Revisiting… Truck Insurance

Having the right insurance policy with the right coverage is one of (if not) the most important factor for any trucking company.

The most common terms you will hear in coverage are the following (along with basic definitions):

- Automotive Liability Insurance: coverage if an insured is legally liable for bodily injury or property damage caused by an automobile.
- Physical Damage Insurance: coverage of an insured’s vehicle if it is damaged due to various sources, for example: fire.
- Cargo Insurance: coverage for cargo as it is transported to another location.

All the jargon and legal language that comes along with these policies, can be complicated and difficult to fully understand, and many companies pay their monthly premium without fully understanding what their insurance covers them for and what it does not. For any of these policies, the “exclusions” portion is one of the most important sections, since this will let you know what your policy does not cover.

So, now, let’s look at some examples of exclusions in insurance policies:

 Theft or a tractor/trailer from an unsecured, non-gated, and/or unmonitored area.
 Lack of evidence of a break in to a tractor/trailer.
 Reefer breakdown on trailers that are more than 10 years old – this can be regardless of if your coverage includes reefer breakdown – if the trailer is 10 or more years old, the insurance company will not provide coverage.
 Failure to maintain proper temperature in the trailer – unless the failure is caused by or results from fire, lightning, explosions, collision, overturn, flood (as defined as the rising of any “natural” body of water).

Common insurance statements, and what they mean:

Whatever the exclusions or conditions of the insurance policy that a company signs up for, most will have common language. Here are some examples, decoded:

- “The Insured warrants that the refrigeration equipment will be maintained at all times in accordance with the manufacturers specifications” – what this means is that the carrier company must make sure that the trailer and all its refrigeration equipment will be routinely inspected, maintained, and repaired if necessary, on a schedule that is advised by the maker of the trailer.

- “The Insured warrants that the refrigeration equipment will be fully inspected at least every three months by you or a facility approved by the manufacturers. Records of these inspections must be maintained and be made available for inspection” – what this means is that a carrier company must have legitimate paperwork for maintenance and reports, must keep ALL paperwork related to maintenance and repairs, so that they can be provided to the insurance company in the event of a claim. Keep these documents, and most of all, keep them in a safe place!

Remember, knowledge is king! So, be in the know and a king of the road!!!

Are you unsure of what your policy covers, and what it excludes? Feel free to send it to us – we can review the policy and advise accordingly. It is in everyone’s best interest that we all understand what we are protected and covered for!

Do you have any specific experiences in dealing with insurance policies and exclusions? Please share!

Calling All Drivers!!!

How Your Camera Phone Can Help You

These days, it is standard for most cellular phones to be equipped with a camera. This is definitely one of the most critical tools available for a driver. Below, we outline some key ways that a camera phone can be used to protect a driver, and reduce the occurrence of claims and additional charges.

• Photos of trailer condition inside, prior to pickup – take a photo of the inside of your trailer prior to product being loaded at a shipper; this provides evidence of the condition of the trailer. Be reminded that as per UWC’s Carrier Loading Guidelines, the following should be observed: floor grooves and drains clear of obstacles, clean and odor free to ensure proper air flow out of the refrigeration unit, around the load, and back to the unit. The best way to prove that this is the case is to take a photo!

• Photos of trailer once product has been loaded – whenever possible, take a photo of trailer with the back doors open once the product has been loaded. This will confirm the condition of the product prior to transit. This can greatly protect a driver if there are leaning pallets, crushed boxes, broken pallets, and any other product-related issues that may affect a clean BOL upon delivery. Any issues should be communicated to UWC immediately with photos sent as verification. UWC will then forward these photos to all interested parties, and advise on any actions required. It is recommended that a photo is taken at each pickup.

• In-Transit – Use your camera phone to document any accidents or required repairs while in transit.

• Photos at delivery – a camera phone is a useful tool upon delivery; it can be used to document and verify and actual product/cargo damages and any trailer damages that may occur at receiver’s warehouses.

• Tomato Loads – A color report is MANDATORY for all tomato loads hauled under UWC. Drivers will be required to provide daily color reports. A minimum of 3 boxes of all sizes must be reported on.

Need help on how to use your camera phone while on the road?? Call us and we can help find the best way for you to get photos to UWC!

Guide to.... Trucking Insurance

Having the right insurance policy with the right coverage is one of (if not) the most important factor for any trucking company.

Automotive Liability Insurance, Physical Damage Insurance, Cargo Insurance, and all the jargon and legal language that comes along with these policies, can be complicated and difficult to fully understand, and many companies pay their monthly premium without fully understanding what their insurance covers them for and what it does not. For any of these policies, the “exclusions” portion is one of the most important sections, since this will let you know what your policy does not cover.

So, now, let’s look at some examples of exclusions in insurance policies:

 Theft or a tractor/trailer from an unsecured, non-gated, and/or unmonitored area.

 Lack of evidence of a break in to a tractor/trailer.

 Reefer breakdown on trailers that are more than 10 years old – this can be regardless of if your coverage includes reefer breakdown – if the trailer is 10 or more years old, the insurance company will not provide coverage.

 Failure to maintain proper temperature in the trailer – unless the failure is caused by or results from fire, lightning, explosions, collision, overturn, flood (as defined as the rising of any “natural” body of water.

Common insurance statements, and what they mean:

Whatever the exclusions or conditions of the insurance policy that a company signs up for, most will have common language. Here are some examples, decoded:

 “The Insured warrants that the refrigeration equipment will be maintained at all times in accordance with the manufacturers specifications” – what this means is that the carrier company will make sure that the trailer and all its refrigeration equipment will be routinely inspected, maintained, and repaired if necessary, on a schedule that is advised by the maker of the trailer.

 “The Insured warrants that the refrigeration equipment will be fully inspected at least every three months by you or a facility approved by the manufacturers. Records of these inspections must be maintained and be made available for inspection” – what this means is that a carrier company must have legitimate paperwork for maintenance and reports, must keep ALL paperwork related to maintenance and repairs, so that they can be provided to the insurance company in the event of a claim. Keep these documents, and most of all, keep them in a safe place!

Remember, knowledge is king!

Are you unsure of what your policy covers, and what it excludes? Feel free to send it to us – we can review the policy and advise accordingly. It is in everyone’s best interest that we all understand what we are protected and covered for!

Do you have any specific experiences in dealing with insurance policies and exclusions? Please share!

Carrier Loading Tip - Load Lock Review

Load locks play one of the most important roles in ensuring the safe and secure transportation of goods. Did you know that all roadways are engineered with a center crown for water run-off? This causes all vehicles on the road to lean slightly to the right. Because of this, reefer and other truck/trailer units must ensure that whenever possible:

• The rear four pallets of every load should be stacked to the right side of the trailer;


• The rear four pallets should be side by side tight against each other and tight against the passenger side wall to reduce shifting and tipping of pallets;


• Two load locks should be placed between the floor and the ceiling on the left side of the rear pallets;


• Two load locks should also be placed on the back of the rear pallets between the trailer's walls.


• Remember that whenever possible, a minimum of 6 inches of space between the load and the doors must be maintained in order to allow adequate air flow between the load and the doors.

Improperly positioned freight or freight that is not locked into position to avoid shifting during transit can result in:

• Cases and/or pallets being tipped and/or crushed. This can result in damages that have the potential to cause a significant loss of value to the load and therefore may have the potential for additional costs.


• Improper air flow which will most likely reduce a reefer unit's ability to maintain proper running temperature. This has the potential to cause claims against the carrier due to temperature issues.

Prevention, as always, is the best way for carriers to protect themselves from potential claims/additional charges related to shifted/improperly positioned loads!! 3-6 load locks must be used for all UWC loads, and all must be in good working order!!!

It's hard to believe, but Labor Day weekend is upon us!! UWC wishes everyone a happy and safe long weekend!!!