Log hauling is one of the riskiest types of trucking. One of the best ways to manage those risks is by getting the right insurance coverage to protect your livelihood.
In this article, we’ll explain everything log haulers need to know to purchase the right coverage for them at a fair price. PLUS, we’ll reveal the top five insurers for truckers that haul logs.
- The 5 best log truck insurance companies
- What Is log truck insurance?
- What are the unique risks faced by log haulers?
- What does log truck insurance cover?
- What coverages do log truck drivers get?
- How much does log truck insurance cost?
- How can I get cheap log truck insurance?
The 5 best log truck insurance companies
- Progressive: The best overall provider of log truck insurance
- Commercialinsurance.net: Best to connect log truckers with agents who is expert in their fields
- Tego Insurance: Best for specialized trucking industry coverage
- NJM Insurance Group: Best for coverage for log haulers in the Mid-Atlantic region
- Simply Business: Best for saving by comparing quotes from multiple providers
Progressive: The best overall provider of log truck insurance
Progressive may seem like a less than serious company because of its ongoing series of commercials featuring Flo. You might feel concerned about entrusting your log hauling truck to the insurer.
The truth: It’s a reputable company that’s been offering vehicle insurance for more than 80 years and is the top commercial vehicle insurer in the United States, which means it’s doing something right. The company is known for its flexibility, great rates, and top-tier service.
Progressive is famous for its discounts, which could help you save on your log truck insurance. You can earn discounts for things like:
- Having significant driving experience
- Earning a CDL certification
- Paying your premium in full rather than monthly or quarterly
- Bundling your log truck insurance with other coverage
- Allowing Progressive to electronically monitor your driving habits
- Agreeing to autopay.
You owe it to yourself to get a quote from Progressive.
Commercialinsurance.net: Best to connect log truckers with agents who is expert in their fields
Commercialinsurance.net is a national broker specializing in small business insurance. They work with a wide network of agents who are expert in their own fields.
The online resource promises to help every type of trucker, including ones hauling logs. The firm’s unique value proposition is that they will connect you with knowledgeable insurance agents who specialize in trucker coverage. This provides you with access to experts who work with different insurance companies that provide coverage to log haulers. This makes it more likely you’ll find complete coverage at an affordable price.
Tego Insurance: Best for specialized trucking industry coverage
Tego is an insurance company that specializes in helping loggers get the coverage they need. They have a unique understanding of the industry and it’s experts will be able to help you identify the types and levels of coverage you need. The firm’s name comes from the Latin word that means “to cover and protect.” The firm selected it to demonstrate its commitment to its trucking industry clients.
NJM Insurance Group: Best for coverage for log haulers in the Mid-Atlantic region
NJM is a leading provider of business insurance in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The firm’s local account representatives will help you find the truck coverage that’s right for you.
NJM is rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best, an insurance company rating agency, for financial strength, which means it will be able to pay claims made by the truckers insured by it.
Simply Business: Best for saving by comparing quotes from multiple providers
The surest way to get good log truck insurance while saving money on your coverage is to get quotes from multiple providers. The easiest way to do that is through Simply Business.
Simply Business is a cutting-edge insurance provider. The firm has developed its own state-of-the-art platform, based on its own algorithms, to ensure it is able to connect log truckers with the insurance they need at the most reasonable price. The platform makes it quick and easy to get quotes from several providers at once, making it possible to compare coverage and premium prices from highly reputable insurers all on a single screen. The entire process should take less than ten minutes.
In some cases, you may not get several quotes online because log truck insurance is more complicated than other business insurance polices. Simply Business agents may need to verify a few more details of your logging business on the phone before discussing your quote options.
Once you get your quote, Simply Business makes it easy to purchase a log truck policy online or through an agent. When you get your commercial log truck policy through Simply Business, it’s simple to manage your coverage online, including downloading proof of insurance, filing a claim, renewing your coverage, and more. This is especially great for truckers who spend a lot of time out on the road.
What Is log truck insurance?
Log truck insurance is a specific commercial truck insurance type customizing for log trucks. It protects log haulers against the financial ramifications of the risks they face. Their risk level is higher than that for other truckers because the loads the carry are extremely heavy and they often have to drive through rough terrain. Trucks used for logging are more likely to flip over than other trucks and accidents result in greater damage because of the heaviness of the loads carried.
What are the unique risks faced by log haulers?
Log haulers face risks other types of truckers do not. These include:
- Weight of Logs: This makes collisions involving log trucks particularly dangerous. Log trucks are more prone to accidents — and more destructive ones — compared with other types of trucks.
- Risk of Tipping: Trucks tipping is a common occurrence in the logging industry. The extra weight that log haulers transport can cause trucks to become unstable, which makes them tip over.
- Accidents and claims: Injuries and property damage are usually worse in log truck accidents when compared with other types of trucks because of the extra weight they carry.
What does log truck insurance cover?
It all depends on the specific coverages you purchase.
Typically, a log truck insurance policy covers the vehicle, the driver, and other motorists impacted by an accident. Accident related damage to other people’s property, including vehicles, is also usually covered. In addition, most drivers get protection that pays for medical expenses if they’re injured while on the job.
What coverages do log truck drivers get?
Most truckers that haul logs purchase the following coverages:
Trucking primary liability insurance
This covers bodily injury to other people and damage to other people’s property if you’re involved in an accident. It will also cover legal defense costs if you’re sued. State laws and trucking industry regulations will require you to get this coverage. This is the most important and the most expensive coverage that you must have to drive your log truck. If you are under lease to a logging company, it’s likely they’ll get this coverage for you.
Trucking physical damage insurance
This covers repairs or replacement of your trailer and truck when you’re involved in an accident. It also covers damage to your trailer and truck that results from natural disasters, like floods and earthquakes or theft. Lear more at the best trucking physical damage insurance companies.
Cargo coverage
This coverage pays if anything happens to the logs you haul while transporting them. It is usually required by the shippers or brokers. It is required more and more often nowadays. The price of cargo coverage in log truck insurance depends on the value of the logs. The more valuable the logs are, the more expensive the cargo insurance premiums are. Learn more at the best motor truck cargo insurance companies.
Uninsured motorist coverage
This coverage ensures that damages and injuries will be covered if you’re in an accident with an uninsured motorist or are involved in a hit and run. Given that almost 18% vehicles on the US streets are by drivers without insurance or underinsurance, it is critical for log truck companies to have this coverage. Actually, this coverage is required in most states.
Occupational accident coverage for truckers
Occupational accident coverage pays for medical expenses and lost wages if you get injured or become ill while driving a log truck. This is similar to workers comp insurance for truckers, but it is a lighter version. The coverage is not as comprehensive as workers comp insurance for truckers, thus it is usually just half of the price of workers comp insurance. Learn more at the best occupational accident insurance companies for truckers.
Workers comp insurance for truckers
If you run a log trucking company and hire drivers as full-time employees. You are required by law in all 50 states, except Texas to provide workers comp insurance for your drivers. However, if you hire your drivers as independent contractors, you are not required to provide workers comp insurance to them. You should at least provide occupational accident insurance to protect them. At the end of the day, trucking is a high-risk job.
If you are an owner operator who drive a log truck, you can choose to buy for yourselves workers comp insurance for occupational accident coverage.
Learn more at the best workers comp insurance for truckers.
How much does log truck insurance cost?
It depends on whether you are a leased owner operator or work independently.
For leased owner-operators, the average annual log truck insurance premium typically ranges between $4,000 and $6,000 a year. Owner operators who operate under their own authority usually pay between $11,000 and $14,000 per year for coverage. Truckers operating under new authority can expect to pay significantly more than $14,000 per year for coverage, we estimate it to be $16,000-$22,000 a year.
| Log truck driver types | Log truck insurance cost |
| Leased owner-operator | $4,000-$6,000/year |
| Owner-operator under their own authority | $11,000-$14,000/year |
| Owner-operators with new authority | $16,000-$22,000/year |
Be aware that these are merely benchmarks. Many factors impact log insurance costs, including value and age of the vehicle, travel radius, driving experience and records, claims history and more.
It’s a good idea to get quotes from several of the insurers on our list to ensure you’re getting the coverage you need at the best possible cost.
Can I get cheap log truck insurance?
It’s understandable for log truckers to look for discounts on their insurance. It’s one of their largest fixed expenses. Start by seeing if you can bundle multiple coverages with a single insurer. This will usually lower your costs. Keep your truck in top condition, follow regulations, and maintain complete records. This will help prevent violations, which will contribute to lowering your rates. You may also be able to earn discounts for having a deer guard, following a written safety policy, and paying your premium in full instead of in monthly installments. Another thing you can do is improve your credit score. A higher credit score will typically lower your insurance rates because it demonstrates that the insured driver is responsible.
Last but not least, don’t forget to compare several quotes before making your final decision. That’s an important tactic to get cheap log truck insurance.
When you request quotes from multiple providers, make sure you get every discount possible and find out how you can earn more of them in the future.
Learn more at the cheapest truck insurance companies.
Learn more about log truck insurance in several states in the country:
- Log truck insurance in Florida
- Log truck insurance in Alabama
- Log truck insurance in South Carolina
- Log truck insurance in Mississippi
Log truck insurance in Florida
Florida is a vast state with 17 million acres of forests, most of which are working timberlands and are owned by private companies. State and federal government own some of these timberlands. The forestry industry employs 124,000 Floridians and generates $25 billion a year for the state economy.
As the result, the logging industry is pretty healthy and growing to support the wood-using mills in the state. These wood-using mills need to have log trucks to transport woods. Log hauling is actually a high risk industry and they will need log truck insurance to protect themselves from the risks associated with log hauling. Consider the best log truck insurance we recommend above to find the right policy at the most affordable prices.
Log truck insurance in Alabama
Log truck insurance costs from $8,000 a year to about $15,000 a year on average in Alabama. Logging is a highly specific and dangerous occupation. For every 100,000 loggers, 91 of them are killed as a result of work-related injuries. On the plus side, logging pays well.
Logging trucks are difficult to drive and their weight makes them prone to tipping, which increases the risk of accidents. You’ll need an intrastate USDOT number and be insured for at least $750,000.
Log truck insurance in South Carolina
Timber is the number one cash crop in South Carolina. The forest industry pulls in around $17 billion dollars a year.
Logging trucks are heavy and difficult to control. The weight of the logs increases the risk of traffic accidents and anyone involved in the accident can suffer catastrophic injuries. Logs can shift during transport as well.
Most of the mills in South Carolina will require at least $1,000,000 in insurance, CSL.
Log truck insurance in Mississippi
Mississippi loggers play a huge role in the state’s economy. 65% of the state is covered in timber, and timber is the state’s third largest commodity.
Log trucks have to have a permit to be on the road two hours before sunrise and two hours after sunset. Beyond those hours, you are not allowed to be on the road at all. Also, log trucks have to have a red flag on the back of the truck during the day, and a flashing red light on the back of the longest log at night.
Loggers in Mississippi need $1,000,000 CSL liability policy.
