident victim to recover the benefits that they are entitled to.

According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, any vehicle over 10,000 pounds must be covered at a minimum of $750,000. There are additional regulations that come at a higher price for those trucks that are responsible for carrying various hazardous materials. Although there are federal regulations, rules for insuranc

e minimums will differ from state to state. For example, the state of Texas has minimum liability coverage of 30/60/25. What this means is that $30,000 is the minimum requirement for injury coverage, $60,000 for bodily injury per accident and $25,000 for property damage coverage per accident. Check your state’s regulations for further clarification.

Even small businesses need to consider the possibility of obtaining commercial vehicle insurance. While large trucking companies are under more scrutiny, businesses with as few as two vehicles used for the purpose of business or transporting goods and services should be covered. In the event of an accident, it will not only protect the driver of the commercial vehicle, but ensure that the victim is properly covered as well. Often when a business purchases a commercial vehicle insurance policy, it will have to list all potential drivers on it in order for coverage to apply.

Trucking companies may not want to list all of their drivers on their insurance policy. One reason could be that rates might increase the more potential drivers there are. Another reason would be to hide the presence of a driver with a poor driving record. Commercial drivers with poor records cause insurance premiums to go up. If the driver of a large truck caused a collision that you were involved in and they were not properly insured, there is still hope for coverage. This means that you may want to consider seeking legal representation from a qualified attorney familiar with truck accidents and both federal and state commercial insurance regulations.