There is little doubt driving class 7 and class 8 trucks and hauling freight and packages on public roads is risky business. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, most of the nearly 1000 truck drivers and related workers who died in 2016 (the highest number since 2008) from “transportation incidents” while operating their vehicles.

Regardless, hundreds of thousands of professional drivers accept the inherent personal and financial risk and do the job anyway, many as independent 1099 owner operators. As independent, non W-2 holding contractors, these drivers aren’t eligible for employer-funded Workman’s Compensation Coverage. However there is an alternative to protect drivers from the financial consequences of accidents and injury while on the clock and on the road; Occupational Accident Insurance.

Workers Compensation policies automatically provide only the benefits mandated by a given state's workers compensation law. The policies offer little or no choice as to available coverage. However, Occupational Accident Insurance has the flexibility to provide broader benefits and cover more effectively losses and expenses associated with:

• Medical Bills
• Short and Long-term Disability
• Accidental Death Coverage

Specific occupational accident insurance benefits aren’t mandated by law and most trucking insurance specialists offer a wide selection to choose from, so as to create a policy best suited to the driver personally and occupationally.

For example, a specific policy may include:

• Survivors benefits
• Temporary total disability benefits
• Permanent total disability benefits
• Accident-associated medical expenses
• Accidental dismemberment compensation
• Non-occupational accident benefits

And potentially many others. However, as truck owners and independent 1099 contractors, drivers should, with the help of your insurance provider, be able to tailor an occupational accident policy best suited to meet their particular personal needs and circumstances.

For Fleet Operators it can be a Clear Benefit

It’s clear to all occupational accident insurance pays benefits to owner-operators not covered by workers compensation. In addition to those trucking companies that use leased operators, offering occupational accident insurance coverage may help attract and retain contractors and help manage driver/contractor related liabilities not covered by workman’s compensation policies.

Similarly, requiring your independent contractors to carry OCC/ACC will allow the fleet to purchase contingent liability insurance to protect their fleet work comp policy. For this reason and more, most motor carriers require their owner operators to carry an Occupational Accident Policy as a part of their owner operator lease agreement.

Occupational accident insurance can be complicated and sorting out the many different options can be challenging. If you ready to create an occupational accident insurance policy that covers you and your operations best, leverage the experts at InsureMyrig.com. Our professionals know the difference and are ready to make your best policy work for you.