Unladen Insurance: Liability Cost & Quotes From $11

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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!

What is Unladen Insurance?

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

Business Purposes vs Personal Purposes

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

What are the Most Important Considerations When You Buy Unladen Insurance?

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 

Unladen Insurance Certificate: Saying You’re Insured Without Proof Won’t Make the Cut

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

How Much Does Unladen Liability Insurance Cost?

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:

Perform a Cheap Unladen Insurance Quote Comparison from Different Companies Online

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. 

Where to Buy Unladen Insurance: An On-Point Review of the Top Companies 

CoverWallet Unladen Insurance

Why Get Insured by CoverWallet?

• Policy limit starts at the minimum amount required by the FMCSA

• Has an online quote comparison tool

• The cheapest carrier on our review

Why Take CoverWallet with a Grain of Salt?

• 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

Our rating: 10/10

Certificate of unladen insurance: Available

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Gallagher Unladen Insurance

Why Get Insured By Gallagher?

• Offers $1 million combined single limit unladen insurance

Why Take Gallagher with a Grain of Salt?

• 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

Our rating: 8/10

Certificate of unladen insurance: Available

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Northwoods Unladen Insurance

Why Get Insured By Northwoods?

• Offers $500,000 and $1 million unladen insurance

Why Take Northwoods with a Grain of Salt?

• 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

Our rating: 7/10

Certificate of unladen insurance: Talk with a Northwoods agent or customer service representative.

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Trinity Unladen Insurance

Why Get Insured By Trinity?

• Offers numerous payment options

• Unladen insurance is for light to medium-duty vehicles

Why Take Trinity with a Grain of Salt?

• 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

Our rating: 7/10

Certificate of unladen insurance: Talk with a Trinity agent or customer service representative

Does State Farm Offer Unladen Insurance?

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. 

Does Progressive Offer Unladen Insurance?

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. 

Unladen Insurance New York: Where to Get the Best Unladen Insurance in NYC?

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. 

Final Words: How Does Unladen Insurance Differ From Bobtail and Non Trucking Liability Insurance?

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.