Under your own authority
Review primary auto liability, cargo, equipment and any required filings against your routes and contracts.
Owner-Operator Coverage
Owner-operator insurance.
Whether you run under your own authority or lease to a carrier, we help you understand which insurance responsibilities are yours.
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What we look at.
Leased to a carrier
Separate the carrier's coverage from your responsibilities for non-trucking liability, equipment and injury protection.
Off dispatch is not always personal use
Business-purpose trips may fall outside non-trucking liability. The lease and policy wording matter.
Primary Auto Liability
Primary liability for operations under your own authority. Required limits and filings depend on authority, vehicle weight, cargo and operating territory.
Bobtail Liability
Review the actual bobtail form against the lease and intended use. The absence of a trailer alone does not establish that a particular policy responds.
Non-Trucking Liability
Generally for personal use. Maintenance trips, travel between loads and some return trips may still be business use.
Physical Damage
For covered damage to the tractor or trailer. Many stated-amount policies pay the lesser of the stated limit or actual cash value, less the deductible.
Motor Truck Cargo
Match limits and policy conditions to the commodities and highest realistic load values, including theft and refrigeration exposures.
Occupational Accident
Selected medical, disability and death benefits subject to policy limits. This is not workers compensation and does not determine employment status.
Trailer Interchange
Consider liability for physical damage to non-owned trailers under a written interchange agreement. Match the form to the agreement.
What to bring to a review
Bring your lease or authority details, truck value, commodities, routes and renewal date.
Questions & answers
Good questions to ask.
How do bobtail and non-trucking liability differ?
Bobtailing means operating a tractor without a trailer; deadheading generally means pulling an empty trailer. Non-trucking liability generally applies to personal use. Maintenance trips, travel between loads and some return trips may still be business use. Read the lease and actual policy form rather than relying on the label.
Does the motor carrier's policy cover everything while I am leased on?
Do not assume that coverage starts or stops solely with dispatch or delivery. Review the lease, insured status and business-use terms, then identify the equipment and injury exposures you remain responsible for.
Should the stated amount equal my loan balance?
The loan and insurance value are different. Many stated-amount policies settle a covered total loss at the lesser of the stated limit or actual cash value, less the deductible. Agreed-value provisions use a different basis. A loan shortfall may require a separate solution.
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