Table of contents
Unladen liability insurance or unladen liability policy is often confused with non trucking liability insurance and bobtail liability insurance . In truth, this policy is very different from the two policies we mentioned. To shed better light on this matter, we’ll answer your questions such as what is unladen insurance and how much does it cost as well as what are the best unladen insurance companies, and more!
Also read:
The International Risk Management Institute defines unladen insurance policy as a, “ motor carrier or trucking liability coverage while a truck is operated with an attached empty trailer that is not hauling cargo (i.e., deadheading) or without any trailer (i.e., bobtailing), regardless of whether the truck is dispatched or not. Often used interchangeably with “bobtail” or “non-trucking liability,” but unladen liability has a broader scope since it includes both liability for deadheading or bobtailing regardless of dispatch status”.> Though complex, IRMI’s unladen insurance definition tells us that unladen insurance is:
A policy that offers protection for trucks with an attached empty trailer or not attached with a trailer
Unladen liability insurance has a broader scope than bobtail insurance or non trucking liability insurance
But here’s a simpler answer as to what is unladen liability insurance; Unladen liability coverage provides protection from any legal and financial responsibility to third parties when low bed trucks, semi-trucks, box trucks or any other similar power units – not pulling a trailer or pulling an empty trailer – caused an accident while being used for personal errands or for business purposes. This unladen insurance meaning points out the following important aspects about what does unladen insurance accomplish for the policyholder:
Unladen insurance coverage can be used to cover low bed trucks, semi-trucks, box trucks, or any other power unit capable of pulling a trailer for interstate or intrastate commerce
Unladen insurance provides coverage for the legal and financial responsibility to third parties resulting from an accident
Coverage only applies when such an accident happens while the vehicle in question is not pulling a trailer or pulling an empty trailer and is being used for business purposes or personal purposes.
Also read: Tractor Insurance
The term “business purposes” in commercial unladen insurance pertain to activities linked to business operations. On the other hand, “personal purposes” are those activities that only concern the ends of the person operating the truck. Here are some examples:
Business purposes – The truck is being driven by the driver, with an empty trailer attached or without a trailer attached, to get the next goods to be delivered
Personal purposes – The truck is being driven by the driver, with an empty trailer attached or without a trailer attached, to visit parents, fetch kids at school, or go to the nearest grocery store
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Now that you know what unladen insurance is, let’s talk about the things you have to think about when planning to purchase unladen liability insurance.
It’s important to inquire if there are limitations based on the radius of operations. In a nutshell, radius of operations is the distance a vehicle is covering during intrastate or interstate commerce. Note that some unladen insurance companies put exclusions on their policy based on this. For example, a company might deny your claim if the accident happened 1,000 kilometers away from the terminal.
Next, ask if you can treat unladen insurance as an automobile insurance unladen rider. Basically, what this means is that you can add it to your existing commercial auto insurance policies.
The third consideration is whether or not the unladen insurance company can cover your truck against physical damage. Note that, while this is not common, you can still find unladen insurance coverage that comes with comprehensive auto insurance or auto physical damage insurance.
Last and most important, see to it that you can instantly get an unladen liability insurance certificate the moment you get insured. Let’s discuss what is an unladen liability insurance certificate and why it’s important in the next section.
Also read: Heavy Equipment Insurance
Again, what is an unladen insurance certificate? To make it short, this is a document that proves you have an unladen insurance policy in force. Reflected on this are essential pieces of information such as:
Your policy number
Date when the policy started and when it will end
The number of vehicles covered
How much coverage you have
Is an unladen certificate of insurance important? For sure. Understand that a client will not sign a contract with you if you can’t show this document.
Remember that a certificate of insurance is free. And so, if your carrier asks for a fee the moment you request to get a copy, report them to the nearest department of insurance in the locality.
Also read: Dump Truck Insurance
Unladen insurance is not commonly offered as an inclusion in a business owner’s policy. However, it can be included with other types of commercial auto insurance in a motor carrier policy. It is also available through a custom business insurance plan.
The protection that unladen insurance provides might be obsolete for your business. This is why insurance companies offer less comprehensive options namely bobtail liability insurance and non-trucking liability insurance.
Bobtail liability insurance is a type of insurance for motor carriers and owner-operators that covers bodily injuries and property damage caused by a semi-truck or any other power vehicle not pulling a trailer but on the way to get another load.
Nontrucking liability insurance covers personal injuries and property damage caused by a semi-truck or any other power vehicle pulling a trailer or not pulling a trailer that is currently used by the driver for personal errands. In simple terms, non-trucking liability insurance covers accidents caused by a semi-trailer or any other related machines not used for business purposes.
Aside from unladen insurance, you might also find the following insurance policies useful for your business.
Personal injury protection covers the driver and passengers who got injured after the semi-truck or any other similar commercial vehicle caused an accident or got involved in an accident. This insurance will pay for medical bills, lost wages, transportation fees, ambulance bills, emergency treatment, and more. Personal injury protection can be bundled with unladen coverage in a motor carrier policy.
Medical payments (MedPay) – MedPay also covers the driver and passengers of a semi-truck. However, it is least comprehensive when compared to personal injury protection because it only covers medical expenses and funeral costs. MedPay can be bundled with unladen coverage in a motor carrier policy.
Emergency roadside assistance coverage is very useful for the owners of semi-trucks and other similar power vehicles. This coverage, which can be bundled with unladen insurance in a motor carrier policy, will cover the expenditures for battery jump-start, tire repair, gas delivery, tire delivery and replacement, and more.
Physical damage coverage covers the parts repair or replacement of the semi-truck or any other commercial vehicle that an owner-operator or motor carrier owns. It has two types – collision and comprehensive. Collision physical damage coverage will cover costs if a commercial vehicle incurred damage after colliding with a vehicle or an object. On the other hand, comprehensive physical damage coverage will cover parts repair or replacement if the commercial vehicle becomes damaged due to fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered perils
Insurance companies offering coverage for for-hire motor carriers allow motor truck cargo insurance to be bundled with unladen insurance. Motor truck cargo insurance allows an owner-operator or for-hire motor carriers to reimburse the losses of clients whose cargo got lost or damaged during the trip as caused by malicious mischief, fire, and other covered perils.
Just like unladen coverage, workers’ compensation insurance is very useful for motor carriers and owner-operators. This provides protection against the resulting expenses when a work-related injury or illness happens. The coverage of workers’ compensation insurance includes the following:
Medical treatment/procedure – Workers’ compensation insurance helps motor carriers or owner-operators cover the cost of surgeries, therapies, and other treatments or procedures the employee needs to recover from a work-related injury or illness
Hospitalization – Workers’ compensation insurance covers hospital bills if an employee needs intensive care. Coverage applies regardless of how costly hospital fees are and where the employee is admitted
Medication – Expenses for the medicines the attending physician wants the employee to buy is also covered by workers’ compensation insurance
Rehabilitation – Workers’ compensation insurance covers expenses for therapists’ services, equipment, and others if an injured or sick employee needs to undergo rehab to fully recover
Lost income compensation – Workers’ compensation insurance compensates lost income if an employee can’t go to work because of a work-related injury or disease. Compensation for lost income is a weekly allowance equal to two-thirds of the average weekly wage
Death benefits – If an employee dies because of a work-related injury or disease, workers’ compensation insurance covers funeral expenses and provides cash aids to the deceased’s dependents
So how much is unladen liability insurance? Before telling you the estimates, know that the rates of unladen insurance depend on different factors. Such factors that affect unladen liability insurance cost are:
Driving record
Specialty driving license or certificate (affects cost because having a specialty driving license or certificate affects your eligibility for discounts)
Radius of operations
Type of business operations – interstate or intrastate
Types of goods to deliver
Refer to this bullet showing what does unladen insurance cost:
Unladen insurance for rv transport costs $95 a month or $1,140 a year for a $1 million coverage
Trucking businesses pay $98 a month or $1,176 a year for a $1 million unladen truck insurance
The cost of $500,000 unladen liability insurance policy is $82 a month or $984 a year
A $1,000,000 unladen insurance for moving businesses is $85 a month or $1,020 a year
Here’s a table showing unladen insurance cost based on the best unladen insurance companies many recommend:
| Monthly Rate | Annual Rate | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CoverWallet | $43.85 | $526.2 | Unladen insurance with the minimum limit required by the FMCSA |
| Gallagher | $50 | $600 | Affordable $1 million combined single limit unladen insurance |
| Northwoods Insurance | $89 | $1,068 | Unladen trucking insurance having $500,000 limit or $1 million limit |
| Trinity Insurance | $207.5 | $2,490 | Unladen insurance for light to medium duty vehicles |
| OOIDA | Contact an OOIDA representative for accurate pricing | Contact an OOIDA representative for accurate pricing | Membership-based unladen insurance |
Take the time to use our free online quote comparison tool. We are committed to helping you, and the best way to do that? Provide you with all the cheap unladen insurance quotes of different carriers which are the leading companies in that sector so that you make the smartest buying decision. Start by clicking the “Get Quotes” and filling up the form.
Policy limit starts at the minimum amount required by the FMCSA
Has an online quote comparison tool
The cheapest carrier on our review
Policies you buy from CoverWallet are underwritten by its partners
CoverWallet includes unladen liability on its insurance program for owner-operators, which also offers bobtail liability and non trucking liability policies. These policies come from CoverWallet’s partners which then it customizes to offer specialty insurance products for customers. Policy limits start at $750,000 which is the minimum insurance requirement the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association wants truck operators to have.
Best for: Unladen insurance with the minimum limit required by the FMCSA
Average cost: $39 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Certificate of unladen insurance: Available
Offers $1 million combined single limit unladen insurance
Doesn’t provide its own unladen insurance
Gallagher, a transportation business company, offers unladen insurance with Zurich. The company’s unladen insurance offers a $1 million combined single limit.
Best for: Affordable $1 million combined single limit unladen insurance
Average cost: $50 per month
Our rating: 8/10
Certificate of unladen insurance: Available
Offers $500,000 and $1 million unladen insurance
Payment is done on a monthly basis only
It’s not easy to cancel your policy
Monthly premiums include a policy fee
Northwoods offers unladen liability insurance through its motor carriers insurance program. This company offers two options. You can go for $500,000 unladen insurance, which costs $95 a month or $1 million unladen insurance, which costs $128 a month.
Best for: Unladen trucking insurance having $500,000 limit or $1 million limit
Average cost: $89 per month
Our rating: 7/10
Certificate of unladen insurance: Talk with a Northwoods agent or customer service representative.
Offers numerous payment options
Unladen insurance is for light to medium-duty vehicles
Expensive
Only offers unladen insurance for permanently leased owner-operator
Doesn’t offer unladen trucking insurance
Trinity offers commercial unladen insurance for light to medium vehicles such as camp haulers, automobile haulers, and flatbed haulers. Just like Northwoods Insurance, it has $500,000 and $1 million unladen liability insurance each costing $115 a month and $150 a month respectively. You might like this company as it offers flexible payment options. You can pay your premiums via Visa, Mastercard, and Discover card.
Best for: Unladen insurance for light to medium duty vehicles
Average cost: $207.5 per month
Our rating: 7/10
Certificate of unladen insurance: Talk with a Trinity agent or customer service representative
Underwrites different kinds of insurance products useful to motor carriers and owner-operators
Comprehensive unladen insurance coverage
Not an insurance company but an organization for truckers that’s selling insurance solutions
OOIDA is an organization that offers insurance solutions to small trucks and startup motor carriers. This company’s unladen insurance is offered together with physical damage coverage, roadside assistance coverage, passenger accident coverage, and many more.
Best for: Membership-based unladen insurance
Average cost: Contact an OOIDA representative for accurate pricing
Our rating: 6/10
During the course of our research, we discovered that State Farm doesn’t offer unladen insurance. Even a simple search using the terms unladen insurance offered by statefarm or “unladen” insurance offered by statefarm doesn’t bring out results. The same also goes for state farm unladen insurance definition or statefarm unladen insurance definition . We asked agents in forums and other online platforms and truly confirmed that the company doesn’t offer unladen insurance right now.
There’s no such thing as progressive unladen insurance. The company, Progressive , only offers related coverage, non trucking liability insurance. Other policies you can avail are cargo insurance , and motor carrier general liability insurance.
We suggest you try CoverWallet for your ny unladen insurance. This company has a lot of partners. Therefore, it can certainly cover you no matter which location you might be in the United States.
Bobtail insurance only kicks in if you drive a trailerless vehicle for business purposes.
On the other hand, non trucking liability kicks in if you’re driving a truck for personal purposes. This policy doesn’t care whether or not there’s a trailer attached.
As for unladen insurance, its coverage applies even if the trailer is attached or not. Also, it’s not a question of whether or not the accident happened while the truck is being used for business purposes or personal purposes. In a way, one can say that non trucking liability insurance seemingly functions as non trucking liability and bobtail insurance at the same time.
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10 / 10
For me this company has proven to be the best to do business with and worth my hard earned money. Contractors this is your company look no further.
7.7 / 10
Decent experience with Hiscox business insurance
10 / 10
Best insurance ever
10 / 10
Coolest concept, I wish this was applied to other insurance products too.
10 / 10
Good company. Good and knowledgable customer service. If they don't know something they will pass you on to a more experienced rep that is more knowledgable. So far so good.
10 / 10
Simple online quoting and purchase. excellent mobile app. claims filing via phone, website or app. Combines competitive rates with excellent customer experience. Progressive provides all of the coverage a small business needs. not to mention its financial strength
10 / 10
Excellent business insurance coverage tailored to your business needs in good rates, professional customer service, pays claims fast and fairly. Recommended!
0 / 10
Not recommended, worst company I've dealt with. Denying claims regularly.
9.4 / 10
Fastest ever online insurance quote and purchase! Also, great rates and professional customer reps that helps with whatever you need, if you need. Nice company!
Paul Burns Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
It has been 70 days since I made a claim on the roof of my building. No one from the company will return calls. We are in hurricane season and located in Louisiana. My building is tarped to secure it.
2.8 / 10
Embroker sells a product that it doesn't honor. We purchased a combination D&O and EPLI policy. However, when it came to renewal, it told us that we only had D&O coverage even through our ACCORD certificate clearly mentions we have both. Basically they refused to honor the EPLI coverage and will leave you hanging with the bag. At time of renewal, they more than doubled our quote to get similar coverage. Basically BAIT & SWITCH. Unacceptable tactics. Easy to buy and pay but you may not be... Read More
Felicia Broadus Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
They are the worst, my truck was hit in January 23 and the claim adjuster has not been out to this very day! They have every excuse in the book as to why. They have not been to the collision shop. PLEASE AVOID THESE SCAM ARTIST!
Felicia Broadus Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
Avoid these SCAM ARTISTS! They don’t pay claims!!! Save yourself the trouble and money!
Kasey Arey Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
This company gives you a price that was in place for a year and when you have to use it there is fine print were they can go back and charge you more. Would not recommend them to any one. Crooks
John Murphy Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
Worst insurance comapny I have ever dealt with. A commercial vehicle represented by GUARD t boned my wife and daughters family vehicle in the middle of the day. Driver was cited and insurance claim insued. Fast forward 4 months and refusal of full amount of claim is still happening. Driver was found guilty, repairs started on my vehicle and when it comes to the final bill and diminished value we cannot get any help. I am out a family car, have an injured and traumatized wife and children,... Read More
Harshadray Patel Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
Extremely bad service, when you call , will make you wait on the phone for ever (over an Hour) and still no one to answer , so you end up hanging up. To cancel the policy, bounce you from one department to the other. They are supposed to refund from the date other insurance started and after sending the proof of other insurance policy, still they did not refund based on that actual date instead they use the date i managed to get hold of them. They charged me $7000.00 for a year's insurance on... Read More
Aaron Wensel Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
Guard Insurance is terrible. They were so bad I cancelled them because them couldn't figure out why I would never get a paper copy of the bill . Verified my address with them and still intermittent billing. I cancelled them in March through my local broker. Today 6/27 I get a letter in the mail from a collections company saying I owe 87.97. This was the first myself or my broker heard of owing this money. Here is some advice for this failure of a company send me a god damn bill and I will pay.... Read More
Michael Swink Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
My employer had to have workers compensation by law. He obtained a policy through this Berkshire Hathaway GUARD and they failed me. I fell from a ladder and fractured my spine in 7 different places, my clavicle in 4 places, and the base of my skull. Going to my Dr visits I was prescribed medication for pain and the insurance company placed a pre-authorization hold on me picking up the medication from Walgreens. The hold lasted 5 days! My weekly benefits have never been on time, right now... Read More
2 / 10
I never purchased the policy. The person I spoke with "Bruce" was condescending and argumentative. He kept repeating himself and talking in circles telling me what I HAVE TO DO, basically trying to bully me into purchasing commercial insurance. I wouldn't use this company if they were paying me!
2.8 / 10
Great platform. Terrible policy. There is no teeth behind it. No coverage. It's a fake policy that they sell. Sold us an EPLI policy that later we came to find out had no EPLI coverage. Amazing that they can get away with outright fraud. Check the positive reviews. They are all 'Anonymous' posted by Emroker staff. Stay away and find a real policy that will actually provide you coverage. We've been bitten by them and hope to find restitution via a lawsuit.
10 / 10
Liberty Mutual is one of the more simple companies to deal with. I had to file a claim for my business owner policy after I caught one of my employees stealing a large amount of products from my business. Liberty mutual paid the claim fast and with no efforts. I wish the legal process was as easy…
10 / 10
Highest level of plan and customer service
10 / 10
For me this company has proven to be the best to do business with and worth my hard earned money. Contractors this is your company look no further.
7.7 / 10
Decent experience with Hiscox business insurance
10 / 10
Best insurance ever
10 / 10
Coolest concept, I wish this was applied to other insurance products too.
9.4 / 10
Very pleased with Hiscox - their small business insurance rates are very good and they specialize in small business which gives me a peace of mind as a small business owner. So far so good!
10 / 10
Their customer service is absolutely fantastic. Very patient, knowledgable and provided excellent explanation of the purchased policy. I would highly recommend this insurance company to anyone that's looking to protect their business from unexpected expense. Thank you Hiscox for doing a great job for my business!
0.6 / 10
STAY AWAY! I wouldn't recommend hiscox small business liability insurance to anyone. Better not waste both your money and your time. Hiscox customer service is extremely unpleasant, not organized and not professional. It is the worst company we have dealt with in almost 25 years in business!
10 / 10
Good company. Good and knowledgable customer service. If they don't know something they will pass you on to a more experienced rep that is more knowledgable. So far so good.
10 / 10
Extremely fast and simple. Wasted a lot of time and money until I found these guys! I feel like my business is in good hands now.
10 / 10
My experience with AAA's business insurance was fairly good. Customer service is excellent, coverage is broad, claims process was efficient. I do recommend them.
10 / 10
Simple online quoting and purchase. excellent mobile app. claims filing via phone, website or app. Combines competitive rates with excellent customer experience. Progressive provides all of the coverage a small business needs. not to mention its financial strength
0 / 10
State Farm's business insurance was such a bad choice for us. Worst communication, very unprofessional. Been insured for over 12 years through a local statefarm agent who we were having insurance for our own home, our personal cars, our own health insurance, workers compensation, all of our commercial autos that serve our business - our agent didn't inform us of raising our premium rates, of certain inspections, and send us very rude emails upon our policy cancellations that were caused by his... Read More
10 / 10
Extremely helpful, kind and knowledgable customer service team! I received a business insurance package that was tailored and personalized to my exact business needs! Excellent liability insurance. Their pricing for business insurance is not the most affordable you'll find, however it's better to pay more and know that you are covered well. We got coverage for $1M. In regards to claims, I haven't had any experience so cannot attest, but the rest was excellent so I'm sure claims will be great as... Read More
10 / 10
Customer service is fast and efficient. They were very caring about issues that we faced, checked them all and resolved our claims fast. State Farm is an excellent company. They gave us excellent business insurance coverage that was customized to our precise needs. We worked together to build the most suitable coverage to our needs, nothing more or less, while making sure the rate is good enough. State Farm's business insurance cost was very good compared to other companies, while maintaining a... Read More
10 / 10
Excellent business insurance coverage tailored to your business needs in good rates, professional customer service, pays claims fast and fairly. Recommended!
10 / 10
highly recommended!
9.8 / 10
Chubb provides business insurance coverage for all size of businesses, from small local ones to huge multinational corporates, they are very fast to respond to your claims, their business insurance coverage is very advanced while being tailored to your needs, aka covering you from all sides without over-covering you to make you pay more like some companies do. I'm a very satisfied customer.
9.7 / 10
Very annoyed in 2020 they do not offer online quotes, however they are great at everything else. The coverage is amazing, customer service is world class, value of money is great (even when their rates are not the cheapest), fast and excellent handling of claims, very dedicated and business focused. The only other issue is since they cover all types and sizes of businesses, they do not seem to specialize in any of them specifically.
Not all those who wander are lost.
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