For the owner operators with their own authority insurance question.

I have no problems with them being added as additional insured -- at least 20 of the top 25 brokerages (by annual net revenue) has required it. Takes my insurance agent's receptionist 15 seconds to add a company name/address to a certificate & email or fax back to them/me.

Of the 25 largest brokers, 2 have required 1,000,000 General liability, 1 listed it as a requirement but accepted me without it, and 2 have requested but not required it. As far as I'm concerned, until such point where it becomes financially worthwhile to buy a 1,000,000 General liability policy, I won't get one. The 2 hold-outs don't pay better than anyone else, so unless they had exclusive contracts in lanes you need -- I'd just let the free market do its thing.

 

I see a big problem with it ! Sorry, I have no solutions to offer you. All you can do is try to find the most reasonable person at that organization, explain you are more than adequately insured to perform the services they require and here is your rate for the work. Then kindly explain you would be happy to oblige them by providing additional insurance requirements and here is the rate with increased insurance.

I would be curious to know if requiring general liability coverage even protects them that much. If a guy falls off his trailer and splits his head open, great he has general liability, but it's still their property, and I would suspect the carrier's insurance company may even come after them which I can only imagine would be 10X worse than if the guy hurt himself without the insurance.

 

yes, additional insured, and I can only imagine the response you would get if you countered them by suggesting they add you as additional insured on their liability insurance !

 

you could just as easily be damaged due to their negligence as vice versa. Someone runs a forktruck into the hood of your truck, fall into an open hole, I mean you name it. If they need to be listed as additional insured on yours to feel good about doing business, stands to reason it works both ways. And if you fully trust them to file a claim or assume responsibility then they should reciprocate that as well, yes ? I mean, maybe I misunderstand the reasoning for additional insured. But if it is to give them access to file claims on your insurance I just find it all silly. Why do they need that access ? You will file a claim if one is warranted, and if you don't they can always sue you. Why the need for additional insured ?

 

No matter what you pay... some companies will **** you over, just like the insurance companies will jack the price up every year... year after year.

Sooner or later there is going to have to stop sooner or later or get out of the transportation business all together.

Some O/O have already been selling their trucks and/or jumping into a larger company trucks as just a driver and not an O/O anymore.

It seems to be a trend with larger companies buying out smaller companies all the time with no end in sight.

 

I use Progressive co., they charge me $25 for any additional insured's that need to be added, but I have not run into what you're talking about (not Yet anyway, but it figures).

Ya, if Congress ever does pass that liability minimum increase from $1 million to 5 million, a lot of us are done. Unless the cost was minimal, which I doubt it would be.