Types of transportation claims and how to help prevent them
Large vehicles come with significant risks. Property damage, both on and off the road, and a single serious incident can lead to an insurance claim
Dry Vans Insurance
Transporting a variety of dry goods means you could face a variety of risks, especially when you cross provincial or international borders. Both long-haul and local carriers will depend on their insurance for dry vans if their business hits a bump along the road.
What kind of coverage do dry van operators need?
You can run into trouble when you’re moving goods, especially when they’re high-value, hazardous, or otherwise delicate in nature. From loading the pallets into the trailer to crossing the U.S. border to unloading at a temporary storage facility, dry van operators cover a lot of ground – your insurance coverage needs to keep up.
When can insurance for dry vans come to your rescue?
Problems can arise on and off the road, and when you’re dealing with expensive vehicles and precious cargo, costs can add up quickly.
Your insurance for dry vans should be broad enough to respond in a range of situations that could arise between point A and point B, but also deep enough to ease the costly burden of a covered loss. Here are a few scenarios where specific features can come into play.
Safeguard cargo while it’s in your care – wherever that may be
Your auto insurance can cover your vehicle and its contents while you’re on the road, but what about when your cargo is standing still? If something happens to your cargo while it’s being stored or unloaded, cargo insurance can help. It’s designed to help cover third-party property while it’s in your custody for up to 30 days or until the cargo is delivered (whichever comes first).
Cargo insurance applies when the cargo is in a garage, at a terminal, depot or warehouse, and being loaded or unloaded.
Protect your vehicles from problems en route
Imagine this: you’re hauling your cargo along the highway, traffic slows suddenly, and your truck accidentally rear-ends another vehicle. This is when you would call on your auto coverage – but personal auto coverage likely won’t offer the support you need.
The right commercial automobile insurance can help cover you for physical damage to your vehicle, property damages to the other vehicle, and bodily injury to a third party. Combined with cargo insurance, which would help cover the load you’re carrying for another party, you’ll have the financial support to resolve the situation more quickly and thoroughly.
Accidents happen – be ready for them
When you run a truck or transport business, you probably focus on the risks you may meet on the road or those that could involve your cargo. Unfortunately, there are other potential hazards to consider that are hiding in plain sight, right on your business property.
If you have a terminal or warehouse – even a front stoop – you have potential hazards that could lead to injuries (and lawsuits). Consider a customer or vendor who visits your premises, and while they’re making their way to your front door, they step into a pothole in the parking lot, breaking their ankle. In this case, commercial general liability insurance (CGL) would help protect you if the injured party was to take legal action against your business.
Assistance at every step of the way
On top of our comprehensive core coverage and exceptional customer service, your business insurance policy grants you access to our Assist Services* for extra peace of mind.
Risk Management Assist
Our team of Risk Services specialists is at your service: customers can enjoy unlimited telephone access to experts who can help mitigate risks with advice and guidance on a range of loss prevention topics.
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Commercial Truck Filings
Proving that you have enough liability insurance to meet all federal requirements isn’t an option – it’s a necessity. That’s why we help complete and expedite federal filings for our customers who do business in the U.S.
Plans change, and last-minute arrangements can be stressful. When you’re short on time, we can get things moving right away, arranging your financial proof of responsibility quickly so you can stay on track without risking a penalty when you cross the border.
Need more? No problem.
We have other handy coverages for dry van operators, like our Select Endorsement: this extends coverage to include your operations as a freight forwarder or load broker.
When you deal with shipping contracts, you’ll welcome the features of this coverage, including Declared Value of Cargo, Brands and Labels, and Control of Salvage. Your broker can walk you through all the advantages of Select Endorsement.
Managing Risk
We know that your dry van business is unique, and the challenges you face deserve careful consideration and a personalized approach. Insurance plays an important role, so you can lean on our industry expertise to take your protection and loss prevention to the next level.
The Northbridge Risk Services team is the most experienced in the transportation industry. Our goal is to share with you the tools and resources that will help you identify risks along with opportunities that can add greater value and help improve your bottom line.
Each year, our team conducts over 5,000 risk assessments and service calls for Canadian businesses. We’re committed to serving our customers onsite and offsite, applying our expertise wherever – and whenever – it may be needed.
Risk consulting and advisory is at the heart of our service. Ongoing industry-specific consultations, Collision Trend Analysis, and hazard analysis add significant value to the insurance programs tailored to customers in the transportation industry.
Our High-Risk Driver Program delivers tangible benefits like reduced violations, increased intervention options for high-risk driver management, and the ability to recognize opportunities to change unsafe behaviors.
What happens during a risk assessment? Take a look at what you can expect.
Northbridge offers a number of specialized training courses and programs, from customized Safety Manager Workshops to defensive driving and safety seminars, like our FACTS driving programs.
The Northbridge Risk Services training center has something for every fleet. Connect with our Risk Services consultants for more information about our training offerings.
We know hands-on help is important, but we also want to give our customers the tools they need to help themselves from the very start.
Our library of Risk Insights, along with safety management guides and forms, outline industry best practices and provide safety tips to help you better manage and control risk across your operation.
Resources for Transportation & Logistics Services
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* Legal Assist not provided for criminal, personal or insurance issues, do not provide representation in legal proceedings or legal fees coverage, and provided by Assistenza International, through lawyers licensed in your jurisdiction. Risk Management Assist provided by our Risk Services specialists and are intended to augment your internal safety, compliance and risk management practices, and are not a substitute for professional or legal advice. Trauma Assist provided by independent third-party professionals, long-term and specialized counseling not included. Cyber Assist provided by CyberScout services are not included in any cyber extension or endorsements. Services are not an insurance policy, not all policies are eligible, contact us for details.