Overview
A single serious truck accident or injury lawsuit can exceed a $1,000,000 limit. A commercial umbrella or excess policy sits above your auto liability, general liability and employer's liability and pays once those limits are exhausted.
Umbrellas are also a contract tool: many shippers, general contractors and municipalities require $2,000,000 to $5,000,000 or more in total limits.
What It Covers
Excess Limits
Additional limits above your underlying policies.
Over Auto / Trucking
Extends your auto or trucking liability, often required by large shippers.
Over General Liability
Extends premises, products and operations coverage.
Over Employer's Liability
Extends the liability part of your workers' comp policy.
Who Needs It
- Fleets and carriers with shipper contracts requiring higher limits
- Contractors on larger projects
- Businesses with significant assets to protect
What Affects Your Price
- Underlying limits and exposures
- Industry
- Fleet size
- Loss history
- Limit purchased
Roy's tip: Excess trucking liability is its own specialized market. We can quote it alongside your primary auto liability so the layers line up without gaps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Umbrella vs. excess: what's the difference?
An excess policy follows the terms of the underlying policy exactly. An umbrella can be broader and may cover some claims the underlying policy doesn't. Both add limits.