If you own, operate, or manage a truck or fleet, you know that driving is more than a job – it’s a way of life.
But that way of life often comes with physical risks that other professions may not face with the same frequency. So, how do you protect your drivers – or yourself – from the issues that might arise from these risks?
Workers’ Compensation Coverage
As you probably know, work comp insurance is typically used to provide wage replacement and medical benefits to employees who have been injured while performing their job duties. It’s available in all 50 states and is administered at the state level by government agencies or private insurance companies. In most cases, employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance in order to provide these benefits to their employees.
Is it Different for Truckers?
The main differences in covering work comp for truckers is that drivers often face risk of injury on other people’s property or on the road – and not as much at your “place of employment”. But typically, if the injury occurs during your normal scope of work, you or your driver could be covered by work comp.
Another difference is that drivers may frequently be in other states during the course of their job. These states may have different laws on work comp, and injuries that occur would be subject to these laws. That means you’ll need to have the right support from an agent and insurance company that understands these complex situations.
What About Owner-Operators?
If you’re an owner-operator with no employees, it is unlikely that you “have” to carry work comp. However, it can help protect you for the same reasons as a driver employed by a company. If you lease out your work to a motor carrier, you may be required to have a different type of policy – Occupational Accident Insurance (sometimes called OccAcc) – or you may be covered under a policy the motor carrier has in place.
As you can see, there are several caveats to being properly covered for workplace injuries as a truck driver. Our agents have years of experience working to help truckers understand their options and coverages. We’d love to help you understand yours!