Rolling Safely: Comprehensive Insurance for Log Trucks
January 20, 2025
Logging insurance, specifically log truck insurance, is essential for protecting vehicles, employees, and operations in the forestry industry. From covering accidents to shielding against equipment damage, having the right insurance ensures the continuity and safety of your business.
What Is Logging Truck Insurance?
Logging truck insurance is a specialized policy designed to address the unique risks of the forestry industry. This type of coverage protects log trucks from potential financial losses due to accidents, equipment failures, or litigation.
Why It’s Important for the Forestry Industry
In the forestry sector, logging trucks are vital to operations, transporting timber on back roads, through small towns and along busy highways. Without proper insurance, one mishap could lead to significant financial burdens and it could put you out of business.
Key Risks Faced by Logging Trucks
Log trucks operate under challenging conditions, exposing them to numerous risks.
Common Risks
- Accidents: Highways and narrow country roads pose significant collision hazards, especially distracted drivers and impatient drivers who try to pass loaded log trucks as they make wide turns.
- Animal Strikes: Deer strikes are quite common with log trucks because the areas loggers work in are typically remote, rural areas with an abundance of wildlife.
- Environmental Liability: Spills of fuel can seep into drainage ditches, streams and storm water runoff ditches after highway collisions. The clean up requirements can be very costly if there are environmental concerns.
Top Features to Look for in Coverage
A comprehensive log truck insurance policy should include the following essential features:
- Commercial Auto Insurance: Covers damages to your truck and autos, the repair or replacement of those autos, repairs to other peoples’ property and autos, liability protection and defense for at fault accidents, and sometimes cargo for certain commodities.
- Correct Coverage Symbols and Limits: Having the correct coverage symbols and limits of liability on your certificate of insurance are critical to being able to access particular mills and landowner properties. Without them, you aren’t allowed to work and earn a living.
- Coverage above your Subcontractors Limits: While you cannot control the actions of your subcontract hauler’s driving behavior and decisions, you can take steps to protect yourself from gross negligence and improper hiring practices should they be involved in a bad accident while working for you. Our agents can assist you with precautions you should take to protect your business when using subcontract haulers to move your wood or equipment.
How PSI Supports the Logging Industry
PSI specializes in providing tailored logging insurance solutions for contractors and forestry professionals.
Why Choose PSI?
- Industry Expertise: PSI understands the unique challenges faced by the logging industry and crafts policies accordingly. We work with the leading insurance companies in the forest products industry, and only those who have broadened endorsements that are specific to insuring logging, sawmill and forestry consultants.
- Comprehensive Coverage: Our commercial auto policies offer a number of options for coverage, including a choice of either stated amount or actual cash value physical damage policy options, and a variety of deductible options. PSI’s policies ensure you’re fully protected.
Secure your business and your peace of mind with log truck insurance that works as hard as you do. Contact PSI today for tailored solutions to protect your vehicles, employees, and assets.
