Drive A Truck For A Living? What Can You Do To Prevent Post-Accident Rate Hikes?

If you're an owner-operator (OO) of your own rig, you may put a lot of pride into your safe and defensive driving skills — which can make an insurance hike following an accident that wasn't your fault even more of an insult. Unfortunately, truck drivers can often be blamed for accidents that were due in greater part to a passenger vehicle driver's poor judgment or failure to yield, causing their insurance rates to rise and their profits to take a hit. Read on to learn more about how you can fight back against an increase in your insurance rates following an accident that was demonstrably not your fault. 

What can you do to prevent rate increases caused by a recent accident? 

In some cases, your rates may increase simply because your insurance company thought you were at fault in the accident or the police report indicates the at-fault driver cannot be determined (or simply doesn't address which driver was at fault). In other cases, failure to obtain a police report following an accident can serve as per se indication that you were liable, even if you were clearly not at fault. Your first step should be to contact your insurance agent to see whether providing evidence that you weren't at fault can be sufficient to reduce your insurance premium.

Sometimes, you may need to contest the claim — or the corresponding increase in your premium — through formal means by filing a complaint with your insurance company. This complaint can be escalated to the higher levels and reviewed by a senior staffer to determine whether the increase in your premium was justified. 

Is there anything else you can do to decrease your trucking insurance premiums? 

If you've gone through these steps and it hasn't done much to knock your premium cost down, your best bet will likely be to shop around to see if another company can offer you insurance at a reduced price. Because of the sheer number of different insurance companies in today's market, price competition is fierce, making it easier than ever before to find a plan and a price that fit your lifestyle.

You may also want to see whether enrolling in a defensive driving course or a CDL review course would lower your insurance costs. Often, these types of educational seminars can be enough to lower your risk profile with your insurance company and therefore decrease your premium costs. Increasing your deductible or toying around with your coverage limits can also shave a few dollars off your premiums.

For more information, contact local professionals like Affordable Insurance