- What is it?
When businesses get occupational accident insurance for truckers, they protect drivers against covered causes of injury or death. Policies typically cover injuries resulting from vehicle accidents.
- Who’s it for?
California businesses that employ commercial truck drivers generally should consider occupational accident coverage. This includes businesses with large fleets and single-owner operators. Even businesses that aren’t in the trucking industry but employ a trucker ought to consider coverage.
- What is offered?
- Accidental Death, Dismemberment and Paralysis Benefits
- Survivor Benefits
- Accident Medical/Dental Expense Benefits
Occupational Accident Insurance in California
Owner-operators are generally not covered by workers’ compensation. Occupational Accident coverage (commonly referred to as ‘Occ/Acc’) covers an independent contractor or leased driver for an injury suffered when they are performing duties under a lease-contract with a motor carrier as a driver and under dispatch of the motor carrier. Occ/Acc provides benefits for accidental death, dismemberment, disability and medical expenses. Occ/Acc can be purchased by an individual driver or it can be purchased by the primary motor carrier as a group policy. As a driver, it is important for you to know if the motor carrier you are leasing to provides coverage. If not, you should seriously consider securing your own policy. In the event of an accident, an OccAcc policy will help protect you and your family in the case that you cannot return to work due to a work-related injury. The policy will help pay for your bills until you are back behind the wheel and able to make an income. Protect yourself and your family.
What is occupational accident insurance for truckers?
Operating commercial vehicles comes with assumed risks of potential injuries (or worse) to drivers. Purchasing occupational accident insurance for truckers is one way that California businesses and owner-operators might protect against these risks.
When businesses get occupational accident insurance for truckers, they protect drivers against covered causes of injury or death. Policies typically cover injuries resulting from vehicle accidents.
What California businesses need occupational accident coverage?
California businesses that employ commercial truck drivers generally should consider occupational accident coverage. This includes businesses with large fleets and single-owner operators. Even businesses that aren’t in the trucking industry but employ a trucker ought to consider coverage.
Get A Quote!
What protections does occupational accident coverage offer?
Occupation accident coverage may protect against a broad array of injury-related risks. Policies frequently make the following benefits available:
- Accidental Death, Dismemberment and Paralysis Benefits: Might pay general benefits if a driver is severely injured
- Survivor Benefits: Might pay benefits to a spouse, dependents or other chosen individuals if a driver passes away
- Accident Medical/Dental Expense Benefits: Might pay medical and/or dental expenses arising from accident-caused injuries
- Temporary Total Disability Benefits: Might pay short-term disability disbursements if a driver cannot work for a short while
- Permanent Total Disability Benefits: Might pay long-term disability disbursements if a driver is rendered permanently disabled
- Non-Occupational Accident Benefits: Might pay disbursements for prolonged injuries/illnesses not arising from work accidents
A knowledgeable insurance agent can explain these benefits options in fuller detail, and help truckers make sure their chosen coverage provides the benefits they need.
What’s the difference between occupational accident coverage and workers compensation?
Both occupational accident coverage and workers compensation coverage generally protect against workplace injuries, but they differ in what protections they provide.
Occupational accident coverage usually provides benefits for medical expenses, lost wages and certain other costs associated with workplace injuries. The coverage typically doesn’t provide any coverage for legal costs, however, which can leave businesses responsible for their own legal defense fees if injured employees sue.
Workers compensation coverage likewise usually provides benefits for medical care and lost wages, and typically also legal protection for businesses. Should an injured employee sue for liability, this coverage may pay the business’s legal defense costs.
The difference with regard to legal liability protection often leads to the coverages being used in different situations. Businesses that have employee drivers often purchase workers compensation coverage, as it tends to provide more legal protection.
When businesses hire independent contractor drivers, the independent contractor often purchases occupational accident coverage as an owner-operator. Owner-operators generally choose occupational accident over workers compensation, since they’re unlikely to sue themselves over an injury.
An insurance agent who specializes in occupational accident coverage can help determine which of these options is most appropriate for a given situation. California businesses should consult an agent within the state, as they’ll be familiar with the state’s workers compensation laws.
How much are premiums for occupational accident coverage?
Premiums for occupational accident coverage vary. A driver’s experience and driving record often influence premiums, as can the equipment driven, the region driven and other factors.
Businesses can get quotes from several insurance companies by working with an independent insurance agent. Comparing customized quotes with an agent makes evaluating coverages and costs across insurers easy.
How can businesses get occupational accident insurance for truckers?
About Truck Writers Insurance Services
With extensive experience and knowledge in the trucking, livery and contractor industries, Truck Writers Insurance Services strives to be the premier transportation insurance agency in California. Our brokers specialize in providing quality non-trucking and physical damage insurance to businesses all across the state.
Every business, large and small, has specific needs and protections and we have the people to make sure your company is suited properly. We have established relationships with dozens of the top insurance companies in the country to make sure your business can be fit with the protections you desire. If your business utilizes any form of vehicle, we will be the perfect fit for you.
We take pride in our repeated customer satisfaction and the processes that we have put into place to make sure you are happy now and every day in the future. Our real-life brokers and customer service representatives are here for you to speak with along your journeys so you never have to feel like you are up the creek without a paddle.
We recommend you reach out to us to explore how we can help find occupational accident coverage that is suitable for you. We take pride in our repeated customer satisfaction and the processes that we have put into place to make sure you are happy now and every day in the future with our special care.
If you have any questions, please submit the form on this page and one of our brokers will be happy to reach out to you to set up a time to chat about your situation. We look forward to talking about your business!
What People Say About Truck Writers Insurance Services
Ron is the man. I used Ron to get my limousine insurance with CPUC for the past 3 years. It’s always a great experience and easy to get my policies and payments done without going to their office. This is the man to beat if you’re looking for cost-effective and reliable commercial insurance!
