If there is any business that requires an insurance policy, then the pilot car business should be one of them. The fact that pilot car operators guide or escort large trucks carrying oversized loads along their routes means that there is a likelihood for pilot car drivers to be involved in an accident or to either get themselves injured or injure someone via accident.
With the above in mind, it will be safe to say every pilot car business needs insurance policy cover, and the insurance policy cover for a pilot car business is to protect the pilot car driver, the pilot cars, the business owner, the customer (large trucks carrying oversized loads), and lastly other road users.
If you are caught driving without primary liability insurance, it will result in increased premiums in the future, and in the event of an accident, drivers will be responsible for the damages. In general, an insurance policy protects your pilot car business from lawsuits and claims.
Best Insurance Policy for a Pilot Car Business
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Table of Content
General Liability Insurance
One of the best insurance policies covers a pilot car business must have is general liability insurance. General liability insurance offers liability insurance coverage that helps protect a business from claims caused by bodily injuries or property damage.
The truth is that if you do not have general liability insurance coverage, you will be required to pay from your pocket whenever there are accidents, bodily injuries, or property damages as a result of the activities of your pilot car business.
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Commercial Auto Insurance
Another very important insurance policy coverage that a pilot car business should have in place is a commercial auto insurance policy cover. The fact that pilot car operators guide or escort large trucks makes it mandatory for them to subscribe to commercial auto insurance.
Commercial auto insurance can help pay for property damage and medical costs in an accident, along with weather damage, theft, and vandalism.
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Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Workers’ compensation insurance policy cover is yet another insurance policy coverage that a pilot car business should have in place. Workers need to be protected from workplace accidents, disability, etc.
Please note that the only reason why you may not need a workers’ compensation insurance policy is if you are operating a one-man business – a sole proprietorship. Unless you are a one-man pilot car company, you will need a policy to help cover your employees.
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Medical Payments Insurance
It is important to note that this insurance protects your pilot car drivers and all the people who are in the vehicle at the time of an auto accident.
If anyone is injured, irrespective of who is at fault for the accident, medical payment coverage will cater to the associated medical bills. It is advisable you call and speak with a licensed insurance agent to determine if it is a viable option for your pilot car insurance needs.
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Physical Damage Insurance
This is the insurance coverage that protects your vehicle (pilot cars) directly. If your pilot car or escort vehicle is damaged or destroyed due to unexpected events and perils, this coverage will ultimately cater for the repairs and replacement of your vehicle (pilot cars).
Comprehensive Physical Damage
This damage protects your pilot cars (vehicles) against a wide variety of potential day-to-day risks. It also protects you against theft of your vehicle; break-ins, vandalism, damages caused by natural events such as a hailstorm, and more. This damage protection covers most damages that are not caused by overturning or by collision.
Collision Damage
Collision damages also provide you with insurance for those times when your pilot car (vehicles) does get damaged in a rollover or collision. If, for instance, your vehicle backs into a mailbox while guiding or escorting large trucks carrying oversized loads, your collision damages protection will pay for the cost of repairs.
Specified Peril (CAC)
This specified peril insurance provides you with protection against only those events and risks that are specifically listed on your pilot car insurance policy. It is also known as CAC, which is short for Fire and Theft with Combined Additional Coverage.
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Uninsured or Underinsured Motorists
According to experts, this insurance is ideal for your pilot car business, because it protects you from suffering financial hardships that can be caused by other people.
If another driver causes an accident with your pilot car and they do not have insurance – or they do not have enough insurance – this coverage caters to the cost of repairs to your pilot car and pays for the bodily injuries of your driver and anyone in the car.
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Umbrella Insurance
Lastly, another good insurance policy cover that a pilot car business should consider having is an umbrella insurance policy. Although umbrella insurance policy cover might not be compulsory for all businesses, but if you need robust coverage for your pilot car business, then you will need umbrella insurance policy cover.
Basically, umbrella insurance policy coverage provides excess liability protection in case of catastrophic events that may cause significant financial losses to your pilot car business.
For example, if a customer or an employee files a lawsuit against the pilot car business that exceeds the limits of primary liability coverage, umbrella insurance will provide additional coverage to meet the excess costs.
Please note that the cost of an insurance policy cover will depend on policy limits, location, driver history, vehicle type, the level of risks, the insurance company, and of course, the type of insurance policy cover. Basically, pilot car insurance will generally cost $400 – $1,000 a month for both auto and business insurance policies.
What Insurance Companies Offer Such Coverages?
- Progressive Commercial
- Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company
- Mutual of Omaha
- New York Life
- State Farm
- MassMutual
- Pacific Life
- OneAmerica
- 21st Century Insurance
- Acuity Insurance
- Allianz Life
- Allied Insurance
- Allstate
- American National Insurance Company
- Liberty Mutual
- Lincoln National Corporation
- Manhattan Life Insurance Company
- New York Life Insurance Company
- MEGA Life and Health Insurance
- Gerber Life Insurance Company
- Globe Life and Accident Insurance Company
- GMAC Insurance
- Accident Fund Insurance Company of America
- American International Group (AIG)
- AmTrust Financial Services
- Zenith Insurance Group.
In conclusion,
It is important to note that even if a pilot car driver uses their personal vehicle for work, they will still need a separate commercial auto policy as most personal auto policies will not cover business use.