Truck accidents cause more serious damage and injury than crashes involving smaller vehicles. The size and weight of these large trucks mean they can completely crush other vehicles.
Because of the severity of wrecks involving large trucks, you may assume they have high insurance requirements. That is not true. Texas law does not distinguish between small vehicles and big trucks when mandating insurance coverage.
Insurance limits
The mandatory minimum insurance coverage for all vehicles in the state is $30,000 per person per accident for bodily injury, with $60,000 total for one accident and $25,000 per accident for property damage. Known as 30/60/25, this insurance will only pay out up to the coverage limit. If the amount of damages exceeds the policy coverage, the insurer will not pay the excess amount. It falls on the individual who is responsible to pay the additional costs.
Additional coverage
While drivers do not have to have additional coverage on their vehicles, trucking companies may have other coverage. This additional coverage is a good idea considering truck accidents will usually have costs that far exceed the mandatory minimum insurance coverage requirements.
Many times, in an accident case, it is the trucking company that handles claims and manages payouts. It puts its insurance company on the job of defending its interests. Insurance companies have high-priced, aggressive attorneys working to ensure the payout is as small as possible.
Some companies may also make drivers carry more than the minimum required to help protect their interests. But this is not always a guarantee, which means it can be difficult to recoup all your losses from an accident involving a big truck without going to court.
