Shopping for bobtail insurance is tough because it’s a specialized trucking product and most agents don’t write it. We can help you quickly find the cheapest bobtail insurance by bringing you 3 trucking agents to compete for your business. They compete and you save!
Who Needs Bobtail Insurance?
In a nutshell, if you are under a lease agreement with a motor carrier and find yourself driving sometimes without a trailer attached, aka bobtailing, you will most likely need bobtail insurance. Another way to look at it, is do you ever drive your truck when you are not under dispatch? You will need bobtail truck insurance because your motor carrier’s liability insurance doesn’t cover you when you use your truck for non dispatched purposes.
Most owner operators under lease agreements are covered by the motor carrier’s primary liability insurance while hauling loads for them. But what happens when you are driving between loads? This is when bobtail insurance kicks in. If you are an owner operator leased to a motor carrier, you most likely need bobtail insurance or non-trucking liability insurance. These types of liability coverage are typically used by independent contractors to cover the gaps in the insurance provided by their motor carrier.
If you are a trucker under a lease agreement, ask yourself:
- Do I ever drive my rig without a trailer attached? If you answered “Yes,” then you need bobtail liability insurance.
- Am I already covered for Bobtail? Sometimes bobtail insurance is included in a motor carrier lease agreement. Request a copy of your lease agreement to see which forms of insurance you’re responsible for and which you already have.
What’s Included in a Typical Bobtail Insurance Policy?
Bobtail liability insurance, like typical commercial auto liability insurance, will usually cover damage to person or property. Exactly what bobtail insurance covers will depend on the policy terms. Typical truck insurance coverage and limits:
- Liability insurance with limit options up to $1,000,000
- Uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage
- Medical Payments for bodily injury claims
Commercial Truck Insurance – Owner-Operator vs Motor Carrier
Leasing onto a motor carrier is a popular option for many. Less headaches and more hauling…. At least that’s the idea, right? Despite the popularity of this model, it’s been under attack recently. The debate centers on labor, payroll taxes and if owner operators are actually employees and not independent contractors. The ATA is helping to be the trucker’s voice on capital hill. Apart from the political debates, sometimes it’s confusing to know who is covering what, when it comes to insurance, in these relationships. Here’s who usually covers what in these independent contractor business structures:
Bobtail Insurance Cost
Bobtail Insurance Costs vary, but are usually $35-$60 per month. This is much cheaper than trucking liability insurance, and is a major reason why many people choose haulage contracts with motor carriers. A trucker operating under someone else’s trucking authority, will have a much smaller insurance bill. Keep in mind that since you are bringing your own truck to the table, you will need physical damage insurance too to protect you against property damage. Check here to read more about the cost of bobtail insurance.
Where Do I Get Cheap Bobtail Insurance?
To find the best bobtail insurance at the lowest price, it’s crucial to compare policies between different companies. This is often difficult since commercial trucking insurance providers are hard to find. The best and easiest way to choose a new bobtail policy is to fill out our quick form and get three different insurance agents will call you and compete for your policy. Each agent will offer you a different policy at a different price: you choose for yourself which one is best for you.
I have my own authority and truck insurance. Do I need Bobtail Coverage?
If you have your own authority, your primary liability policy most likely already covers you when your trailer is detached. In that case you wouldn’t need bobtail coverage. It’s a good question, and you should always make sure you have coverage for the scenarios that arise in your operation. You don’t want to take chances with your livelihood.
Don I need non-trucking liability insurance instead?
Good question! The answer, of course, is it depends. It’s going to depend mainly on what does your lease agreement / haulage contract require? Insurance companies define terms differently, so you need to review the policy for non-trucking liability insurance covers to see if you would be covered for how you use your truck.
Bobtail is often confused with non-trucking liability insurance so don’t feel bad if your head is about to explode. Talking your insurance options through with a few experts will help you know if you need to carry bobtail insurance or if non-trucking insurance will provide better coverage for your semi-truck. Check out this article to learn more about the difference between bobtail insurance and non-trucking liability insurance.
Physical Damage and Bobtailing Scenario
Sometimes it’s helpful to get a typical real-life scenario to better understand bobtail insurance. For example, on a day off, while you are not under dispatch you find yourself driving your truck. You have to take your truck in for service. So you bobtail on up to the truck shop 20 miles away. On the way, a deer jumps in front of you, you over correct and end up mowing down an telephone pole. Good news, you have bobtail insurance and your insurance company picks up the tab to replace to pole and the other damage that was caused. Damage to your truck? That’s covered by the physical damage part of your policy.
Do you offer temporary bobtail insurance?
Yes! Sometimes you just need a temporary truck insurance policy if you are driving a truck home from the dealer. You aren’t quite ready for an annual policy yet, but need to get the truck home. These temporary bobtail insurance policies are perfect for this. It’s just 20 miles home, but what if there is an accident on the way? You need insurance 100% of the time you are using the truck. If you just need insurance for 24 hours or 48 hours, you can get a quote for that too with our service.
Get 3 Bobtail Insurance Quotes
Driving without the right insurance is often a recipe for disaster. Make sure you are covered with a loaded truck or when you are driving without the trailer attached. Over a hundred thousand trucking companies have used our service to find the trucking insurance products that provide coverage at the best prices.
Simply complete our quick form and we’ll get you in touch with different commercial insurance agents who’ll offer bobtail insurance quotes for you to compare. They’ll find the best bobtail insurance coverage for you and your truck and offer a quote. Get bobtail insurance at the best price!
