General liability insurance for trucking companies

In addition to the risks of operating a truck, small trucking companies face the same liabilities as any other small business. That includes accidental customer injuries and damage to customer property. General liability insurance covers the most common types of third-party injuries and accidents.

This policy provides liability coverage related to:

• Customer injuries
• Customer property damage
• Copyright infringement and other advertising injuries

If your trucking company owns a small office or other property, you may be able to bundle general liability insurance with commercial property insurance in a business owner’s policy (BOP). A BOP almost always costs less than purchasing each policy separately. Trucking businesses that are eligible for a BOP typically:

• Have fewer than 100 employees
• Own a small property
• Make under $1 million in annual revenue
• Operate in a low-risk industry
• Need less than 12 months of business interruption insurance

Talk to a licensed Insureon agent who specializes in the trucking industry to find out if your business qualifies.

If a customer or delivery person slips and falls at your warehouse, there’s a chance you could be blamed for the injury. If the person sues, you may have to pick up the tab for medical bills – plus the cost of hiring an attorney. General liability insurance covers:

• Medical expenses
• Attorney’s fees
• Court-ordered judgments
• Funeral expenses in fatal incidents

This policy does not cover employee injuries. For that, you’ll need workers’ compensation insurance.

In the trucking industry, even a simple mistake can be costly. General liability insurance protects your business when customer property is damaged. For example, if a trucker drops heavy boxes onto weak shelving at a client’s business and breaks it, your general liability policy could help pay for the cost of replacing it.

While advertising your company and its trucking services, your small business could be vulnerable to advertising injury lawsuits. Accidental advertising injuries, such as inadvertently copying a competitor’s logo, are covered by general liability insurance. This includes:

• Defamation, both libel (written) and slander (spoken)
• Copyright infringement

While general liability insurance is one of the most important policies for a trucking company, it doesn't cover every risk. You should also consider:

Workers' compensation insurance: Workers' comp is required in most states for businesses with employees. It covers medical costs for employees who are injured on the job. Sole proprietors should also consider this coverage, as personal health insurance usually excludes work-related injuries.

Commercial auto insurance: This policy covers the cost of accidents involving your company's trucks and other vehicles, including medical payments and legal defense costs. Most states require this coverage for vehicles owned by a business.

Trucking firms typically also purchase marine cargo insurance, which covers property while in transit that the firm is legally responsible for insuring, and trailer interchange coverage, which pays for physical damage to a trailer that the truck driver doesn't own.

Are you ready to safeguard your trucking business with general liability insurance? Complete Insureon’s easy online application today. Once you find the right policy, you can begin coverage in less than 24 hours.