Are you thinking of starting a junk or debris removal business? Or, maybe you already haul junk for affluent baby boomers who are downsizing. If you regularly haul yard debris, junk or other waste, make sure you have the right insurance coverage for your truck.
Think your regular auto insurance policy will cover you while you are hauling junk? Most personal insurance policies will not cover business use of your vehicle. Using your truck to haul junk is riskier than regular driving, which is why most personal policies won’t cover you. If you get into an accident while you are hauling junk, then you might very well violate the terms of your personal auto policy. Not only will it not pay for damages from the accident, but you may even be dropped as a customer.
If you operate a debris removal service or haul junk, then you need commercial truck insurance for your vehicle. Commercial vehicle insurance covers your truck when you use it for business use, such as to haul junk or debris. A commercial truck insurance policy will usually include several different types of coverage.
- Collision and comprehensive coverage – Physical damage insurance covers you if you are in a collision and damage your truck. It can pay for physical damage to your truck. The comprehensive portion of this coverage pays for damage that results from theft, vandalism, hail storms, tornados, animal strikes, and other types of incidents.
- Auto liability insurance – All states require a minimum amount of auto liability insurance. Liability covers damage that you do to other people’s vehicles or property. So, if you accidentally back into a customer’s garage door while hauling junk, your liability insurance would cover the damage. Liability would also provide medical payments to people injured in an at-fault accident. This can help prevent you from being personally sued.
- Trucker’s hazmat insurance – If you haul hazardous materials like lithium batteries, construction site debris, roofing materials, toxic chemicals or poisons, then you need hazmat insurance. This insurance endorsement can cover the cost of damages and cleanup that results from an accident that involves hazardous materials.
- Medical payments coverage– Medical payments insurance can help pay for medical expenses that you might incur as the result of an accident. Medical payments insurance will cover medical expenses no matter who is at fault. This insurance also covers the medical expenses of any passengers that are with you during an accident.
- Rental reimbursement with downtime – This is an optional but very helpful insurance coverage to add to your policy. It covers the cost of a rental vehicle after an accident while yours is being repaired. If you also use your truck for personal use, then you will probably want rental reimbursement so that you have a vehicle to drive after a crash.
Depending on what materials you haul for your debris removal business, your location and other factors, you may need more or less coverage. For more information about truck insurance coverage for your debris removal business, contact us today.
We will quickly and easily compare truck insurance rates and policies to help you find the best and cheapest policy for your needs. Get started with your quotes by filling out our online quote form or giving us a call today.