Off Duty, Off Dispatch — and Off the Carrier's Policy.
Liability protection for personal use of the truck
Non-trucking liability insurance responds when an owner-operator uses the truck for personal, non-business purposes while not under dispatch — with or without a trailer attached. Often called "deadhead" or loosely "bobtail" coverage in the field, its true trigger is personal, non-commercial use, not the trailer configuration.
The motor carrier's primary liability covers the truck only while it is working in the carrier's business, which leaves off-duty driving uninsured. Non-trucking liability fills that gap for the third-party bodily injury and property damage an owner-operator causes while running the truck on their own time.
What Non-Trucking Liability Insurance Covers
Non-trucking liability keys on why the truck is moving — personal use, off dispatch — and pays third parties for it:
Third-Party Bodily Injury — Covers injuries the owner-operator causes to others during personal, off-dispatch use of the truck.
Third-Party Property Damage — Covers damage the owner-operator causes to others' vehicles or property during that personal use.
Legal Defense Costs — Pays the cost of defending covered liability claims, subject to policy terms.
What It Does Not Cover
Non-trucking liability is off-duty, liability-only coverage, so it excludes:
Any period under dispatch or hauling a load (the motor carrier's primary liability)
Deadheading or repositioning for freight at the carrier's direction, which is business use
Driving for another trucking company
Cargo loss or damage (covered by motor truck cargo)
Physical damage to the insured's own truck (covered by physical damage)
The driver's own injuries (covered by workers' compensation or occupational accident)
Who Needs Non-Trucking Liability Insurance
Non-trucking liability fits owner-operators whose truck is only covered while working, including:
Owner-operators leased to a motor carrier under the carrier's primary liability
Drivers who take the truck home or use it for personal errands off duty
Operators whose lease agreement requires it as a condition of leasing on
A driver who never operates off duty and parks only at the terminal, or an own-authority carrier insuring the truck around the clock, generally does not need it.
How Coverage Is Structured
Non-trucking liability is built to sit beside the motor carrier's primary liability, switched by dispatch status:
It is usually written as an endorsement or add-on for leased-on operators, frequently packaged with bobtail
Limits are commonly a combined single limit of $500,000 to $1,000,000 (illustrative)
Cost is modest, often roughly $300 to $1,200 per year, driven by garaging location, driver record, truck type, and limits (illustrative)
The "under dispatch" trigger, as defined by both the policy and the lease, is what shifts responsibility between the two policies
Real-World Claim Examples
An owner-operator goes off duty, drives to a restaurant for dinner, and causes a collision
A driver takes the truck home for the weekend and backs into a vehicle running a personal errand
A driver runs empty to pick up the next load at the carrier's direction and crashes — a claim non-trucking liability denies, because deadheading is business use
Why Proper Placement Matters
The confusion between non-trucking liability, bobtail, and primary liability creates real gaps, so placement turns on:
The difference between non-trucking liability (personal use) and bobtail (no trailer attached)
The fact that empty-but-business movement — deadheading for freight — is excluded and belongs to primary liability
Garaging location, driver age and record, truck type, radius, and requested limits
Whether the carrier blends bobtail and non-trucking liability into a single endorsement, since the exact definitions govern
A driver who assumes any off-load driving is covered can be surprised when revenue-advancing empty movement is treated as business use and denied.
Regulatory & Contract Context
Non-trucking liability is not the FMCSA-required primary filing; it is supplemental off-duty coverage. The federal financial-responsibility obligation rests with the motor carrier's authority, and under 49 CFR 376.12(c)(1) the lease gives the carrier exclusive possession, control, and use of the equipment for the lease term and makes the carrier assume complete responsibility for its operation. That framework is why the carrier's primary policy attaches during the carrier's service — and why personal, off-dispatch use needs the owner-operator's own non-trucking liability. The lease is the controlling document for when the operator is under the carrier's authority, and it frequently mandates this coverage at stated limits.
Our Approach
At Cory Washington & Co., we place non-trucking liability to match how an owner-operator actually uses the truck off the clock — reading the lease, confirming how "under dispatch" and "personal use" are defined, and closing the gap between primary liability and off-duty exposure. We coordinate it with bobtail, physical damage, and cargo so the program holds together end to end. We also insure related transportation businesses, including trucking companies, bobtail coverage, and truck repair shops.
Our goal is coverage that responds when the truck is on the owner-operator's own time — not a claim caught in the gap between two policies.
All insurance descriptions on this website are provided by Cory Washington & Co. LLC strictly for general informational purposes. They are not intended to be, and should not be relied upon as, legal, financial, or insurance advice. The information presented is general in nature and does not guarantee the availability, terms, conditions, or scope of any insurance coverage. Actual coverage is determined solely by the specific policy language issued by the insurer and remains subject to underwriting approval. Nothing on this website creates or implies an agent-client relationship, binds coverage, or alters any existing policy. Cory Washington & Co. LLC expressly disclaims any liability for actions taken, or not taken, based on the content provided here. For advice regarding your particular situation, please consult directly with a licensed insurance professional at Cory Washington & Co. LLC or another qualified insurance professional, and always review your policy documents in full.
See what to confirm in a owner-operator bobtail & non-trucking policy — what's standard, what's often limited, and what to add if needed — plus the gap most often missed, in the Owner-Operator Bobtail & Non-Trucking Policy Feature Checklist.
Complete the Owner-Operator Bobtail & Non-Trucking Supplemental online in a few guided steps, download the fillable PDF, or browse all applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get non-trucking liability insurance through Cory Washington & Co.?
Request a quote or contact our team. We start with a short conversation about your operations, analyze your exposures, then negotiate non-trucking liability insurance across multiple carriers that compete for your account and present options with the trade-offs explained. Cory Washington & Co. LLC is licensed in all 50 states.
How are non-trucking liability insurance premiums priced?
There is no flat rate. The cost of non-trucking liability insurance reflects your industry, your size (payroll and revenue), your claims history, and the limits and deductibles you choose. We market your account to multiple carriers, compare the real quotes side by side, and explain what is driving each number so you can weigh coverage against price with confidence.
Is non-trucking liability insurance mandatory?
Requirements vary. Non-trucking liability insurance may be mandated by statute, or required under your contracts, leases, or loan agreements — and in many cases it is simply prudent given the risks involved. We look at your specific obligations and exposures, then recommend the coverage and limits that fit.
What if another agency has already declined or non-renewed my coverage?
Difficult, specialty, and previously-declined placements are a core part of our work. We access excess & surplus (E&S) and specialty markets that many generalist agencies cannot, and we explain the trade-offs clearly so you can decide with confidence.
Available in all 50 states. See how requirements differ in California, Texas, Florida, New York, or choose your state.