1st Guard Insurance

I had thought all they offered was Physical Damage. I wasn't aware they did the entire package?

Find an insurance 'broker' so to say, that has access to many different companies and have them run your information.

Progressive was a good deal for me in early 2011 (But not anymore) and now I am with Great West Casualty. A few people on here have had bad luck with them, but I am not sure where the blame is entirely located. I think agents can be just as important as the company your hooked up with. Your agent needs to fight for you. They get paid on average like 15% of your entire policy amount....and at renewal!

If your leased, check in with your carrier and then consider just getting 'extra' insurance as needed. If your an INDEPENDENT then I would get as many quotes as you can. GWC wasn't the cheapest for me but had the best overall coverage options for extras that most companies (like Progressive) dont even cover.

 

+ 1 Great West Casualty

 

There is a thread on here about 2 TTR folk that had bad experience with GWC but is that the norm? - Hard to say from only 2 people.

GWC or Northland or any company that specializes in truck insurance would be what I would recommend. Progressive? - Eh. They are good for someone starting out as an O/O - but beyond that, they do not offer any such coverage for stuff like personal cab electronics, straps, tarps, chains etc.

Just in 2011, Progressive finally was able to offer unlimited radius. However it still does not appear to be available in all states. Otherwise, they cap you at about a 500mile radius.

Lots of homework to do when choosing an insurance company.
Remember, the lowest price isn't always the best choice-

 

I had First Guard for two years for physical damage only when I was leased to a company and never had a claim. I left them when I found a better rate with Northland. I checked back with them when I got my own authority and they told me they only dealt with owner operators leased to a company so I guess they have changed. I had a friend that used them and had one claim and they were johnny on the spot with a check to take care of it.

 

+1 for GWC. They, as with any insurance company, is all about the agent and understanding how trucking insurance works when you have a claim.

Also rating is becoming more and more important. And make sure it is the rating of the company writing the policy and not that of the parent company. Some big outfits will talk about parent company rating and they are unrated. Your insurance is thru Company A and not the major holding company.

 

1st Guard is rated "A". Because I am with GWC I don't run into credit rating issues other than seeing companies that will state insurance must be "A" or "A+" minimum.

 

I am an O/O searching for cargo insurance, domiciled in LA. and was told because I am out of Louisiana my insurance will be $14 k per year,that's the whole package, What the #@!!? Do I have to get insurance from the state my authority is from? Should I, CAN I, change my authority to another state so I can get a cheaper rate? For instance, If I live in Michigan but my office is in Louisiana can I get my authority from Montana so I can get cheap insurance from Oklahoma?...