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
Flatbed Trailers Insurance
Transporting goods on a flatbed trailer can seem straightforward, but there are risks from the moment you load your cargo to when it’s unloaded. Using equipment like forklifts and cranes can pose hazards, and load securement is a priority that should not be overlooked. Here’s how flatbed trailer insurance can help.
What kind of coverage do flatbed trailers need?
If you specialize in flatbed loads, you may face more scrutiny from enforcement agencies: how well have you secured your load? How many chains and straps have you used, and are they high-quality? Attention to detail is the name of the game – and that goes for your insurance coverage as well as your daily operations.
When can insurance for flatbed trailers come to your rescue?
Heavy, wide, or otherwise awkward loads require careful attention and special safeguards. But while highly-trained drivers and the right permits are crucial, they can’t always prevent a loss.
Here are a few scenarios where specific insurance features can come into play.
Damaged cargo can devastate your bottom line
You’re responsible for keeping your cargo safe and sound, and that’s not always easy. If you were to misjudge a bridge clearance, for instance, and the top of your load collided with the structure, it could be an expensive lesson in spatial awareness.
Cargo insurance would help cover the damages to that cargo, so you wouldn’t have to pay for the substantial loss entirely out of pocket.
Flatbed fender benders can cause serious trouble
What happens if you’re hauling a pricey load of lumber for a client and a strap snaps, sending the logs rolling off your truck and into traffic? Well, if you’re relying on your personal auto coverage, it might mean you’re in significant financial and legal trouble.
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, should a collision or other incident happen while you’re on the road.
Cover your equipment, tools, and workspace – wherever they may be
You likely handle equipment and specialized devices when loading and unloading, not to mention structures and tools that help you store your vehicles. You’ll want to consider protecting that property as much as possible.
Wind, rain, snow, and fire can cause significant damage, but commercial property insurance can come to your rescue in these situations. This coverage is designed to help protect your physical assets both inside and outside your commercial building.
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 flatbed trailer 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
Insurance plays an important role, but it’s not everything – you can lean on our industry expertise, library of focused resources, and confident guidance 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.