Finding tractor-trailer insurance can seem quite hard to do, and many people don’t even know where to start. Thankfully, this article is here to give you the details on how to find tractor-trailer insurance, an important way to protect your vehicle or fleet. Saving money on truck insurance is easy to do, but finding the best tractor insurance policies and companies to suit your needs can be a little bit more difficult. This website helps you to get multiple quotes, from multiple companies, so that you know you are getting the best deals on tractor-trailer insurance plans. It is also easier to find the best companies to purchase from, as the research has already been done.
What Is A Tractor-Trailer?
A tractor-trailer is a combination of one trailer and one tractor. These are connected using what is called a fifth wheel hitch. Generally used to transport large loads over long distances, they also have additional names. This can cause some confusion, so knowing what the other names a tractor-trailer is known by can be important. Some people call a tractor-trailer a semi, others an 18-wheeler, others a semi-truck, and other terms are used as well. You can also hear them described as big rigs or semitrailers. Whenever you are reading articles and you see these names, you should know that they are all referring to the same thing. This can help make things a little bit less confusing.
What Kind Of Insurance Do I Need?
While every business is different, and each business needs an insurance policy that fits them, many types of insurance are generally necessary if vehicles are involved. If you, or your team, drives automobiles, tractor-trailers, vans, or any other business vehicle, you will need to purchase liability insurance. There are also insurance policies that help cover damage from collisions. Like personal automobile insurance, you can also pick up a comprehensive insurance policy to cover things like fire, theft, vandalism, and falling objects.
The first step in this process is to weigh your risks so that you know what they are. If you have risks from collision, which includes collision to other vehicles and collision with objects, you may want to pick up physical damage coverage. It is highly recommended, and in many cases required by law, to have liability insurance coverage on your vehicles and drivers.
Additionally, you may decide to get non-trucking insurance. This type of insurance protects you if you are driving without a trailer attached to your truck. Forms of insurance that fall under this category include deadhead insurance, bobtail insurance, and unladen coverage.
You can also get cargo coverage to cover your freight, trucker’s general liability coverage to cover potential legal costs, and pollution/hazmat coverage in case you cause pollution or environmental damage. Determine which of these you need, and research each of them on this site for more information.
How Much Does Tractor Trailer Insurance Cost?
As an owner operator, and one that is leased to a carrier, it can cost in some areas between $2,500 and $5,000 per year. Newer authorities typically see higher rates, which can be up to three times those amounts. Of course, there are many variables like how long your businesses been around, your driving record, what your deductibles are, as well as which types of insurance you choose to carry. Each policy you add-on will be an additional expense, but in many cases, these expenses heavily outweigh the costs of repairing or replacing your tractor-trailer.
Other variables that help tractor-trailer insurance providers determine your rates include age, location, the radius of operation, how much your truck is worth, and your payment plan.
How To Lower The Cost Of Tractor Trailer Insurance?
There are a few different ways to lower your tractor-trailer insurance premiums. If you want to pay less for tractor-trailer coverage, one of the biggest things that you can do is ask about discounts. Insurance companies offer discounts for a wide range of things. Installing airbags in your truck, maintaining a clean driving record, and paying for more of your policy up front can all lead to discounts. You may be able to get discounts because you're insuring multiple trucks, have multiple policies bundled together, and some companies even have unique discounts that no other companies offer. You don’t know unless you ask.
Paying for more of your insurance policy up front can drastically decrease your rates. Some people have reported up to 30% savings by paying for an entire year policy in advance. If you can purchase an entire policy up front, you should consider the savings that you can get.
Of course, like many other types of insurance policies, the best way to get the lowest premium for tractor-trailer insurance is to compare tractor insurance companies to find the best rate. Each commercial insurance company weighs things differently, meaning that your rate will be different from one provider to the next. Simply by shopping around, you can save hundreds of dollars.
