Truck accidents are devastating events. They cause catastrophic injuries and multiple deaths. Victims are left with lifelong injuries and disability, which also result in reduced quality of life. Commercial trucks are dangerous to share the road with. On top of handling your injuries, commercial trucking insurance can be tricky to deal with.
When an accident involving a commercial truck occurs, it is important to understand the role of insurance. You must understand how it differs from personal insurance, the potential challenges during the claim, etc. Understanding commercial insurance is critical to ensure fair compensation. To hire an attorney, click here today.
How insurance companies affect truck accidents
Insurance companies play a major role in all types of accidents, including trucking ones. They are responsible for compensating the victims. The compensation is based on the terms of the respective policy bought by the at-fault party. Following a truck accident, the victim usually files a claim with the responsible party’s insurance company.
The purpose of filing a claim is not to punish the negligent party. Rather, it is to recover financial compensation for the losses incurred. Navigating insurance can be tricky. The insurance policy specifies coverage limits, conditions, and exclusions. After a truck accident, the insurance company covers the damages, sparing the at-fault party from out-of-pocket expenses.
Is there a difference between commercial and personal insurance?
Commercial and personal insurance vary in several ways. One of them is the amount of coverage provided. Commercial insurance is provided by businesses to protect their assets. On the other hand, personal insurance is to protect individual property.
Commercial insurance coverages are much higher than personal insurance. This is due to the higher chances of an accident in commercial driving. They vary significantly in policy terms and conditions as well. Understanding commercial insurance policies is much more challenging than personal ones.
Some unique coverages in commercial insurance include general liability, workers’ compensation, and cargo insurance.
All of these additional terms and conditions, higher premiums, and unique coverages are there to protect the business from potential lawsuits.
How does Iowa’s fault system affect my insurance claim?
Like the majority of the states in the country, Iowa follows the at-fault system. This means that the plaintiff can demand compensation from the defendant party if they succeed in establishing their fault. To do this, they must prove four things–
- The defendant had a duty of care.
- The defendant caused a breach of duty.
- The breach resulted in injuries.
- The accident directly caused the victim’s losses.