Wrecks happen. They just do. And that’s what insurance is for. It’s so important for businesses that do auto transport to have the right car hauler insurance. We’ll take a look at a news story from last week about a car carrier, and we’ll examine it from an insurance angle, exploring what coverages would be helpful and what questions we have.
What happened?
Let’s start by outlining the story and giving an overview of what happened.
In mid-May in North Carolina, an auto hauler crashed on I-85 near the Durham and Orange County line. The incident happened early in the morning. According to news reports, the car carrier failed to slow down for traffic. The auto hauler hit the right guardrail, then swerved back onto the road, then hit the left guardrail. The car carrier ended up side-swiping a Kia SUV and a Honda. A Volvo came loose from the auto hauler and flipped over the guardrail. Fortunately, there were no major injuries. One person sustained minor injuries and was taken to the hospital.
The car carrier was at fault in the accident, and the driver faces charges of failing to properly secure the load and failing to reduce speed.
What questions do we have?
There are a few questions that come up for us when we look at this article. Oftentimes the details of a particular loss or incident can have a major effect on how the insurance claim is handled, which is why we’re curious about the following:
- Who was the auto hauler transporting cars for?
First of all, we’d be interested to know who the car carrier was driving for. Were they transporting cars for an auto dealership? Or were they driving them for clients? There are different ways to make a living hauling cars, after all. What responsibility does the auto hauler have for the vehicles they were hauling that were damaged in the accident?
- How long will it take for the business to get back on its feet?
It’ll take some time for the business to get back to running like normal since they’re down a truck. How long will it take for them to get back to operating at full capacity?
- What coverages does the car carrier have?
If you’re a trucking business of any kind, it’s essential to have the right coverages to come back from an accident like this. There are many different types of insurance that come together to take care of the expenses resulting from a wreck, and they all cover different things. That’s why having an insurance plan tailored to your business is so important.
- Was there any environmental damage?
If there’s environmental damage resulting from a wreck, it has to be someone’s responsibility to clean it up, which means shouldering some hefty expenses. Could that responsibility fall on the auto hauler?
- Was there any workers’ comp or occupational accident insurance for the truck driver?
Workers’ comp insurance can help a business’s employee if they’re hurt on the job. Was there any workers’ comp insurance, and would the driver be able to get any benefits if they had been injured in the accident?
What coverages would be helpful?
There are several coverages that can help trucking businesses in instances like this. As we mentioned, these coverages work together to help truck businesses recover from accidents and other losses.
Auto liability.
If a truck driver is at fault in an accident, auto liability can help them cover their legal obligation to the other driver. It can also help the business cover legal expenses if the other driver decides to sue.
- Bodily injury liability: Helps cover the other driver’s medical bills and pain and suffering.
- Property damage liability: Helps cover the repairs or replacement of the other driver’s vehicle.
Physical damage insurance.
Physical damage insurance can help an auto hauling business get one of its car carriers back on the road ASAP following an accident.
- Collision coverage: Helps repair or replace a car carrier after a wreck (or after the car carrier runs into something.)
- Comprehensive coverage: Helps repair or replace a car carrier if it’s damaged by something other than an accident. It generally covers losses such as theft, fire, vandalism, animal strike, or a falling object.
Cargo insurance.
Cargo insurance can help protect the load that a trucker is hauling. It can cover losses such as theft, fire, and vandalism. Auto haulers need to make sure they have enough cargo insurance because the loads they carry can get extremely pricey, depending on the types of cars they transport.
Workers’ comp.
If an employee is injured on the job, workers comp can cover their medical bills and a portion of their lost wages. That way the employee gets the care they need – and they get money to pay their bills.
Get car carrier insurance.
It’s essential for auto haulers to get the right insurance for their car carriers. Get started with your auto hauler insurance quotes by filling out our online form, giving us a call, or messaging us on LiveChat.
Source:
https://abc11.com/traffic/truck-driver-charged-in-crash-on-i-85/5312308/