Your “General Liability” will cover you where the Auto Liability leaves off
General Liability insurance coverage will pay those sums that the Trucker becomes legally obligated to pay, as a result of a lawsuit, for damages because of “Bodily Injury” or “Property Damage”.
General Liability coverage limits are typically $1,000,000 in Liability coverage per “Occurrence” with an Annual maximum or “Aggregate” from all claims in a given policy year of $2,000,000. It also includes typically $5,000 in Medical Payments which will respond, without a lawsuit, in the event someone is injured on your property. This separate $5,000 coverage is designed to avert a lawsuit and is a “no questions asked” limit of coverage that will immediately be paid out for emergency care if the need arises. Also included in the GL coverage is typically $100,000 Fire legal liability if you are found liable and having caused a fire to a property that your are leasing or temporarily occupying, such as a motel room.
The General Liability insurance coverage will respond for you in these examples, while the Auto Liability coverage portion would not:
Injuries to customers or others on your premises for “business purposes” even if it occurs at your home office. If they are there for a business purpose, your Homeowners policy will not respond
Salespeople on your premises selling trucker’s services
Loading or Unloading using a device not attached to the truck or trailer (forklift, front end loader, crane)
Erroneous delivery of products, including liquids. An example would be unloading the wrong grade of fuel into the tanks at a gasoline station or delivery of products damaged in shipment that causes damages after delivery. The trucker delivers the product, then leaves, the Auto Liability portion of the policy does not cover the claim
Libel and slander charges. Writing or saying something injurious. For example, remarks made about an employee during a credit reference check or during verification of employment
The trucker performs a repair on vehicles not owned by or leased to the trucker. Repairs are defective causing loss or damage.
Sells an extra tire or parts to another party
Use of self-defense to protect person or property, causing bodily injury to another
Guard Dog, of any size, used to protect business property attacks someone
Furnishing alcohol at a holiday party or after a safety meeting, employee drives under the influence and causes Bodily Injury or Property Damage
Contractual Liability – Leases, Key Stop (access to fuel farm forgetting to re-lock), intermodal, etc.
Driver rents a motel room, goes to sleep while smoking, causing fire damage
Trucker needs Certificates of Insurance for shippers – cannot get into loading areas without GL coverage
Failure to disclose drug problems of previous employee to prospective employer calling for information
Trucker owns or uses mobile equipment – Forklifts, Loaders, etc.