3014-001_ed02E Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 TM
Trademark used under licence from Northbridge Financial Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval systems or transmitted in any form by any means electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of Northbridge Financial Corporation. * Policies underwritten by Northbridge Commercial Insurance Corporation.
How is my premium determined? Is it simply based on loss history? Why do my rates increase even though my loss incidents haven t? More often than not, the issue of insurance pricing and how it is determined can remain a bit of a mystery to insurance customers. 3 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011
At Northbridge Insurance, we aim to remove this mystery. Because insurance providers each determine their rates differently, we believe it is important to inform you, our customer, of the specific components that make up our Northbridge Insurance rates*, and help provide some insight into how you can manage your insurance costs. Through the information in this publication, we hope that you can take away knowledge that will help you understand insurance pricing, how you can manage your costs, and, in turn, make the right decisions for your trucking business and protect your bottom line. In this publication, we ll be focusing on three issues: how insurance rates are determined, what elements make up your premium, and the specific ways you can help to control and manage the cost of your insurance. 4 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011
Table of Contents So, how are Northbridge Insurance s rates determined? 6 What you haul 7 Where you haul 8 These two factors where and what you haul make up your exposure 9 The quality of your operation/drivers 10 For owner-operators and smaller fleets Where do your premium dollars go? 11 So why do premiums increase when nothing has changed? What can you do to manage your insurance costs? 12 Four ways to help control your costs 13 Report accidents directly and immediately to your insurance company Maintain effective safety and driver management programs Manage your US exposure Choose your insurance company wisely and talk to them often Ten red flags to insurance companies 20 You are in greater control of your insurance than you realize 22
1.0 So, how are Northbridge Insurance s rates determined? It s important to understand that the dollar value of your losses in a given year has only a mild to moderate impact on your overall insurance prices. The three key factors that determine your rates are: 1.1 What you haul 1.2 Where you haul 1.3 The quality of your operation/ drivers 6 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents
1.1 What you haul When pricing what you haul in other words, your cargo there are significant differences in the exposure and potential loss costs. While we look at the durability and/or replacement value of cargo, another important thing we consider is the potential clean-up costs these can differ exponentially depending on the type of cargo. For example, if there is a cargo spill of cardboard in a waterbed vs. the same spill of batteries or paint, clean-up costs vary greatly. 7 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents
1.2 Where you haul Our 60 years of serving the trucking industry has provided us with a good understanding of the cost of claims in various jurisdictions. AK Ranking of average transportation insurance cost by jurisdiction As you can see in this map, having an accident in one jurisdiction may cost much more than the same accident in a YT NT NU different jurisdiction, largely due to different provincial or state laws and regulations. A claim worth $150,000 in a low-risk territory BC can end up costing millions in another. AB SK MB NL ON WA QC PE CA OR NV ID AZ UT MT WY CO NM ND SD NE KS OK MN IA MO AR WI IL IN TN MI KY OH WV SC NY PA MD VA NC VT NH DE CT RI NJ ME MA NB NS TX LA MS AL GA FL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Lowest Average Insurance Costs Highest Average Insurance Costs 8 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents
These two factors where and what you haul make up your exposure. 20% Increase to Exposure Rate $120 $100 $80 20% Discount to Exposure Rate 50% MORE In this example, Carrier B pays 50% more than Carrier A who has good practices $60 $40 Good safety and driver practices, good loss record, etc. Poor safety and driver practices, poor loss record, etc. This is essentially your base rate, from which the following third element the quality of your operation will either add $20 or reduce costs. $0 Carrier A Carrier B 9 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents
1.3 The quality of your operation/drivers No two trucking companies are alike and the way you run your operations has a direct impact on your insurance costs. This would include areas such as safety and management driver practices, loss records and so on. From an exposure point of view, you may have similar risks to another company, yet you have significant premium differences, based on this rating element. For example, if your operation is run using best practices and you are therefore less likely to experience a loss, your rate may be adjusted downwards as a result. Conversely, if your operation does not include a comprehensive safety program, you may consequently have a higher premium. The pricing differential between fleets with similar risks can be up to 55 percent, depending on the quality of their operation: Poor: +40% Fair: +15% Good: 0% Excellent: -15% For owner-operators and smaller fleets The same standard of maintaining good safety practices applies for Owner-operators, but it is based on driver experience, driver records, and so on. Again, you may have similar risks to another company yet have significant premium differences, based on this rating element alone. Driving records in particular can have a large impact on insurance rates for Owner-operators. In fact, the price range is so significant between them that moving from a driving record zero to a driving record six can easily cut your premium in half. However, not all insurance providers award such large pricing discounts for driving records of four, five or six, so make a point of checking with your insurance broker or your insurance company on this matter. 10 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents
Where do your premium dollars go? Now that you know how your premiums are Future claims losses and costs 20% determined, let s take a look at where your premiums actually go. Broker commissions Government levies and overhead 10% 70% Did you know? Premiums are used to cover: 1. Claims costs for accidents, losses and future costs (which comprise 70% of the premium) 2. Insurance Broker commissions (up to 10%) 3. Government levies (3%) 4. Overhead or operating expenses (17%) So why do premiums increase when nothing has changed? While your exposure may not have changed, other costs can continue to rise and have an impact on your rates: Accident Benefits for first-party losses Healthcare costs for third-party losses Repair costs for example, the rising cost of sheet metal These impact claims trends, which on average increase by six percent per year. So, if all things were equal year over year, you should be expecting a minimum of a six percent increase based on loss costs, inflation, and even the frequently-changing laws and legal interpretations across jurisdictions. 11 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents
2.0 What can you do to manage your insurance costs? 12 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents
2.1 Four ways to help control your costs While it may feel like your insurance costs are out of your control, this is actually far from the truth. Despite rising costs such as US lawsuits, lawyers and healthcare there are at least four ways you can improve the cost of your insurance program: 1. Report accidents directly and immediately to your insurance company 2. Maintain effective safety and driver management programs 3. Manage your US exposure 4. Choose your insurance company wisely and talk to them often Did you know? While this may sound like common sense, what s crucial is that carriers turn this common sense into action. What you do or don t do will ultimately determine how much of a competitive advantage you gain in your insurance costs. 13 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents
Did you know? As you know, a third-party accident in the US often leads to a lawsuit. If your insurance company is informed immediately A third-party accident in the US often leads to a lawsuit. and gets the chance to utilize their expertise right away, it s often possible to avoid lawsuits by settling a claim fairly before the third party involves a lawyer. Lawyers may receive 30 to 40 percent from every settlement or lawsuit they win, which can increase claims costs significantly. 2.1.1 Report claims immediately to your insurance company A recent study shows that a delay in reporting claims involving injury can increase the cost of that claim by as much as 48 percent. Calling your insurance company directly and immediately can make a dramatic difference in the ultimate cost of an accident claim involving a third party. This is because immediate reporting enables your insurance company to: Get to the scene of the accident immediately while the evidence is still untouched Send an accident re-constructionist to conduct a full investigation Document evidence such as skid marks, pavement gouges and photos of the vehicles in order to properly defend you in a lawsuit Interview witnesses while they re still present and can remember important facts Talk to local police at the scene Avoid the intervention of expensive US lawyers 14 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents
How late is late? Even a reporting delay of several hours can translate into lost opportunities for your insurance company to defend you properly. In effect, delays in claims reporting can increase your claims costs and loss ratio significantly, adding to the ultimate cost of your insurance. Did you know? The high cost of delays in reporting claims 2 WEEKS = +18% 3 WEEKS = +29% 4 WEEKS = +31% 5 WEEKS = +48% 15 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents
2.1.2 Maintain proactive safety and driver management programs Effective safety and driver management programs are two of the best investments a carrier can make. Not only can these programs lead to fewer violations, reduced vehicle maintenance costs, better drivers and driver retention, and fewer losses, they ll also likely lead to lower insurance costs. Safety programs A proactive safety program can help carriers of any size improve their insurance risk significantly, and should be customized to meet the specific needs of your operations, customers and drivers. Did you know? A good safety program includes, but is not limited to, industry best practices like these. 16 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents
Did you know? Proactive safety and driver management programs should have a positive impact on your insurance rate. Test yourself. Do you: Have a written safety program? Interview driver applicants and complete reference checks? Road test all drivers prior to hiring? Promote driver fatigue and wellness training? Have an in-vehicle training program for drivers with annual ride checks? Use EMC downloads and GPS data devices to their fullest potential? Set loss reduction goals within your business targets? Driver management programs Rigid selection criteria and aggressive driver retention strategies are key factors of a successful driver management program. As a start, write down the job description and establish selection criteria, then adhere to them strictly. After all, if you don t know the type of drivers you want to hire, you won t recognize them when you see them and neither will your managers. From an insurance company s perspective, high driver turnover often leads to high loss frequency. Poor driver retention can also affect the way an underwriter evaluates your fleet and the way your insurance is priced. Identifying and recognizing driver skill sets, offering training opportunities, and rewarding professional development are just three examples of good driver retention practice today. Gain better control of your operations, recruit and retain the best drivers and continuously improve your safety efforts. For more tips and best practices, contact your insurance company s safety department. 17 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents
2.1.3 Manage your U.S. exposure The US is a great source of lucrative routes however, getting into an accident there can lead to major lawsuits, easily costing you and your insurance company ten times as much as a similar accident in Canada. No insurance company would advise trucking companies to turn away profitable US business, so managing your US exposure properly is critical. As we mentioned previously in regards to where you haul and how that impacts your exposure rate, the cost of accidents can differ dramatically from one region to another, illustrated through the diagram on page six. With this information in mind, try to select your routes carefully and understand the risk exposures they bring. Good insurance partners can help you weigh the profits you ll earn on a particular route against the insurance costs you ll incur as a result of the exposure of that route. 18 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents
2.1.4 Talk to your broker and insurance company regularly Your insurance broker is an invaluable service provider and your primary point of contact regarding your policy. In conjunction with your broker, we also recommend that you speak regularly to your insurance company. Regular contact with your insurance company will enable you to obtain information that can influence your bottom line, such as helping you to identify highcost jurisdictions, recommending alternate routes and providing solutions to protect high-theft cargos. Also make sure your insurance company is aware of the investment you ve made in safety and driver management, and that your whole team buys into these initiatives, starting with management. An ongoing dialogue will build confidence and long-term relationships, which will only help build stability in your insurance program. 19 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents
2.2 Ten red flags to insurance companies When evaluating you from a risk perspective, an insurance company looks at many factors. Although not a complete list, here are ten red flags that may get an insurance company s attention. There could be valid reasons why an issue mentioned here should be no cause for concern. Regular communication with your insurance company can help put such concerns to rest. Ensure your insurance broker and insurance company have the whole story if any of the following applies to you: 1. Rapid expansion and acquisitions Extending your fleet or acquiring another company can be exciting. Your insurance company will want to know that you have the controls and structure in place to run things safely. 2. New high-risk routes If you re driving into the US for the first time or taking on new routes into regions through which your drivers have never travelled, your insurance company will want to understand how you re planning to deal with these risks. 20 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents
Did you know? When evaluating you from a risk perspective, an insurance company looks at many factors. 3. Hauling hazardous commodities What commodities will you be hauling and do they meet your insurance company s guidelines? Do your drivers have specific experience with hazardous commodities and are you capable of managing the risks and safety precautions such loads require? 4. Poor regulatory compliance Are you adhering consistently to regulations, especially when driving US routes? If not, remember that plaintiffs can subpoena everything in your company to demonstrate to a jury that your company was an accident waiting to happen. 5. Rising crash frequency There may be valid reasons why your drivers are having more crashes. Talk to your insurance company so that there s no misunderstanding. 6. Late claims reporting Delays in reporting claims adds thousands even millions of dollars to the final cost. To avoid such unnecessary increases, ensure all claims are reported immediately and directly to your insurance company. 7. High driver turnover Driver turnover and new-hire retention rates should be closely monitored. New employees tend to make more mistakes, and are generally not as productive as seasoned employees. 8. Driver skills don t match the job Are your drivers properly oriented and trained in the equipment, routes and challenges of the hauls they re assigned? 9. Evidence of poor training If your insurance company notices that your drivers are getting into many accidents due to sloppiness, lack of expertise and poor overall quality, this may influence their view. 10. No safety buy-in from management You can have comprehensive safety practices but, if your management team does not take safety seriously, your insurance company may not take you seriously. Talk to your insurance company so that they know where your management team stands on safety. 21 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents
2.3 You are in greater control of your insurance than you realize Insurance affects the very survival of your company, as virtually no business can survive without proper coverage. In an area like trucking, insurance is a very large expense because of the sheer nature and costs of the things that can go wrong while hauling goods. You need to manage your insurance expense, and make sure you re getting the value you ve paid for. When selecting an insurance provider, it s easy to look at price only. Just as no two carriers are the same, no two insurance companies are the same. With trucking insurance, the cheapest rate up-front can wind up costing you a lot more than you originally thought so knowing the differences is important. The bottom line is that you are in greater control of your insurance than you may realize. Use that control, manage your insurance well, and choose wisely. 22 Let s talk about trucking insurance pricing 2011 Go Back to Table of Contents