Hazmat Truck Insurance

Some of the coverages that are found in many commercial trucking policies include the following:

• General Liability Coverage, which may cover injuries and damage that a driver is held responsible for
• Physical Damage Coverage, which helps protect an actual truck from certain causes of damage
• Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage, which might provide coverage if another driver is at fault but doesn’t have proper insurance
• Excess Liability Coverage, which can extend the limits of underlying policies
• Downtime Coverage, which is frequently used to extend certain coverages to non-working hours 

Other coverages that a company or owner/operator that has a hazmat truck may not be able to find in a standard commercial trucking policy are:

• Pollution Liability Coverage, which might cover cleanup costs and fines if a truck’s cargo spills and contaminates the environment
• Motor Truck Cargo Coverage, which typically covers cargo while it’s in transit
• Hazmat Haulers General Liability, which usually covers non-driving related claims, like wrongful delivery claims
• Loading and Unloading Coverage, which might be necessary to cover cargo while it’s being loaded into and out of a truck

Even if these coverages are available through a standard commercial trucking policy, standard policies frequently have exclusions that stop a policy from insuring hazardous materials. Therefore, it’s often necessary to get these coverages through a hazmat-specific policy.

What New Jersey Businesses Need Hazmat Insurance?

Any business ow owner/operator in New Jersey who transports hazardous materials should check to see whether they need hazmat insurance. Whether a business only transports a hazardous load occasionally or does so on a daily basis, they’re still exposed to the risks that come with this line of work and ought to protect themselves.

What Kinds of Incidents Does a Hazmat Policy Cover?

The exact incidents that a hazmat policy covers depend on its terms, conditions and exclusions. A policy that has robust coverages might provide protection in the following situations:

• Cargo is spilled during a rollover
• A driver backs into someone’s automobile
• A truck is vandalized while it’s parked overnight
• A driver empties the wrong tank into a client’s receptacle
• Equipment inside truck’s cab is stolen 

How Can Businesses in New Jersey Get Hazmat Truck Insurance?

Because hazmat truck insurance is a specialized type of commercial trucking insurance, businesses and owner/operators that need this type of insurance should talk with an independent insurance agent who is familiar with hazmat insurance. Such an agent will be able to provide insights into how a business or owner/operator can best protect themselves, and they’ll be able to find a policy that provides solid protections.