Published July 2nd, 2009
Truck Insurance 2
How Commercial Truck Insurance Premiums Are Determined
Truck Insurance premiums are calculated according to a variety of factors. These factors are used to determine the financial risk, or probability of an accident, involved in providing a driver with truck insurance. Many factors taken into consideration are things that the driver can have an influence on in order to decrease rates, such as accident history, while others are factors that the insured person has no control over, such as age.
Age of Driver Statistically, younger drivers and very old drivers are more accident-prone. For this reason, drivers in higher risk age groups will have higher premiums. The preferred drivers are typically between the ages of 30 and 65.
Driving Experience The more truck driving experience an operator has, the less their risk assessment will be. Experience with various equipment and weather conditions is inherent in the number of years that an operator has been driving similar types of trucks.
Employment History The number of years that an operator has worked for different companies will be taken into consideration as an experience factor. The more familiar a particular driver is with specific routes and equipment, the less chance there is that an accident will occur.
Accident History A driver who has been responsible for accidents in the past is prone to accidents in the future. For this reason, the fewer accidents and violations a driver has, the less their truck insurance premium will be.
Previous Coverage Truck insurance providers may ask if you previously had insurance coverage. If you have been previously canceled for non-payment of premium or for underwriting reasons, the potential provider will want to know. If you have had truck insurance, the previous carrier can inform the new insurer of your loss history.
Years Operating in Name As with newly employed drivers, a company newly operating in its name is more likely to have the added burdens of management development. As a company becomes more experienced managing its operation, including safety programs, drivers, adherence to regulations, the frequency of losses, etc. is also likely to decrease.
Driving Area The routes a driver has can have an effect on premiums. This is determined by average road conditions and infrastructure, weather during different seasons, and so on.
Cargo The type of cargo a driver carries will also affect their truck insurance premium. Cargo Insurance is based almost entirely on: cargo value, time sensitivity for delivery, potential for theft, etc.
Equipment Operated The value, age, and condition of equipment operated are a determinant in truck insurance premiums. However, the age of a truck is often irrelevant as the condition of the truck is dependent on upkeep, as well as recently installed equipment.
Deductible The deductible is the amount of damage or loss that the insured party is responsible for Typically, the greater the deductible the less the insurance premium will be.
DOT Safety Record A record of an owner operator’s or company’s DOT safety rating, violations, Safestat and Inspection and Selection (ISS-2) scores, etc. is routinely used to assist in determining the truck insurance rate.
Safety Features and Programs Safety features for an insured truck, such as warning stickers, are beneficial for risk assessment. Safety programs for companies and safety trainings for drivers are also helpful.
As a full service truck insurance agency, Cover Me Insurance Agency (CMIA) is dedicated to providing the most efficient truck insurance service with a personal touch. All of our agents have between 5-20 years experience working with owner operators and small fleets.
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