Truck insurance: how to choose the right one?

Par
 
Justine Demarque
 
le
 
29/8/2022

Do you use a heavy truck for your business? The question of truck insurance is therefore essential. Like any vehicle, trucks must be covered by insurance to be able to drive legally. The risks to which your vehicle is subject vary depending on how it is used. To be sure of being covered as best as possible, information is therefore essential. What is the best insurance? What is the price? Or what are the guarantees? Find out everything you need to know about truck insurance.

Definition of a heavyweight

When we talk about heavyweight or truck, we refer to all commercial vehicles intended for the transport of goods, namely semi-trailers, trailers whose total loaded weight exceeds 350 kg. To drive this type of vehicle, a C license is essential.

What are the particularities of truck insurance?

Truck insurance has several particularities compared to other insurances, namely:

    • The tariff HGV insurance is higher than car insurance. Indeed, the weight and the size of this type of vehicle mean that the risks associated with their driving are greater.
    • The franchise Truck insurance is more expensive.
    • Truck insurance can also protect Hardware And the wares carried.
    • The price depends on statute of the driver. The more experienced it is, the lower the price. This is why insurers often require the driver's license from the driver of the vehicle. If driven by another driver at the time of an accident, your insurer may not compensate you.

What elements are mentioned in the truck insurance contract?

In principle, the contract mentions the following information:

    • Detailed characteristics of the vehicle and its ancillary structures (trailers)
    • Mileage or age
    • The model
    • All technical information to prove that the vehicle is in good condition
    • Proof of use of the truck: routes, type of goods transported, etc.
    • The safety instructions to be respected for the insurance to be valid. In principle, if the truck is overloaded, the insurance company does not cover you in the event of an accident. The same applies if the driver does not respect the mandatory driving hours and rest hours.

Truck insurance: what coverage?

To be effective and useful in the event of a disaster, your heavy vehicle coverage must absolutely be adapted to your business. To do this, insurance companies generally offer various formulas. These can then include several guarantees, up to the complete coverage that is called all risks.

The guarantees

To complete and personalize your coverage, various additional guarantees are offered to you, such as:

    • Financial loss guarantee: in case of impossibility to work.
    • Private or professional content guarantee in case of theft.
    • The material guarantee during the loading and unloading of goods.
    • Guaranteed 24/7 support to be assisted and repaired quickly and cheaply.
    • Legal and legal protection: it covers lawyer fees in the event of disputes or accidents.
    • Theft and attempted theft guarantee: it covers the truck as well as all its interior and exterior elements and the goods transported in case of theft or damage.

Multi-risk insurance

We told you about it above, the all-risk coverage is the most comprehensive. It includes several guarantees such as the driver's body insurance in the event of an accident and any incident involving the insured vehicle. An option for goods transported in the event of theft or destruction following a collision, accident, breakage... can also be added.

What is the price of truck insurance?

The price of truck insurance can vary depending on several factors. Among others:

    • The number of vehicles to be insured: the more trucks to insure, the higher the price will be.
    • Model, type and age as well as mileage: the older they are (and therefore expensive to maintain or repair), the higher the amount of the premium will be.
    • Usage (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.), vehicle routes and company activity: the more risky these criteria are considered, the higher the insurance price.
    • The type of goods transported and their approximate value.
    • The parking lot for vehicles.
    • The age, experience and insurance history of drivers: the more experienced they are, the less the amount.

Truck fleet insurance: what are the advantages?

Do you have more than five trucks? You can of course take out individual truck insurance for each of them with the same insurer or with several insurance companies. However, you can also take out a single contract for all your vehicles: Heavy vehicle fleet insurance. The latter offers several advantages: First, you benefit from a single contract for all the heavy goods vehicles in your company. As a result, management is easier, because you communicate with a single company and a single interlocutor. Plus, it saves you time.Second, you benefit flexible insurance. Indeed, your insurance policy corresponds to the specificities of your fleet. Whether they are vehicles with ancillary structures such as trailers, commercial vehicles or heavy passenger vehicles, guarantees are adapted to your activity and the use you make of your vehicles. In addition, the police mention the particularities of your vehicles. Thirdly, you benefit financial advantages. Indeed, depending on the size and characteristics of your fleet, your insurance company can grant you the absence or the pooling of bonus-malus, the calculation of contributions on an annual basis, etc. In addition, it can also give you discounts depending on the number of heavy goods vehicles insured.

Temporary truck insurance: when should you choose one?

Temporary heavy vehicle insurance is, as has been said, intended for vehicles in transit on foreign territory. It temporarily covers the truck while they are in the country. Temporary truck insurance lasts maximum 90 days and is owned by a single driver. In other words, if you have several vehicles in transit abroad, you must take out a temporary contract for each vehicle. You can subscribe directly online. In principle, this type of insurance is applicable in all countries in the European area.

Truck insurance: which is the best?

The best truck insurance is the one that best suits your needs and budget. There are different types of truck insurance:

    • Permanent insurance
    • Temporary insurance: intended for foreign carriers in transit on the territory or for rental trucks

To find the best insurance, you need to involve the competition. For this:

    • Request a quote from several insurance companies specializing in contracts for heavy vehicles
    • Compare their offers: covers, prices, etc.

You can also use an online insurance comparison tool to save time. In a few minutes, you will find offers based on the type of your vehicles and the use you make of them.