Non-trucking liability, commonly called bobtail coverage, applies when the truck is operated outside the carrier's business, such as travel home after a delivery. It excludes operation while in the service of any motor carrier.
It is purchased by owner-operators to fill the gap when the carrier's policy does not apply.
Alternative Names:
Bobtail Insurance, NTL Coverage
Why it Matters?
Whether the truck was in the carrier's service at the moment of the crash determines which policy responds, and both carriers frequently deny on that basis, leaving the loss temporarily uninsured. Dispatch records, load status, and messaging data resolve the question, which is why those records are gathered early in any owner-operator crash. A driver deadheading toward a scheduled pickup is generally in service despite carrying no load.
Frequently Confused with
Frequently asked questions
When does bobtail coverage apply?
What evidence resolves the in-service question?
