# Salt trucks = increases liability risk?



## wizardsr (Aug 8, 2006)

So, I drilled my insurance agent on why one of my trucks is so much more expensive to insure than everything else, even though it's older, a base model, etc. She calls the underwriter, who tells her that the truck is a greater liability risk due to having a salt spreader mounted on it, as there's a greater potential of broken windshields, etc due to it spreading salt. My response was that April fools day was a week ago, but apparently they're serious. Any body else ever seen this? Makes no sense to me, I think it's time to go shopping... I have state farm mutual btw.


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## Deershack (Feb 19, 2009)

Try Auto Owners. I am switching from Farmers to them. Their rates are much better and they will do the business ins also. The only thing they don't cover is the skid and I can get that through Inland Marine.


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## RLM (Jan 12, 2006)

I have never been asked which truck my spreaders were mounted to. My trucks are commercially insured, spreaders listed under my bus. policy, for theft/damage/etc.


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

RLM;1277309 said:


> I have never been asked which truck my spreaders were mounted to. My trucks are commercially insured, spreaders listed under my bus. policy, for theft/damage/etc.


Ditto...... i've found Sate Farm to be very expensive BTW... Shop around, you'll get a better deal


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## Cmbrsum (Oct 2, 2008)

Been shopping for new insurance for everything. Want one company to do it all for a decent price if I can. Have been asked yet about my salters. And farmers is one of the companies I am getting quotes from. So far not bad. just told they don't to commercial general liability.


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## wizardsr (Aug 8, 2006)

RLM;1277309 said:


> I have never been asked which truck my spreaders were mounted to. My trucks are commercially insured, spreaders listed under my bus. policy, for theft/damage/etc.


The spreader is insured under inland marine, not the auto coverage. Their reasoning for the higher rate on this truck is solely due to "increased liability" of spreading salt. 



Mick76;1277317 said:


> Ditto...... i've found Sate Farm to be very expensive BTW... Shop around, you'll get a better deal


It's been a few years since I've shopped around, I used to have a couple trucks insured through American Family, but they were nearly double the cost of State Farm. However State Farm was astronomically expensive for GL. Go figure...

My GL, workers comp, and auto are all with different companies, based on where I got the best rate. There's gotta be a company out there that can do everything at a decent price point without the shenanigans...

There's 2 companies I absolutely wont use, and that's Allstate and Progressive.


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## RLM (Jan 12, 2006)

Im with Nationwide currently (for 10+ years), I have checked there price a couple different times, & it has been competive, agent is great ussally sits down or calls at time of renewal to review everything, adjust values etc. I was with alstate & progressive (probably more than 12 years ago), alstate was decent, progressive, turned us into the state saying they had canceled the policy after we switched to another company...even today I (12 years after the fact) have never received the refund due from when policy expired to when new policy started ( I hope that made sence).


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## T-MAN (Jan 9, 2001)

Try Erie Insurance. Thats who I have now. No BS on the commercial auto end. I have GL and an umbrella policy with them as well.

I used auto owners for years till they screwed me on a comp refund.

Travelers was a nightmare. The fricken paper work and audits were a joke.
They wanted to see everything, to much for my comfort.


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## EGLC (Nov 8, 2007)

try farm family if you have it by you.


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## ff610 (Jan 9, 2009)

wizardsr;1277324 said:


> The spreader is insured under inland marine, not the auto coverage. Their reasoning for the higher rate on this truck is solely due to "increased liability" of spreading salt.
> 
> Your spreader may be covered under your inland marine policy just as mine are, but when it's attached to your truck, it falls under your comprehensive policy on the truck. Same as the plow, and in most cases pulling a trailer. If something happens to the spreader or plow when it's off the truck, then the inland marine kicks in. This is at least what all my insurance agents have told me, and when I had an accident with a salt truck, it was all covered under the truck policy.


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## SullivanSeptic (Nov 30, 2008)

Deershack;1277275 said:


> Try Auto Owners. I am switching from Farmers to them. Their rates are much better and they will do the business ins also. The only thing they don't cover is the skid and I can get that through Inland Marine.


I switched to Auto Owners 2 years ago. They saved me a boat load on my insurance. They have all of the insurance to both of my business'. And your skid steer should be under Inland Marine. Along with all other equipment. Like expensive salters, plows and pushers. Basically anything non auto that is over $1000.


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