Temperature-Controlled Trailers Insurance

A row of four white refrigerated trailers parked outside a warehouse.
A row of four white refrigerated trailers parked outside a warehouse.

While spoilage is a top concern, it’s not your only risk. Many types of perishable goods are big targets for cargo theft, from fruit to meat. You also have shortages in capacity, the threat of temperature variance, and the vulnerabilities of telematics technology to consider.

What kind of coverage do temperature-controlled trailers 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 reefers and temperature-controlled trailers.

When can temperature-controlled trailer insurance come to your rescue?

Keeping a stable temperature can be more difficult than it seems. Just a few degrees too cold or too warm could jeopardize a fruit shipment or delicate products like paint that are both flammable and vulnerable to freezing conditions. Your insurance should be broad enough to respond in a range of situations that could arise. Here are a few scenarios where specific features can come into play.

When things go bad, you need a safety net

Spoilage can be a major concern, and sometimes a simple mistake can turn into a major loss. If, for instance, an employee mixed up Fahrenheit and Celsius when setting the temperature on the reefer, you may find your load of chicken is ruined when it arrives at its destination.

Human error is part of life, and when it affects your cargo, you could get help from your carrier’s cargo liability policy. Cargo insurance is designed to help cover the cost of lost or damaged third-party cargo while it’s in your possession.

Thieves can leave you in the lurch

Cargo theft is on the rise, and thieves are getting greedier: not only are they targeting big, high-value loads, but now some are stealing the truck itself, dismantling it, and profiting off the parts.

When you lose your truck and trailer to crafty criminals, you’ll look to auto insurance for help – but personal auto coverage won’t cut it. You’ll count on your commercial auto coverage to help with the costly consequences of the cargo, trailer, and vehicle loss.

Beware of hazards on your lot

You’re aware of risks on the road, but keep in mind you can be held responsible for incidents on your lot or in your warehouse, too. If a visitor was to slip and fall on a slab of ice or perhaps a slick of oil, they could injure themselves badly – and blame you for the incident.

Commercial general liability (CGL) coverage is crucial for any carrier to have, considering how one small incident could bring expensive consequences. If a customer or other visitor brought a lawsuit against your company for an injury or property damage that occurred on your worksite, your CGL coverage could help with the costs of the legal proceedings.

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 for trailer operators, 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

Insurance plays an important role, but it’s not everything – you can lean on our 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 behaviors.

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

Tips for safe winter driving

Many businesses depend on the transportation of goods and services, rain or shine. If your business is one of those, you’re aware how the changing

Truck trailer with cargo load.

Eight tips to protect cargo

Protecting your freight and your business from cargo theft is a challenge. Not only does theft of cargo result in financial losses due to stolen

* 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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