Carting Insurance: Waste Hauler & Garbage Collection Insurance

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Waste management is a growing industry, particularly with increased online retail sales, per capita consumption and urban living demographics. Obtaining the correct level of business insurance protection is an essential component of all businesses, including vehicle and service-based businesses, such as carting, waste hauling and garbage collection using dump trucks, snow plows, businesses that operate tractors and heavy equipment, and more.

Carting insurance is also referred to as waste hauler insurance, waste garbage collection insurance, waste disposal insurance, valet trash insurance, waste management insurance, waste recycling insurance, garbage truck insurance and all other carting business insurance types. If your business falls into any of these categories, this article is for you.

Carting Liability Insurance

Waste hauling insurance and waste hauler insurance programs encompass the components of a prudent risk management plan. Carting liability insurance is designed to protect such businesses and their stakeholders against events beyond their ability to predict or control, thereby avoiding a negative impact.

Liability insurance for carting business takes into account the unique components involved in waste management operations, including:

• Fleet vehicle insurance (Automobile Liability)

• Employee injury (Workers’ Compensation) insurance

• Protection against unintentional damage to others’ property (Commercial General Liability)

• Protection against business revenue loss

• Fidelity (surety) bond insurance

• Environmental impairment and pollution legal liability insurance

Insurance underwriters generally refer to the National American Industry Classification System (NAICS) when assessing a business’ insurability. Insurance for carting companies falls under a classification labeled Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services, alongside the many business-to-business and business-to-consumer supply chain service providers. 

Waste management businesses are classified according to their involvement with hazardous waste, emergency site services and other situations with graduated risk levels. The insurance tiers are as follows:

Carting Insurance Cost

Insurance costs for waste management firms revolve around the relevant tier of services the particular company provides, as well as the size of the business, number of employees, number of fleet vehicles and other entity-specific details. In order to obtain an accurate quotation for an appropriate level of insurance protection, waste haulers are wise to engage the services of a reputable insurance broker with industry experience.

In general though, the average carting insurance cost is about $89 a month or $1,060 a year for $1m general liability policy of a small carting or waste hauler.

To get the best rates and coverage options from the best waste hauler insurance companies, click the 'Get Quotes' button and compare carting and waste hauling insurance quotes online. After defining the scope and parameters of your carting business through the investigative questionnaire, you will receive competitive carting business insurance quotes from quality carting insurance underwriters online. Underwriters with experience insuring other companies in the same industry will provide the best value for your money, as they will have significant historical claim and policy experience to compare against your company’s size and activity.

The carting insurance cost of your policy will also depend on the coverage chosen, including any optional riders you may want to obtain. Riders are policy attachments that stipulate individual circumstances for which your company may want specific coverage, such as optional flood coverage for fixed assets. Your insurance premiums will also be affected by the level of coverage you choose.

Typical amounts recommended for adequate coverage are as follows:

Best Carting Insurance Companies

When your carting business insurance broker collects your business’ information to forward to carting insurance providers for quotation and carting insurance quote comparison purposes, they will ask the following questions at a minimum:

• Type of operation (tier level activities)

• Fleet driver experience/age

• Company credit score

• Number of years in business

• Previous insurance claim history

• Specific carting insurance coverage required

• Age and type of vehicles

Online broker and quotation gathering assistance is available to help you determine the best carting insurance coverage available in your market. Some of the best carting insurance companies active in the waste management insurance sector are:

• Coverwallet (an AON company) - Best for carting insurance quote comparison online
• Ace Group
• Homestate Companies
• Group
• Interstate Insurance Company
• AmWINS
• Scottsdale Insurance Company
• Zurich
• Progressive Specialty Insurance Company
• Creative Underwriters
• National Truck Underwriting Managers
• Superior Underwriters
• Swett and Crawford
• Willis Programs
• Worldwide Facilities, Inc. 

It is typical for a broker to approach several competing underwriters for policy quotations on your behalf. Although loyalty to one underwriter can sometimes provide negotiation leverage during later renewal processes, if your claims history is negligible, it is also common to shop annually for the best coverage pricing.

Ensure that the underwriter you choose is well-known to your broker. Begin by selecting a broker with a history of working in the waste management and cartage industry so that you are certain to have excellent service during any claim process later, without any surprises that might cause your insurer to dispute the validity of their coverage obligation.

It is also important to consider which brokers (and underwriters) understand the specific legal and statutory requirements of the jurisdiction where you do business. Such issues as surety bonds (financial guarantees protecting against losses due to dishonest acts) and environmental pollution coverage need to be considered. It is also possible to negotiate a commercial general liability policy that has pollution and other specialty coverage as an included endorsement. 

Carting insurance is an essential component for any waste management firm and involves complex criteria and careful analysis. Once the parameters of business activities are well understood by your insurance broker, specific insurance provider quotations and cost comparisons can be reviewed as you decide how to reduce your business’ risk exposure through adequate business insurance coverage.