The FMCSA requires trucking companies by law to comply with state commercial trucking insurance regulations. FMCSA mandates that carriers must file the states’ specified insurance forms and policy copies with every state in which they do business. On the surface this can appear a paperwork and logistic nightmare. Contacting the appropriate agencies in each state takes time, even if one attempts to accomplish all that is needed online.

Here is what the FMCSA says on its website on this matter: “Before beginning new or expanded interstate operations, you must contact the appropriate regulatory agencies in all states in and through which you will conduct business to obtain information regarding state rules applicable to interstate motor operations. It is your responsibility to comply with registration, fuel tax, and other state regulations and procedures.

“Transportation agencies in 38 states register interstate authorities under the single state registration system (SSRS). Under the SSRS, as an interstate motor carrier you may register your operation by contacting your base state (principal place of business) and, for one fee, register for all states in which operations will be conducted. If your home state does not participate in the SSRS, you may contact a neighboring state and declare that state your “base” for registration purposes. State SSRS contacts are listed on the following pages.”

Adding insult to injury, FMCSA also notes that “Fuel taxes are levied by the individual state. For more information you must contact the state agency which handles fuel taxes.”

Depending on the helpfulness and streamlining of the process by individual states, the trucking company owner may also have to contact an individual state’s insurance commissioner to determine what its commercial truck insurance requirements are.

Another important insurance related factor is that worker compensation insurance is regulated by the individual states. FMCSA says, “Rules regarding workers’ compensation vary greatly from state to state. You may find it useful to contact the state insurance board for the state in which your business is located. The respective insurance boards should be able to furnish you with detailed information on workers’ compensation rules and regulations. These offices normally are located in the state capital and their telephone numbers may be obtained from the state government section of telephone directories or through local telephone information operators.”

Fortunately, in practice few, if any, truckers perform these gargantuan chores themselves. Commercial truck insurance companies and brokers most often include filing all of the necessary Federal and State insurance forms and policies as part of their services. They will go so far as to interpret the rules and regulations for a trucking company and, depending on its description of its business and intended operations, tell the company exactly what they need in terms of coverage and file the papers for them. Indeed, they will even jump through the Federal hoops necessary to get a trucking company’s DOT numbers and operating authority—usually for a fee of around $600. It’s a fee most truckers are more than willing to pay to be able to avoid the confusing paperwork and government and insurance company bureaucracies.

The FMCSA takes its role as regulator and enforcer of financial responsibility by commercial motor carriers very seriously. In the world according to FMCSA, “financial responsibility” means having tons of the right truck insurance coverage for the commercial carrier’s particular business so that the American public is protected from injury (and even fatalities), property damage and environmental damage caused by commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). Basically, it’s all about the trucking company’s liability in the event it is responsible for an accident causing injury and/or death or property damage and for causing any damage to public property or the environment.

In one of their Power Point presentations, the FMCSA defines “financial responsibility” as “Having insurance policies or surety bonds sufficient to satisfy the minimum public liability requirements.” In addition, FMCSA decides what those trucking minimum public liability requirements are. They vary according to the kind and amount of cargo carried, the size and weight of the CMV and trailers in question, and the rating and classification of the company by FMCSA.

It defines public liability as “liability for bodily injury, property damage and environmental restoration.” In the case of damage to the environment or public property, the FMCSA requires “Environmental restoration [which] means restitution for the loss, damage, or destruction of natural resources arising out of an accidental discharge of toxic or other environmentally harmful materials or liquids.” The “proof” of financial responsibility, which are the properly filled out and signed FMCSA forms with the insurance policies attached to it, must be kept 1) at the trucking company’s place of business and 2) in each CMV the company owns, leases or operates.

The FMCSA has a zero tolerance and take-no-prisoners attitude toward non-compliances. No insurance is a big no-no, no excuses. Any company caught without the proper proof in the proper places is subject to an $11,000 fine, and if the violation is a continuing one, each day the company is in violation it will be assessed another $11,000 penalty and possibly other fines and penalties. Any CMV attempting to enter the US without the proper forms and documentation of the truck insurance policy in its possession will be denied entry into the US. The regulations do provide for penalties that fall short of putting a company out of business, provided the violations are not knowingly repeated and egregious. The minimum levels of insurance according to the nature of a trucking company’s equipment and the nature of its business are available

VHIP is the acronym for Visa Students Health Insurance Program, which
is a provincial health insurance replacement plan designed specially for
international visa students pursuing their education here in Canada.

The moment you land in Canada, you are going to experience a new life
in a new environment. While being far away from home living in an
exciting and diversified culture, you must also take steps to protect
yourself financially in case of sudden illnesses or accidents.

In addition to the excellent medical services found here in Canada, by
signing up for VHIP coverage, you know that you will be well taken care
of both medically and financially if such need arises.

There are many choices in length of coverage, as you can see from the
chart to the right. Depends on how long your stay in Canada is, you are
almost guaranteed that there is always a plan to fit your needs.

Car insurance rates can vary widely depending on factors you can and can’t control. You can control your credit history, type of vehicle and driving record. However, what you can’t control is how much insurance companies are making.

Insurance companies needs to run a profit. Sometimes an insurance company will lose money in the house insurance area and try to make up for it by increasing car insurance rates. Thus they can still make money while supplementing their loses in house insurances. The system isn’t fair but finally you have a different option!

Using our system we submit your details (credit history, vehicle type and driving record) to all the insurance companies to get a quote. This is done fully automated so you don’t have to worry about any legalities. We’ll find you the BEST rate for your situation. We only use the best insurance companies so you don’t have to worry about having insurance through an untrusted company!

A wise man once said “the time to find out if you have adequate insurance coverage is before you need it…not after”.
Welcome to the Perry Insurance Group where our focus as insurance professionals is to help you prepare yourself for the unexpected.
You may be visiting our website because you have already trusted us to help you make the right insurance decisions. If that is the case we sincerly thank you for the trust you have placed in us.
If you are just getting acquainted with us take some time to tour our site. We have tried to design a useful tool consumers like us can use to make the right desicsions as they seek to protect themselves from catastrophe. Once you have spent a little time on the site pick up the phone and call us. We would love to be afforded the opportunity to compete for your business.