Truck Accidents in KC

Understanding Truck Insurance in Kansas City, MO

Learn more about the vehicle insurance you need in MO and KS

Small businesses regularly use commercial trucks and vehicles for different purposes. Some of these purposes include landscaping, deliveries, repair services, construction, and many other services. Sometimes, the owners of start-up companies will use their own vehicles for commercial purposes.

Choosing the right policy for your business – especially if the “company car” is your own – is important. You want to protect yourself, your workers, and your company in the event of an accident.

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Truck Accidents Kansas City

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What are the minimum truck insurance requirements for Missouri businesses?

The amount of insurance you need depends on the type of commercial truck or vehicle you have, and what you use it for. After all, a pizza parlor has different needs than a landscaping company, and an IT consultant has different needs than an independent tow truck driver.

At a bare minimum, you need a commercial auto policy that provides:

  • $25,000 in liability per person
  • $50,000 in liability per accident for bodily injury
  • $25,000 in liability for property damage

You also need uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

But this may not be enough or even applicable, depending on your work vehicles. Generally, any trucks that deliver freight such as household goods must have the following minimum insurance coverage for each truck:

  • Bodily injury: $100,000 for injury or death of one person
  • Bodily injury: $300,000 for one accident
  • Property damage: $50,000 for one accident

But your minimums may be different from these based on your services. For example, you may need additional cargo insurance or freight insurance, which can increase your minimums depending on what you transport; if you transport HAZMAT materials, you need at least $1,000,000 in coverage.

Kansas has the same minimum requirements for commercial motor carrier and commercial auto coverage as Missouri.

What extra truck insurance can I buy in Missouri?

Kansas City business owners should purchase as much liability insurance over and above the minimum requirements as they can afford because just one night in a hospital can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

In addition to purchasing liability insurance, businesses with small trucks should consider buying the following types of insurance.

  • Umbrella insurance. This insurance applies to claims over and above the company’s standard insurance policy limits. It adds protection for equipment losses as well as other actions such as libel, vandalism, etc.
  • Collision insurance. This insurance pays for the damage to the truck. The damages can include the cost to repair the truck, the cost to replace the truck if the truck is totaled, and the cost to use another truck until the repairs or the purchase of a new truck can be made.
  • Comprehensive insurance. This insurance pays for the theft of a truck, damage due to a fire, and other damages that do not require showing anyone was negligent.
  • Business liability insurance. One thing to note is that commercial policies typically apply only to the vehicle and its parts – not to any contents in or on the vehicle. For example, if you have a landscaping truck and you are hit by another vehicle, and your mowers or tools are damaged in the collision, your truck policy may not cover them.

Our Kansas City truck accident lawyers will explain what additional insurance coverages may apply.

Additional offerings in Kansas

According to one truck insurance provider in Kansas, business owners can purchase a wide array of different policies beyond basic liability, UM/UIM, and collision. Some of the offerings include:

  • Motor Truck Cargo Insurance
  • Trailer interchange coverage
  • Non-trucking Liability
  • Non-owner trailer coverage
  • Garage Keepers Legal Liability
  • Refrigeration breakdown coverage
  • Auto Haulers Insurance
  • Short-term or Temporary Insurance
  • HAZMAT Insurance

Companies that use small trucks in Kansas should purchase as much insurance as they can.

When are my employees covered by my truck insurance?

Insurance policies should state whether the company policy applies if the employee causes an accident, when the employee is considered as working during the scope of the employment, and any other conditions that apply. Typically, an employee who is using a work truck – even for personal errands, like running out to grab some lunch – will be covered under a commercial auto policy. Our Kansas City accident lawyers will review the contract to determine when and how employees are protected by the company policy.

It is worth noting that while commercial insurance will cover you for personal use, personal insurance will not cover commercial use. So, if you don’t have a commercial policy in place and your employee uses your rackbody for work and gets into an accident, you may have bigger problems.

When are employees covered by workers’ compensation insurance?

If one of your truck drivers is injured in an accident during the scope of his/her employment, the driver should have the right to file a workers’ compensation claim. Your worker’s compensation insurance policy should pay this claim – not your liability policy. The costs of repairs, however, would fall under your truck insurance policy if workers had permission to drive the vehicle.

If your worker is a contractor (NOT an employee), then he or she would not be covered under workers’ compensation. As such, the policy which covers the work will depend on the circumstances.

Can you help me with my Kansas City truck insurance claim?

Yes, we can. We represent business owners that have claims for collision or comprehensive insurance. Our lawyers represent workers who have workers’ compensation claims. We represent employees if another driver causes a truck accident with the truck the employee is driving. No matter what your insurance claim needs are, we are ready and able to fight for you.

Note: if your employee causes an accident, normally your insurance will assign a lawyer to defend the employee and the company.

Can you help me if the insurance company won’t offer a fair settlement?

In the personal injury cases we handle, including truck accident cases, we handle all phases of your case including the investigation, the filing of the lawsuit, the discovery phase, and the settlement negotiations. If the insurance company won’t offer a fair settlement, we are always ready to try your case before a jury.

Do you have a truck accident lawyer near me?

At Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys, our lawyers meet clients at our main office located at 510 Walnut, Suite 100, Kansas City, MO, in the River Market area. We have many additional offices in Missouri and Kansas for your convenience. When necessary, we meet clients away from the office and through our video chat service by appointment.

Our Kansas City truck accident lawyers will explain which insurance policies you should purchase, and which ones should be used to pay your claim.

Contact our Kansas City truck accident lawyers today

At Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys, our Missouri and Kansas truck accident lawyers understand how to simplify the complex language and issues involved with insurance coverage. We’ll fight to obtain all the economic and non-economic damages you deserve. We’re skilled at negotiating with insurance adjusters. Call us now or fill out our contact form today to schedule your free consultation. We also have offices in Lee’s Summit, St. Joseph, and Parkville, MO as well as Overland Park, Victory Hills, Kansas City and Olathe, KS available by appointment.

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