When Agents Hold Your Loss Runs Hostage

 

Loss runs tell the story of your insurance history. They should be easy to get. Yet every week we hear from carriers who cannot pry their own loss runs out of a former agent’s hands. Some agents stall. Some play gatekeeper. Some hope you give up and renew out of frustration.

We are not fans of games like that.

Loss Runs Belong to the Insured

Here is the truth. Loss runs are your records. Not the agent’s. Not the carrier’s private stash. They follow the named insured. If you ask for them, you should get them without a circus act.

They impact everything. Rates. Markets. Underwriting decisions. Your ability to shop. When an agent withholds them, they are not protecting you. They are protecting their commission.

The Law Is Clear

Most states require carriers to send loss runs within a specific time window. Ten business days is common. Some states require five. A few fine the carrier if they drag their feet.

The agent has no legal right to hold them. None.

If your agent refuses to release them, you are well within your rights to bypass them. Go straight to the carrier. Put the request in writing and ask for the full five-year report or whatever length your state requires. If the carrier stalls, you can file a complaint with the state Department of Insurance and copy the carrier’s compliance team. Things tend to move fast after that.

What Stalling Really Signals

When an agent panics over a loss run request, it tells us a few things.

They never set up your account right. They know you have been overpaying for years. They did not want you to see how your claims look on paper. Or they just do not want you shopping your account somewhere else.

None of that is your problem.

A motor carrier has enough to deal with. The last thing you need is an agent blocking your own records.

How to Get Your Loss Runs Without the Drama

Ask your current agent first. Keep it polite but firm. If they get weird about it, go straight to the carrier.

Every carrier has a loss runs or customer service email. Send a short request with your DOT, legal name, policy numbers, and effective dates. They send the report directly to you. No middleman and no back and forth.

If they do not respond, the DOI complaint is your next step. Regulators do not enjoy hearing that consumers cannot access their own records. Carriers know this and respond fast.

Why This Matters for Trucking

Truck insurance regulatory compliance is tough enough. Claims reporting rules, carrier filings, safety scores, and underwriting data already move the goalposts. Loss runs should not be another obstacle.

You cannot control your pricing if you cannot see your own history. You cannot negotiate with underwriters if you are blind to what is driving your rates. You deserve transparency.

A good agent gives you that. A bad one blocks it.

Truck U Take

If someone is holding your loss runs hostage, you are already with the wrong agent. A transparent agent has zero reason to hide your history. If they are stalling, it is because they do not want you to see the truth. Move on.

Call Us

If you want a real review of your history without getting stonewalled, we can help. Truck U is here to quote, explain your options, and break down what the loss runs actually mean for your rates.

Call or text us at 254-294-7798 or email info@trucku.biz.

Disclosure

This post is for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice, insurance advice, or a substitute for calling your agent. Truck U is good, but we are not psychic. Policies vary, laws change, and courtrooms get weird. Do not make decisions based solely on something you read on the internet unless it is 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.