Commercial Truck Insurance in Virginia

Due to the possibility of catastrophic injury and loss in trucking accidents, commercial trucks require higher insurance than passenger vehicles. The higher policy limits of commercial truck insurance in Virginia can be a factor in how much money a person recovers after they have been injured in a truck crash. 

How Much Insurance Coverage Is a Trucker in Virginia Required to Have?

Under Virginia law, the amount of insurance coverage required for a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) driver depends on the truck’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and, sometimes, on the type of cargo it carries. A truck’s GVWR is the maximum combined weight it can safely transport, including the weight of the vehicle and its accessories, passengers, fuel, and cargo.

The following are Virginia’s weight-based insurance coverage requirements for large trucks:

• GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds – $750,000
• GVWR of 7,501 to 10,000 pounds – $300,00
• GVWR of 7,500 pounds or less – $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident of bodily injury liability coverage, and $50,000 of property damage liability coverage.

State law requires motor carriers of household goods to obtain at least $750,000 of insurance. Motor carriers must have cargo insurance of at least $50,000. Hauling hazardous cargo can subject a truck driver to federal truck insurance requirements, which may require minimum coverage limits of up to $5 million.

What Are Other Types of Commercial Truck Insurance?

A commercial truck insurance policy can include various types of coverage, including the following:

• Commercial auto liability insurance – Truck insurance typically includes commercial auto liability insurance, compensating third parties for bodily injury or property damage in a crash caused by the truck driver.
• Cargo insurance – Truckers must have cargo insurance to cover damage to their cargo. Cargo insurance can reimburse the cargo’s owner(s) for damage or destruction that occurs when the truck has an accident, damage, or loss caused by vehicle fires, malfunction of a trailer’s refrigeration system, or theft.
• Physical damage insurance – This type of insurance covers physical damage to a commercial truck, including weather-related damage from wind or hail, theft-related damage, or vandalism.
• Non-trucking liability insurance – Truck drivers may purchase non-trucking liability insurance to ensure coverage if they get into an accident while driving their truck without cargo, for personal errands, or to a different location to obtain work.

Are Truck Drivers Required to Have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)?

Truck drivers must have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to operate various types of trucks or to haul specific cargo categories. States, including Virginia, issue three classes of CDL, with each class authorizing a driver to operate particular types of commercial vehicles:

• Class A – Any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, including a towed unit with a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds.
• Class B – Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less.
• Class C – Any single vehicle or combination of vehicles that do not meet the definition of Class A or B that transport materials requiring a placard under federal regulations or any quantity of materials listed as a select agent or toxin under federal laws.

Truck drivers may also require a CDL to operate a double or triple trailer truck, a tank vehicle, or a truck carrying hazardous materials.

What Are Motor Carrier and Department of Transportation Numbers?

Trucking companies and commercial trucks must have several identification numbers that enable state and federal regulators and law enforcement agencies to monitor the trucking industry. Motor carrier (MC) numbers come from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The FMCSA issues MC numbers to trucking companies engaged in interstate transport. An MC number signifies that a motor carrier has received authorization from the federal government to conduct business across state lines.

DOT numbers come from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The DOT issues numbers to trucking companies and commercial trucks to monitor a company’s safety record. DOT numbers enable regulators and law enforcement agencies to access inspection records, conduct safety audits, and hold crash investigations.

Why Is It Important to Know How Much Insurance a Trucking Company Is Required to Carry?

Understanding how much insurance trucking companies must have can help you assess your legal options when you pursue a personal injury or property damage claim against a truck driver or motor carrier for an accident. When the accident injures only you, and you have losses that do not exceed the minimum coverage the trucking company must carry, you will know that the trucking company has the financial resources to compensate you for your losses.

Is It Possible the Trucking Company Could Have More Than One Insurance Carrier?

Many larger trucking companies have multiple insurance policies that can form a complex coverage web. A trucking company may have a primary insurance policy that provides the minimum coverage required by state or federal law. The company may also have additional umbrella insurance policies that form multiple layers of coverage, with each policy triggered only after exhaustion of the prior layer of coverage.

What Should You Do if You Are Involved in a Trucking Accident in Virginia?

After a trucking accident in Virginia caused by a truck driver’s negligence, take the following steps to protect your rights to seek compensation:

• Report the accident to law enforcement and request copies of the police crash report.
• Seek immediate medical attention and obtain copies of your treatment and rehabilitation medical records.
• Keep all bills, invoices, and receipts related to your expenses.
• Gather copies of your pay stubs or income statements if you miss work due to injuries.
• Contact a truck accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your options for seeking compensation from a trucking company’s insurance coverage.

Contact a Virginia Truck Accident Lawyer

If you get hurt or suffer vehicle damage in a commercial truck accident in Virginia, you need experienced legal counsel to help you in the insurance claims process. Contact Lichtenstein Law Group PLC today for a free consultation with an experienced truck accident lawyer.

We have over 100 years of combined experience and bring broad legal knowledge and personalized service to every case. We can review the specific facts of your case and explain the role that commercial truck insurance can play after a crash.