This week’s post comes from an interesting (and unfortunate) event that took place this past week. I was working in the office (or more likely napping in between more Zoom meetings) when my secretary rushed into my office.
“You have to see this!” she said breathlessly, her face a mix between held back laughter and concern. I followed her back to her desk and she showed me an email from our freight carrier, alerting us to a loss of one of our containers.
“What? How did that happen?!” I bellowed, already turning away to make an angry phone call. She grabbed my arm before I left and bade me to hold on a second.
She opened up her internet browser where she had a local news channel’s website up. She clicked an article from that morning and the video at the top of the page automatically began playing.
There was our container, engulfed in flames on the back of an abandoned truck, fire crews scuttling about doing what they could to douse the flames. I stared, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, as the video continued; a loss of a container, indeed!
Thank goodness we had insurance, is what I imagine the carrier was thinking as they watched their truck conflagrate in front of them.
The event got me thinking – insurance operates on the assumptions made in Murphy’s Law: everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Sure, most of the time your cargo is NOT going to burst into flames, but there’s always a chance and if it does happen, you’ll be glad you had it.
The trick is finding the right providers for your commercial truck insurance. Many will attempt to upsell you or find excuses to levy heavy premiums for minor infractions.
Companies like S.W.A.N. Insurance out of San Diego, on the other hand, do what they can to find excused to lower your premiums and build a bond of trust between them and their clients. They maintain healthy rankings on Google and Yelp, which is saying something considering how terse tuck drivers can be. Check them out:
Chris has been absolutely fantastic to deal with at Swan Insurance. I received notification 2-3 weeks before my Workers Comp was supposed to renew that my carrier no longer accepted my market. My General Liability rep gave me Chris’s number and within a week he not only had quotes for me but the rate was lower than the previous carrier. Chris and Swan Insurance was an absolute Godsend to me. I would highly recommend them.
Kaylene J., Yelp Review
I came across Swan Insurance by LUCK! Chris Mahlberg has been amazing. I was looking for new commercial auto insurance for our small family business, the rates had been increasing drastically over the previous years. Chris and his team have been great and take the time to get the best quote possible. This will be my second year renewing with Swan Insurance, I also have told all of our friends that also own dump trucks they need to use them. I would give 10 STARS if I could! Melissa Celeste (Carmine’s Trucking)
Carley Celeste, Google Review
I own a delivery company AE&AC Trucking, LLC. When I started my company, I didn’t know anything about insurance they helped me with everything to get started and they have the best price compare to others. Since then, I’ve been working with them. They answer me really quick every time I need something, they are very professional, friendly, committed and great customer service. Other contractors recommended them to me and NOW I know why! I highly recommend working with them!
Adrian Esquer, Google Review
Outside of some delays caused by the accident, nobody was worse for wear – the fire was a freak accident, and the carrier did everything in their power to make the issue up to us. Thankfully for them, they had solid commercial trucking insurance that let them bounce right back on their feet without hurting too bad.
If you need commercial trucking insurance for your fleet or the tractor-trailer you run as an owner/operator, get in contact with S.W.A.N. Insurance at:
S.W.A.N. Insurance
+18583813108
2148 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101