Container Transportation Insurance

A truck transporting a shipping container with stacks of shipping containers nearby.
A truck transporting a shipping container with stacks of shipping containers nearby.

Intermodal transport doesn’t rely on a sturdy bed to hold the weight, so you must count on careful loading, reliable locking mechanisms, and good driving habits to ensure the cargo arrives safely. Here’s why and when you might need intermodal truck insurance.

What kind of insurance coverage do container chassis fleets need?

When there’s a lot to monitor, there can be more room for mistakes – and more to consider when it comes to insurance coverage. We’ve developed a policy tailored to container chassis operators.

When can intermodal truck insurance come to your rescue?

Are you sure all the lock pins are engaged? The lifting arms are connected securely to the frames to distribute weight? There’s a lot to remember when transporting containers, and that’s one reason why the UIIA places extra insurance requirements on intermodal truck operators.

Your insurance should be broad enough to respond in a range of situations that could arise between point A and point B, but also deep enough to ease the costly burden of a covered loss. Here are a few scenarios where specific features can come into play.

Coverage for unruly containers

Securing your container is crucial, but oversize loads could collide with objects or infrastructure on the road, compromising the cargo. A missing pin and sudden swerve might be all it takes to send your container flying off its frame.

In this case, you’d look to your cargo insurance coverage to help with the cost of the lost cargo, or if you’re found liable for the damage the container sustains.

When containers collide, you’ll need some support 

Losing control of a heavy load can put your cargo – and those around it – at risk. What would happen if a container fell from the frame and crashed into traffic? The damage could be severe, and it could affect multiple vehicles.

When you operate a commercial vehicle, you need coverage to match. Commercial auto insurance can cover your vehicle and drivers if they’re involved in a collision, helping to bear the cost of third-party damage that your truck or your container may have caused.

Stay protected while you wait

If you’re transferring your container, there’s a chance it will need to sit before moving along to its destination. Your cargo policy may cover you if it’s a short waiting period (up to 30 days), but if the container is stored for more than a month – and something happens to it during that stretch – you may be on your own.

Warehouseman’s legal liability coverage is designed to pick up where your cargo coverage ends after the 30-day mark, you would still be covered for damage or loss while the cargo is held or stored before it continues its journey.

Commercial Truck Filings

Proving that you have enough liability insurance to meet all federal requirements isn’t an option – it’s a necessity. That’s why we help complete and expedite federal filings for our customers who do business in the U.S.

Plans change, and last-minute arrangements can be stressful. When you’re short on time, we can get things moving right away, arranging your financial proof of responsibility quickly so you can stay on track without risking a penalty when you cross the border.

Need more? No problem.

We have other handy coverages, like our Select Endorsement: this extends coverage to include your operations as a freight forwarder or load broker.

When you deal with shipping contracts, you’ll welcome the features of this coverage, including Declared Value of Cargo, Brands and Labels, and Control of Salvage. Your broker can walk you through all the advantages of Select Endorsement!

Managing Risk

We know that risk differs across industries. We also know that your container chassis operation is unique, and the challenges you face deserve careful consideration and a personalized approach. Insurance plays an important role, but it’s not everything – you can lean on our transportation industry expertise, library of focused resources, and confident guidance to take your protection and loss prevention to the next level.

The Northbridge Risk Services team is the most experienced in the transportation industry. Our goal is to share with you the tools and resources that will help you identify risks along with opportunities that can add greater value and help improve your bottom line.

Each year, our team conducts over 5,000 risk assessments and service calls for Canadian businesses. We’re committed to serving our customers onsite and offsite, applying our expertise wherever – and whenever – it may be needed.

Risk consulting and advisory is at the heart of our service. Ongoing industry-specific consultations, Collision Trend Analysis, and hazard analysis add significant value to the insurance programs tailored to customers in the transportation industry.

Our High-Risk Driver Program delivers tangible benefits like reduced violations, increased intervention options for high-risk driver management, and the ability to recognize opportunities to change unsafe behaviours.

What happens during a risk assessment? Take a look at what you can expect.

Northbridge offers a number of specialized training courses and programs, from customized Safety Manager Workshops to defensive driving and safety seminars, like our FACTS driving programs.

The Northbridge Risk Services training center has something for every fleet. Connect with our Risk Services consultants for more information about our training offerings.

We know hands-on help is important, but we also want to give our customers the tools they need to help themselves from the very start.

Our library of Risk Insights, along with safety management guides and forms, outline industry best practices and provide safety tips to help you better manage and control risk across your operation.

Resources for Transportation & Logistics Services

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* Legal Assist not provided for criminal, personal or insurance issues, do not provide representation in legal proceedings or legal fees coverage, and provided by Assistenza International, through lawyers licensed in your jurisdiction. Risk Management Assist provided by our Risk Services specialists and are intended to augment your internal safety, compliance and risk management practices, and are not a substitute for professional or legal advice. Trauma Assist provided by independent third-party professionals, long-term and specialized counseling not included. Cyber Assist provided by CyberScout services are not included in any cyber extension or endorsements. Services are not an insurance policy, not all policies are eligible, contact us for details.

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