Don't Just Protect Your Truck, Protect Your Cargo

Truckers see a lot of the open road. Whether they spend hours on long-haul dispatches or make multiple deliveries in a day, they still have one thing in common. They have to make sure they deliver their cargo to its destination safely. 

If something were to happen to your cargo, it could lead to negative consequences. The damaging effects could extend to the shipper and recipient. They could also trickle down to you, and impact your ability to turn a profit.

Still, there are ways to cut the impact of cargo damage. One of those ways is by carrying cargo insurance.

Insuring Your Cargo

Ask your insurance agent about the possibility of enrolling in cargo insurance. If something were to happen to the cargo in your care, this policy can help cover these items. Often, it will cover items lost to incidents such as:

• Collisions
• Fire
• Theft
• Spoilage

In the event of an accident involving cargo loss, consider the impact it might have on customers. They stand to lose out because of the loss of this cargo. As a result, this coverage can help customers receive compensation for their losses. Work with your insurer to structure coverage for the relative value of the cargo you will carry.

Keep in mind, exclusions might exist under this coverage. Certain items, particularly unique or high-value items, might not have coverage on a standard policy. You might need certain types of enhanced coverage to extend to these items.

Protecting Cargo When You Transport It

Even if you have cargo protection on your truck, you still need to protect the items in your care. After all, you don’t want anything to happen to these items.

• Before transport, review your dispatch orders. Make sure that everything that comes aboard the truck should be there.
• Verify if any items have fragile transport risks. For example, shipments of food might need refrigeration or pest storage. Take proper precautions to keep these items safe.
• Load and stock the trailer to keep it balanced. Keep hazardous items away from each other.
• Make use of anti-theft and locking devices to keep cargo secure.

Call and talk to your agent at 708.423.2350 about protecting your truck and its cargo. 

More Information: Different Coverage Options for Trucking Insurance and Avoiding Exhaustion in Long-Haul Trucking