Many truckers have bobtail insurance or they believe they have it. The coverage of bobtail insurance will provide a distinctive form of commercial auto liability coverage. In the trucking industry, owner-operators are leased to motor carriers. If a trucker starts his/her career leasing onto another motor carrier, this will often be a good way to learn the trucking business.
What does it mean to lease with a Motor Carrier? Leasing onto a carrier will generally mean you are providing the services and truck you own to a separate trucking company. When you lease a truck on to a carrier, you will have made an agreement to provide the service of your truck to haul cargo for the company.
As long as the driver of the truck is under dispatch, the main liability of coverage will be provided by the Motor Carrier Policy. Bobtail insurance provides coverage for the truck when it is being driven without an attachment. When a trailer is attached and the truck is being used, bobtail insurance will not provide coverage.
When would a driver’s truck be covered by Bobtail Insurance?
- The truck is being driven consistently back and forth to the job site
- The truck is being driven to a repair or maintenance shop
- The driver has left the last terminal for the day and is headed home
If you have read this far and you know that you have pulled a trailer while you were not dispatched to a job, we do not want you to become too concerned. There is a chance that you may not have a Bobtail Insurance policy. You may actually have a Non-Trucking Liability Insurance policy. The Non-Trucking Liability Insurance policy is a policy that will cover drivers while they are not dispatched.
Operating a truck with an empty trailer in the back can certainly be a risky move. Seasoned truckers are aware of the risks, but newer drivers may not be aware of how impactful weather and driving conditions can be on an empty trailer. One of the important things to remember when it comes to Non-Trucking Liability insurance and bobtail insurance is the trailer.
If you are having trouble determining the type of coverage you will need, please do not hesitate to contact us today. J.E.B. Insurance Services, LLC is licensed in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee & Illinois.
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