Insurance is supposed to protect trucking companies. Instead, more and more carriers are closing their doors because of:
- Very high insurance costs.
- Laws that do not really defend honest trucking companies.
- A system that seems to reward scammers to get more money from the trucking companies.
We understand that insurance companies need to make a profit. That is normal. The reality is that we are paying more and more every year. Here is how it looks from the trucking side.

LAWS, LAWSUITS AND BIG BILLBOARD ATTORNEYS

One of the concerns we see in trucking is that some laws and procedures do not always feel clear or balanced, especially when it comes to lawsuits after an accident.
If you get into an accident, it can sometimes feel like:
- Some lawsuits ask for very large amounts that seem disconnected from real damage.
- Courts sometimes approve large awards that can be very hard for carriers to understand or afford.
- For a few people, an accident can start to feel more like a big payout opportunity than a difficult life event.
In a healthy system, the law should:
- Protect victims.
- Pay fair compensation for real losses.
- Discourage anyone from misusing accidents as a way to generate income.
Today, after an accident, people are strongly encouraged by advertising to call the numbers they see on buses, trains and billboards. Many law firms work on a contingency model, where they receive a significant percentage of any settlement or award.
From the perspective of a trucking company, this can sometimes feel less like protection and more like added pressure on carriers. We do not want victims to be left with nothing. We simply hope for clear, balanced rules that:
- Cover real losses fairly.
- Reduce the incentive for anyone to misuse the system.

INSURANCE EMPLOYEES WHO MAY NOT UNDERSTAND TRUCKING WELL

At times, when we dealt with adjusters or insurance representatives, we felt like they may not fully understand how trucking really works.
We have seen situations where:
- The people handling the claim have limited experience with trucking.
- The impact on our business does not seem fully understood.
- Claims are approved quickly without a deeper investigation.
- Representatives are hard to reach or slow to respond.
These experiences can make it feel like costs are pushed up for everyone.
Instead of taking the time to examine the situation carefully, the easier option can sometimes be to pay and close the file. When we ask why, we often hear something like: "It is better to pay them now instead of going to court and paying more later."
This approach, even if practical from their side, can unintentionally encourage questionable claims and make it harder for honest trucking companies to survive.

TOO MANY MIDDLEMEN: BROKERS, UNDERWRITERS, FINANCIAL COMPANIES

Between a trucking company and an insurance company, there can be several layers of people and organizations, such as:
- Insurance brokers.
- Underwriters.
- Financing companies.
- Other service providers.
Each one usually charges a fee. In some cases, this can make the whole process feel:
- More complicated than it needs to be.
- Less transparent, with approvals happening quickly over the phone.
- More expensive, even for basic administrative work.
In practice, it can sometimes look like a few people are doing most of the detailed work, while many others are involved mainly in approvals and paperwork. At the end, trucking companies pay premiums that help cover all those costs.
From our point of view, this is one more factor that keeps insurance costs moving up.

WATCH OUT FOR SCAMMERS ON THE ROAD

There are also people who know exactly how to provoke accidents and make everything look legal on paper. They treat this like a job and know how to use every detail of the law.
A simple example:
- A car gets in front of a truck.
- The driver of that car suddenly presses the brake.
- The truck driver is forced to react under stress.
- The situation escalates, and the truck driver ends up in an accident that he did not start.
On paper, it can look like the truck driver is guilty. In reality, he was provoked. Some of these scammers appear in multiple accident files over the years. Even when attorneys see that they have been involved in many other accidents, nothing really changes. They keep doing it.

BODY SHOPS AND REPAIR ESTIMATES

Another problem in the system is what happens after the accident, in shops and repair centers.
Body shops and mechanic shops often:
- Write estimates with very high numbers because they know insurance will pay.
- Charge more to insurance companies than they would to a private customer.
In many cases, if you negotiate directly with the shop and pay yourself, you can do the same job at half the price. Shops sometimes say that "insurance companies pay late," but that is not always true. The result is the same: the final bill is higher, and trucking companies end up paying more through higher premiums.

SO, HOW CAN A TRUCKING COMPANY PROTECT ITSELF?

The hard truth is that if things go badly, you may risk:
- Your company.
- Your personal assets.
- Years of effort and hard work.
If you want to protect yourself and your family, it may be helpful to:
- Talk to a qualified attorney who understands trucking, insurance and asset protection.
- Talk to a good CPA about how to structure your business and personal assets in a safer way.
- Review your setup so your company and personal assets are better protected if something unexpected happens.
We are not giving legal advice. We are sharing how the system feels from inside the trucking industry and what we, as carriers, often worry about.
Our hope is that by talking openly about these topics:
- More trucking companies will prepare and protect themselves better.
- More people will understand what is happening behind the scenes with insurance and claims.
- Over time, laws and practices can continue to evolve in a way that supports both honest carriers and honest people on the road.
Until then, stay safe, stay alert, and keep protecting what you have built.

Disclaimer: This article reflects our personal opinions and experiences as a trucking company. It is not legal, financial or insurance advice, and it is not meant to accuse any specific person, company or profession of wrongdoing.