ServicesBobtail Insurance
Non-Trucking Liability (Bobtail) Insurance in Denton
While you're hauling freight for your motor carrier, their policy protects you. Once you're off the clock, the truck still needs liability of its own. We build non-trucking liability around your lease terms and show you exactly which trips it covers.
What bobtail coverage does for a leased owner-operator
Non-trucking liability, which most drivers call bobtail insurance, pays for injuries or damage to other people when an accident happens on a trip that isn't tied to a load. A run to the shop for new brakes, the drive back after your last drop, or a lunch stop on a day off all fit here. Miles under your carrier's dispatch fall on their primary auto liability. This policy picks up the stretch outside those miles.
Nearly every lease agreement asks for it. Many set a minimum limit and want the carrier named on your certificate of insurance. We go through that part of the lease with you so the policy lines up on the first pass.
Already have a policy? That's where we begin. A carrier left off the certificate, a limit set too low, or a former driver still listed can usually be corrected with a change to your current coverage. If the policy truly doesn't suit how you run, we explain why and quote one that does.
What we handle on a bobtail policy
- Lease requirements, checked line by line
- We pull the liability limit, the wording for how your carrier must be named, and the certificate holder details from your lease. Then the policy gets written to those exact terms.
- Certificates sent where they belong
- When the policy takes effect, your carrier receives a certificate of insurance directly from us. If you move to a different carrier later, we update the certificate and the name listed on it.
- Where dispatch ends and your policy begins
- We go through everyday situations, such as deadheading back to the yard or hooking a trailer for tomorrow's load. Some of those count as business use, and knowing which ones keeps you from assuming coverage you don't have.
- Adjusting the policy you already carry
- If your current bobtail policy has a hole in it, we first check whether an endorsement or a limit change closes it. A new policy only comes up when a fix won't do the job.
- Pairing with physical damage
- Non-trucking liability won't pay to repair your own truck. If your lease or lender requires physical damage insurance, we can quote both at once.
Signs you need to look at your bobtail coverage
You're signing a new lease
A new motor carrier means new lease terms. Their required limit or certificate wording may differ from your last carrier's.
Your carrier asked for proof
If the safety or onboarding team is waiting on a certificate of insurance, your truck may be sitting until it arrives.
You aren't sure what 'off dispatch' means on your policy
Policies word this differently. If you can't explain it in a sentence, it's worth a short call.
You're getting your own MC authority
Once you run under your own authority, bobtail coverage no longer fits. You'll need primary auto liability instead, and we can explain that switch.
Your truck or driver list changed
A replacement tractor or a second driver needs to be on the policy before it's on the road.
How getting covered works
- 1
Talk it through by phone, video or in person
We ask about your truck, your driving history and the carrier you're leased to. Keep your lease agreement close by if you can, or bring it to our office.
- 2
We pull the carrier's requirements
The limit, how the carrier wants to appear on your paperwork, and any other conditions go on our checklist before we price anything. That way the quote fits the lease the first time.
- 3
Your quote, explained
You get your quote by phone, along with what the policy covers and what it leaves out. If adjusting your current policy makes more sense, we say so.
- 4
Policy issued, paperwork delivered
When you give the go-ahead, we put the policy in force and get the certificate into your carrier's hands so onboarding can move forward.
What affects your bobtail premium
Because this policy only steps in for miles driven off dispatch, the premium usually lands below what a primary liability policy costs. Where yours falls depends on you, your truck and the terms of your lease. We walk through each piece on the call, so you understand every line of the quote before you say yes.
- Your driving record
- Underwriters look hardest at tickets, accidents and how long you've held a commercial license. Years behind the wheel with a clean record do the most to bring the rate down.
- The limit named in your lease
- Each carrier sets its own minimum, and the bigger that number, the more the policy costs. We write the policy to the figure in your lease and don't add coverage your carrier never asked for.
- Truck type and where it's parked
- The tractor you drive and the place it sits between loads both feed into the rate, whether you park in Denton or a nearby town like Krum.
- How often you drive it off the clock
- Expect questions about personal use. A truck that mostly sits between loads is rated differently from one that gets driven around town most days.
Common questions about non-trucking liability
Something not covered here? (940) 267-2913
Are bobtail and non-trucking liability two names for one policy?
Plenty of drivers treat the terms as the same thing, but the forms aren't always identical. Some bobtail policies cover a tractor running without a trailer even while dispatched, while non-trucking liability only applies once you're off dispatch. We read your lease to see which form it asks for, so you end up with the right one.
Am I covered when I'm driving to pick up my next load?
Usually not. A trip to a pickup generally counts as business use, which puts it under your carrier's primary liability. We can go through a normal week of driving with you and sort out which policy handles each trip.
Do I still need this once I get my own authority?
No. When you run under your own MC authority, you need primary auto liability, which covers the truck whether it's dispatched or not. Bobtail coverage is built for owner-operators leased to another carrier, and our New Authority Truck Insurance page covers how that change works.
Will it pay to repair my truck after an accident?
No. This policy is there for the other party, covering their injuries and their damaged vehicle or property when you're at fault. Fixing your own tractor takes physical damage coverage, and we can quote that alongside your bobtail policy.
Who will I be working with?
Our agency is licensed for property and casualty insurance, and we've been in business 5 years helping owner-operators line their coverage up with their lease. Stop by our office or talk with us by phone or video, whichever suits your schedule.
Get your lease coverage sorted
Have your lease agreement nearby and we'll go through what your carrier needs. If your current policy just needs a fix, we'll tell you that first.