According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, about 500,000 truck accidents occur on the nation’s highways each year. Unfortunately, many of these accidents that involve dump trucks can be fatal, leading to death and property damage.
These accidents cause a lot of problems for business owners in this industry. That’s because dump trucks are costly to repair, and also the cost of lawsuits that follow these accidents can be costly too. Therefore, if your own a dump truck, you must do your best to secure your investment. The average cost of dump truck insurance in the U.S. varies between $2,400 and $7,200.
This article will explain to you why the cost varies. Also, we will explain how you might get a discount on your dump truck insurance and how to find cheap dump truck insurance.
- How much does dump truck insurance cost?
- What are the factors that affect dump truck insurance costs?
- How to reduce your dump truck insurance cost?
- Who needs dump truck insurance?
- Dump truck insurance companies
How much does dump truck insurance cost?
The average cost of dump truck insurance is $200-$600 per month per vehicle or $2,400-$7,200 per year. The biggest factor affecting dump truck insurance cost is how large the truck is physically. Below are the average insurance costs for different dump truck sizes:
| Dump truck size | Average dump truck insurance costs |
| Single axle dump truck | $220-$350/month |
| Tandem axle dump truck | $320-$480/month |
| Triple axle dump truck | $440-$620/month |
When insurance companies classify dump trucks, they put them under vehicles with high risk. That is because dump trucks have a higher Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) than other vehicle types. Asides from that, the type of cargo that dump trucks carry (sand, gravel, etc.) also adds an element of risk. All these come together to increase the price of dump truck insurance.
Different insurance companies will give you different quotes. Different dump truck businesses with their unique operations will have different insurance rates as well. Be sure to shop around with a few companies or work with a top broker like Simply Business, commercialinsurance.net, or Smart Financial, to compare several quotes before making your final decision. biBERK and Progressive are the only carriers offering truck insurance quotes online. It shouldn’t take you more than 10 minutes to get a quote on their websites, so it may be worth it.
If you only need dump truck insurance for a couple of days, you should definitely get pay-per-day truck insurance coverage from InsurePro. They are the only provider in the market offering the flexible truck insurance coverage that only requires you to pay when you are on the road.
What are the factors that affect dump truck insurance costs?
The cost of dump truck insurance is affected by many factors related to the company. As a result, the insurance company might require some of the following details when generating a quote for your dump truck insurance.
The coverage type you need
There are different coverage policies that you can buy for your dump truck. The policies your buy will determine the extent of protection your trucks have in the event of problems. However, every type of coverage you add to your dump truck insurance policy will raise the cost since it increases the likelihood that your carrier will have to pay you out. Generally speaking, all dump trucks need primary general liability insurance. This insurance protects you against physical harm and property damage. But then, this is usually insufficient to cover for all forms of perils. To cover all other perils, you should consider carrying the additional policies. See details below.
As we already mentioned, you will pay more for every additional coverage you need.
Your drivers
The quality of the drivers you have will go a long way in determining the cost of your premium. Insurance companies are particularly interested in your drivers since they charge dump trucks. In most cases, they will want to know their age, level of experience, and the number of accidents they have had in the past.
The insurance company will request their driver’s license numbers and the Motor Vehicle Records (MVRs) of all your drivers to get full that information. An MVR essentially provides a history of the individual’s driving record, including citations and accidents. If your drivers have a lot of experience and clean MVRs, you could pay cheaper insurance prices since they’ve proven that they know what they’re doing and are safe drivers.
Your dump trucks
The type and worth of your dump trucks are other factors that affect your insurance price. The higher the value of your trucks, the more expensive they will be to insure because any loss would be more costly. Repairing or replacing an expensive dump truck will obviously cost more money.
Similarly, old dump trucks are prone to damage. Therefore, insuring such dump trucks will come at a higher price. If the parts of your dump truck model are difficult to find or the parts are generally more expensive, you might pay more for your premiums as well.
The insurance company might ask you to enter the information manually to get all this information. Alternatively, the company may request the vehicle identification number (VIN) of the truck.
The number of dump trucks in your fleet
The number of dump trucks you have also influences the cost of dump truck insurance. The more vehicles you have, the more likely you will file a claim. Therefore, companies will charge you more to cover the additional risk.
Tickets, accidents, and loss-run history
If your business has a long history of accidents and traffic violations, you will face higher insurance premiums. The higher price is because the insurance company perceives you as a more considerable risk. They will assume that you’re more likely to file a claim. This is why you must always emphasize dump truck safety at your company.
Before providing you with a quotation, the insurance provider will most likely require a copy of your loss-run. Your loss run is a record of the claims and losses that your company has experienced. As previously stated, if you have had many claims in the past, you are viewed as a higher risk. As a result, your insurance may be more expensive to compensate for the higher risk.
Your location and travel radius
Dump truck insurance costs are also affected by where you live and how far you drive the dump truck. Dump truck companies located in busy metropolitan areas have to pay more than those in rural areas. That is because urban areas are usually more congested, so there is a higher chance of accidents occurring there.
Also, the distance that your trucks travel will affect the cost of your dump truck insurance. Companies that move their dump trucks interstate will pay a higher premium for their trucks.
Years of experience
The cost of dump truck insurance is also affected by the business experience. Insurance companies usually consider older companies to be established with more business data. They believe older companies have more industry knowledge and will make fewer mistakes. Therefore, older companies with clean loss history and competent drivers will probably pay less for insurance than newer or older companies with lots of claims.
Learn more at the best commercial truck insurance for new drivers.
Your cargo
Finally, your insurance provider will want to know what you’re moving with your dump trucks. The loads you transport would impact your premiums since the more precious your loads, the more significant the loss if you were involved in an accident. Therefore, companies that haul precious stones will pay more than companies that carry sand under any circumstance.
How to reduce your dump truck insurance cost?
If you are looking to reduce the cost of your premium, you can use any of these ideas.
Shop around for the best prices
As we said earlier, different companies offer different prices for their dump truck insurance policies. Therefore, the best way to get the lowest price might be to simultaneously compare as many insurance companies. Working with a top truck insurance broker like Simply Business, commercialinsurance.net, or Smart Financial, is a good way to get several quotes in one place. You can also get quotes online directly from the carrier. However, Progressive and biBERK are the only two carrier offering truck insurance quotes online. It shouldn’t take you more than 10 minutes to get a quote on their websites, so it may be worth it.
Buy insurance package bundles.
If you need more than one coverage, consider bundling the various coverages with a single supplier. Also, if you have a fleet, combine individual truck insurance plans with one insurance carrier. The insurance company should give a discount on this.
Consider purchasing seasonal insurance coverage.
If your dump truck won’t be working in the winter, it does not need to be insured for the period. Getting insurance that covers you all year will only be a waste of money. So, instead, look for seasonal insurance coverage where you only pay for the time your trucks are in use.
Pay your insurance premiums in full.
Yearly policies cost less in the long term than when you pay monthly. Insurance companies do this to encourage their clients to commit to more extended periods. So, if you can afford a full-year payment, go for it.
Consider using electronic payments.
Insurance companies frequently provide slight reductions to customers who pay online. So, if you can, pay with your cards.
Consider pay-per-day option
If you are a part-time trucker or you just started your trucking business and do not have enough business to drive your truck every day yet, you may want to consider pay-per-day trucking coverage option. This means that you only need to pay for truck insurance coverage when you are on the road. InsurePro is the only provider offering this flexible coverage, so you may want to check them out.
Who needs dump truck insurance?
General speaking, if you own or operate a dump truck, you will need to have dump truck insurance. Below are some common scenarios:
- If you are an owner operator with one or more dump trucks and operating under your own authority, you will need to have comprehensive dump truck insurance with all coverages including trucking primary liability insurance
- If you are an owner operator with one or more dump truck and you lease on with a motor carrier, you will need some coverages in your dump truck insurance but it is likely that the motor carrier will provide trucking primary liability coverage.
- If you a commercial truck driver working for a motor carrier and drive a dump truck, you might need some basic coverage of dump truck insurance.
Dump truck insurance companies
The good news is that many insurance companies offer dump truck insurance, from large well-known insurance companies like Progressive or Travelers or Nationwide, or smaller and more specialized truck insurance companies like Sentry or Acuity. You can also shop dump truck insurance with brokers such as CoverWallet or commercialinsurance.net if you want to compare several quotes to find the cheapest one for you. Learn more at the best dump truck insurance companies.
What does dump truck insurance cover?
Dump truck insurance is a general term referring to different coverages that trucking companies with dump truck may need. Below are the comprehensive list of coverages that may be included in a dump truck insurance policy:
Trucking primary liability insurance
This covers the bodily injuries or property damages that you dump truck causes to other vehicles in an accident and you are at fault. This coverage is required by laws in all 50 states. If you drive a dump truck, you must have this coverage. This is also the most expensive coverage.
Trucking general liability insurance
This covers your customers’ bodily injury or property damage because of business activities, not because of operating the dump truck. Learn more at the best trucking general liability insurance companies.
Collision insurance
This will cover the cost of repairing your dump truck if you collide with another vehicle or property.
Non-trucking insurance
This insurance is necessary for accidents that occur while owners/operators are driving the dump trucks during non-working hours. Learn more at the best non-trucking liability insurance companies.
Sometimes this is also referred to as bobtail insurance. However, bobtail insurance only protects you if you drive a truck without a trailer attached to it. Learn more at the best bobtail insurance companies.
Dump truck cargo coverage
This coverage covers damages or losses to the goods you’re transporting, especially if it’s valuable. This is usually required by shippers or brokers. The price of this coverage depends on the value of the goods you are transporting. Learn more at the best motor truck cargo insurance companies.
Environmental insurance coverage
If you transport something that might potentially be pollution, this policy will cover losses, restoration, and clean-up.
Fire and theft coverage
As the name suggests, it covers damages or replacement costs in the event of theft or fire damage.
Physical damage insurance
If you’re leasing your dump truck, you will need this coverage to cover any damage to the truck. This coverage pays to repair or replace your dump truck when it is damaged. It is usually priced at a percentage of the value of the dump truck at the time of buying coverage, usually from 2-5%. Learn more at the best trucking physical damage insurance companies.
