Insurance industry experts have determined that the likelihood of Rhode Island truckers being involved in fatal and non-fatal crashes is relatively high when compared with other states. Thefts and incidents of vandalism are also numerous, especially in urban areas.
This leaves many professional truckers and trucking business owners wondering how to handle the risks and costs associated with truck accidents and other incidents in Rhode Island. The simple answer: Commercial truck insurance.
It can help you with the costs associated with:
- damage to your truck
- harm to other vehicles
- lawsuits related to injuries and deaths resulting from collisions
- and more.
This article will explain everything you need to know to get commercial truck insurance in Rhode Island, including the 5 best providers and the pros and cons of each.
- 5 best commercial truck insurance companies in Rhode Island
- What is commercial truck insurance?
- Who needs commercial truck insurance?
- Truck insurance requirements in Rhode Island
- Commercial truck insurance costs in Rhode Island
- Get commercial truck insurance quotes in Rhode Island
- How can I find cheap commercial truck insurance in Rhode Island?
5 best commercial truck insurance companies in Rhode Island
Rhode Island businesses that depend on trucks have countless options for commercial truck coverage. We’ve done the research to come up with the top five insurers in the state for different reasons. We also explain the pros and cons of each.
- Progressive: Best for getting discounted coverage
- biBERK: Best for low-cost truck insurance coverage
- The Hartford: Best for coverage from a provider with an excellent reputation
- THREE: Best for complete trucking business coverage
- Simply Business: Best for comparing multiple quotes at once
Progressive: Best for getting discounted coverage
Pros:
- Progressive provides discounts that could help you save money on commercial truck coverage.
- It’s relatively easy to apply online and get a quote from Progressive.
- Progressive is a reliable insurance company that provides excellent customer service.
Cons:
- Progressive can connect you with other business insurance coverage types, but the company does not provide it directly.
- Despite Progressive’s relatively reasonable insurance costs, it’s still wise to get other quotes to ensure you’re getting the best price and coverage.
- Not all truckers or trucking companies will qualify for Progressive’s discounts.
biBERK: Best for low-cost truck insurance coverage
Pros:
- biBerk’s insurance premiums are often less expensive than other insurers, in many cases up to 20 percent.
- biBerk makes it easy to get quotes, buy policies, file claims, and download a certificate of insurance online.
- Experienced agents are available to provide advice and support in getting insurance.
Cons:
- If you need coverage beyond commercial truck insurance, biBerk may not offer it.
- biBerk may not cover all truck types.
- Despite biBerk’s reputation for being a low-cost insurer, they are still a relatively newer insurance company.
The Hartford: Best for coverage from a provider with an excellent reputation
Pros:
- The Hartford is a highly reputable and ethical insurer.
- More than one million businesses get their insurance coverage from The Hartford.
- The company can customize its coverage to meet the needs of almost any size or type of fleet.
Cons:
- Insurance from The Hartford can be more costly than from other providers.
- The company’s online application system isn’t as easy to complete as those of newer insurers.
- The Hartford doesn’t offer as many insurance discounts as other providers on this list.
THREE: Best for complete trucking business coverage
Pros:
- THREE offers full business insurance on one policy.
- The firm’s licensed agents are available to answer your questions.
- It’s simple to buy comprehensive coverage through THREE.
Cons:
- THREE offers limited online servicing capabilities.
- You can’t purchase commercial truck insurance as a standalone from THREE.
- THREE offers very little ability to customize coverage.
Simply Business: Best for comparing multiple quotes at once
Pros:
- It’s relatively easy to get several quotes from different insurance companies through Simply Business.
- The firm has a complete online resource library to educate truckers and others on insurance.
- Simply Business regularly reviews the insurers on its platform to ensure they’re reputable, solid, and stable.
Cons:
- Other firms, not Simply Business, handle customer service.
- It can be cheaper to get coverage directly from an insurance company than through an aggregator like Simply Business.
- You can’t file a claim through Simply Business. It must be done through your insurer.
What is commercial truck insurance?
Commercial truck insurance is a type of coverage purchased by trucking businesses, people who primarily use trucks for work, or companies that depend on trucks for business. It pays for expenses resulting from accidents, theft, and other unexpected events.
A company owner usually purchases commercial trucking insurance, but it covers the drivers, passengers, and any individuals harmed in an accident or other incident.
Who needs commercial truck insurance?
Anyone who drives a truck for work purposes (not people driving pickups for personal use) in Rhode Island needs commercial truck insurance. Personal vehicle insurance will not cover you if you have an accident or another type of incident while driving a truck for work purposes.
Put simply, you cannot drive a truck for commercial purposes in North Dakota or cross state lines if you don’t have proper insurance protection.
Commercial truck insurance is required throughout Rhode Island:
- Providence
- Johnston
- Newport
- Pawtucket
- Warwick
- Woonsocket
Truck insurance requirements in Rhode Island
Rhode Island requires that truckers carry a minimum amount of liability insurance. The amount you need depends on what freight you haul and where you haul it. If you never cross state lines and your truck is over 10,000 GVW, you must get the following minimum levels of coverage:
- Liability insurance if you haul household goods: $300,000
- Liability insurance if you haul general freight: $750,000
- Liability insurance if you transport oil: $1,000,000
- Liability insurance if you transport hazmat: $5,000,000
- Cargo insurance for all carriers: $25,000 per vehicle and $25,000 per catastrophe
The insurance requirements for truck drivers who drive across state lines are greater. In addition to the Rhode Island state requirements, the U.S. Department of Transportation will make you meet their more extensive requirements. Typical federal liability insurance limits are between $750,000 and $1,000,000.
What other coverages do Rhode Island truckers get?
Some other coverages you may need include:
Cargo insurance
Motor truck cargo insurance covers the things you haul in your trailer. It’s not a coverage required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), but most for-hire owner-operators will make you get it. If you don’t have it, they won’t hire you. The standard limit for cargo insurance is $100,000, but you may need a higher one if you haul valuable cargo. Learn more about truck cargo insurance cost
Bobtail insurance
Bobtail insurance covers you If you’re leased on to a motor carrier and run under their authority. You can find out whether you need this — or other — coverages on your lease agreement.
Many people are confused between bobtail insurance and non-trucking liability coverage. Learn more about the difference between bobtail insurance and non-trucking liability insurance and bobtail insurance cost.
Trucking physical damage coverage
Trucking physical damage insurance protects your personal tractor or trailer if it’s damaged in an accident. This coverage is required if you finance your truck. Even if you don’t, it’s a good idea to purchase it. Your truck is your livelihood. If it’s seriously damaged in an accident, you could be forced to pay for repairs out of pocket. Repairing trucks is expensive, and the cost of an accident could jeopardize the future of your trucking business. Learn more at trucking physical damage insurance cost
Your insurance agent or representative at your insurance provider can advise you on the levels you need.
What kinds of trucks can be covered with commercial truck insurance?
Some of the types of trucks in Rhode Island that can be covered include:
- Box trucks – Learn more at box truck insurance cost and the best box truck insurance companies
- Cement mixers
- Crude oil haulers
- Dump trucks – Learn more at dump truck insurance cost and the best dump truck insurance companies
- Frac sand haulers
- Hotshots – Leanr more at hot shot trucking insurance cost and the best hot shot trucking insurance companies
- Oil and gas trucks
- Saltwater haulers
- Tow trucks – Learn more at the best tow truck insurance cost and the best tow truck insurance companies
- Tractor-trailers
- Vacuum trucks
- Semis – Learn more at the best semi truck insurance companies and the semi truck insurance cost
Trucks can be insured for local, intermediate, or long-haul purposes.
Commercial truck insurance costs in Rhode Island
The average cost of commercial truck insurance in Rhode Island is $721 per month, or $8,652 per year. This includes trucking primary liability insurance, physical damage coverage, bobtail coverage, and typical cargo insurance, and for a 40-year-old trucker with a good driving record and a good credit score.
| Commercial truck coverages | Average costs |
| Trucking primary liability insurance | $376 per month |
| Trucking physical damage coverage | $212 per month |
| Bobtail coverage | $37 per month |
| Cargo insurance | $96 per month |
Keep in mind that these are just the averages. Your rates will be different. Be sure to shop around with a few companies to get several quotes online from Progressive, biBERK, and THREE, or compare several quotes with Simply Business to find the cheapest one for your truck.
Get commercial truck insurance quotes in Rhode Island
There are two ways to get insurance quotes in Rhode Island: Through an agent or broker — or an online service.
Get commercial truck insurance quotes through agents or brokers
Insurance agents and brokers across Rhode Island will be able to provide you with commercial truck insurance quotes. It probably makes sense to contact a few of them. Make sure you do your due diligence and check their online ratings and reviews to find out if they’re reputable and provide good service to customers.
Get commercial truck insurance quotes online
Many people prefer to purchase insurance coverage online. The only insurer that consistently provides easy online commercial truck insurance quotes is Progressive. biBERK and THREE also offer quotes online, although they may not cover all types of trucks. Some other insurers to consider include:
- InsurePro
- Progressive
- biBERK
- THREE
What’s important is that you get quotes from several providers and review them thoroughly to ensure you get the right coverage for your truck or trucks at the fairest possible price.
How can I find cheap commercial truck insurance in Rhode Island?
Here are some things you can do to find the coverage you need at the lowest possible price:
- Shop around. Get quotes from several insurers and select the one that provides the best value.
- Never stop shopping around. Make sure you get new quotes before you renew your policy.
- Take advantage of discounts. If they’re not offered when you get a quote, ask about them, whether you’re buying insurance through an agent or online.
Taking these steps will help ensure you’re not paying too much for your commercial vehicle coverage and other business insurance — or ending up with too much or too little protection.
