Truckers General Liability Insurance: Coverage Basics and Policy Types
Truckers face risk on the road, but it doesn’t stop when the engine shuts off.
General Liability Insurance is a separate layer of protection for things that happen when your truck is not moving. It covers business risks that have nothing to do with driving but everything to do with keeping your operation protected.
It is a misunderstood and overlooked coverage in trucking insurance. Many carriers only purchase GL if their contract requires it. Let’s fix that.
What Does General Liability Actually Cover?
General Liability (often called GL) protects your
business from third-party claims that happen outside the cab. That includes
things like injuries at your office or damage caused during delivery, not
accidents on the road.
Here is what it typically covers:
- Bodily injury on your premises or at a customer
location
- Damage to customer property while unloading or
handling freight
- Advertising injury like slander or copyright
infringement
- Completed operations coverage after a delivery is
made
- Medical payments for minor injuries at your business
site
- Defense costs if someone takes you to court
If your driver knocks over a pallet and injures a dock
worker, this is the coverage that helps. If someone slips in your yard or
terminal, same thing.
This is not cargo insurance. This is not auto liability.
This is protection from non-driving related incidents.
Add On vs Standalone: What Kind of General Liability Do
You Have?
There are two main ways to get general liability coverage.
One is to add it to your truck policy. The other is to buy it as a standalone
policy. They are not the same.
Let’s break it down.
Option 1: Motor Truck General Liability (Add On to Auto
Policy)
Many carriers offer Motor Truck General Liability as
a rider on your commercial auto policy. It is marketed as an easy way to meet
basic contract or broker requirements.
But this version is limited. Really limited.
Typical coverage includes:
- Bodily injury or property damage caused by for-hire trucking activities
- Products and completed operations
- Personal and advertising injury
- $100,000 damage to rented premises
- $5,000 medical payments per person
Standard limits:
- $1,000,000 per occurrence
- $1,000,000 or $2,000,000 general aggregate
Rules and restrictions:
- Only available for for-hire operations
- Must be written with the same carrier as your auto
liability
- Cannot be used for cement trucks, garbage trucks,
buses, or other excluded vehicle types
- Not available for movers, couriers, construction, logging, or other non-trucking risks
This coverage is basic and works for simple for-hire
operations that just need a box checked. If that is all you need, great. But if
your business gets more complex, this is not going to cut it.
Option 2: Standalone General Liability Policy
A standalone policy is a separate commercial general
liability policy that offers broader protection. It works for fleets, terminal
operators, and anyone doing more than just hauling freight from A to B.
Why go standalone?
- Broader coverage, higher limits and more flexibility
- Better protection for your business location,
employees, and subcontractors
- Blanket additional insureds for contracts and broker
agreements
- No automatic tie to your auto liability carrier
- You can grow your business without outgrowing your
coverage
If you are doing any kind of work on customer premises,
loading or unloading, or have multiple trucks and drivers, a standalone GL
policy gives you the protection you need when things go wrong.
Do You Need General Liability?
If you:
- Deliver to warehouses or job sites
- Have a terminal, shop, or dispatch location
- Want to work with brokers or larger shippers
- Advertise your business online or on your trucks
- Lease on to a carrier who requires it
Then yes, you need it.
This is not just about checking a box on a certificate. It
is about covering the gaps your auto policy leaves behind.
Our Take
The Motor Truck General Liability endorsement can be a great
fit for leased-on drivers or for-hire carriers who just need to meet basic
broker or contract requirements. It’s affordable, easy to add, and works well
for simple operations.
But if you're growing, bidding larger contracts, or doing
more than just hauling freight, the endorsement might not be enough. A
standalone general liability policy gives you broader protection, more
flexibility, and better long-term coverage as your business evolves.
Both options serve a purpose. The key is knowing which one
actually fits your operation.
Need help figuring out which one you have?
We will read the policy and tell you straight up if you are protected or not.
Email us at info@trucku.biz and let’s get you covered
the right way.
Disclosure:
This post is for educational purposes only. It’s not legal
advice, insurance advice, or a substitute for calling your agent. We’re good,
but we’re not psychic. Policies vary, laws change, and courtrooms get weird.
Don’t make decisions based solely on something you read on the internet, unless
it’s from us, in writing, with your name on it.
All opinions are our own and do not represent the views of
any carrier, employer, or underwriting department that occasionally wishes we
were quieter on LinkedIn.
