The Hartford Enhances Legal Liability Coverage for Motor Truck Cargo

The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. has broadened and simplified its carrier-for-hire cargo coverage, which addresses a trucker’s legal liability when carrying cargo under contract. The Hartford’s newest enhancements are designed to make selecting liability insurance easier for today’s transportation businesses.

The changes to the Hartford’s motor truck cargo coverage were reportedly developed in direct response to agent feedback and draw upon the company’s experience writing and servicing transportation insurance. The goal of the enhancements is to provide comprehensive, user-friendly coverages that address the complex exposures facing trucking companies today.

“Our country’s interstate highway system is second to none. The last 15 years have brought many changes in the way goods are moved from point to point, but some perils will always remain. We’ve designed these enhancements to provide the flexibility today’s trucking companies need to protect their business,” said Scott Shapiro, vice president of commercial marine insurance at The Hartford.

Key enhancements to The Hartford’s carrier-for-hire cargo coverage
include:

* Cargo recovery extra expense – This coverage is automatically included in every policy and provides up to $25,000 of coverage to resolve the issue of paying for the release of cargo after loss or damage occurs, thereby allowing final delivery to be made without delay.

* Substitution of vehicles – This optional coverage provides the same level of coverage for a replacement vehicle if an incident prevents the original vehicle from fulfilling its delivery obligation.

* Mechanical breakdown – This optional coverage provides custom limits for mechanical breakdown of refrigeration or heating units that could damage cargo.

* Increased limits for many coverages, including earned freight, which covers up to $5,000 in uncollectible charges for freight if a loss occurs during transit; reusable packing containers, which provides up to $5,000 per occurrence for loss to packaging material; and debris removal expenses.

* Elimination of a number of exclusions, including wetness, poor or insufficient packing, unexplained disappearance, and shortage found upon taking inventory, among others.

In addition to motor truck cargo coverage, The Hartford provides other important property and liability coverages as part of its full-service transportation operations insurance. These include ocean cargo, which covers goods during international transport; shipper’s interest, which protects a shipper’s goods on its own vehicle during domestic transport; hull insurance, which provides property coverage for the vessel and its boilers and machinery; and protection & indemnity, which provides liability coverage for the ship owner. The Hartford’s offerings are supported by a team of dedicated marine underwriters and claim adjusters who are well-versed in transportation cargo liability issues.

Coverages are individually underwritten and may differ in availability by state. Terms and conditions of coverage are governed by the insurance policy.

More information regarding The Hartford’s marine coverages are available at http://www.mb.thehartford.com or via The Hartford’s Electronic Business Center (EBC) for agents.