What makes 1st Guard® different from other truck insurance providers? With 1st Guard® you deal directly with your insurance company. There’s no agent or middleman taking a cut of your premium. As a result we can offer you very competitive rates. Plus if you have a claim you will deal directly with our in-house licensed truck insurance adjusters. Our people do nothing but work on truck claims all day long. They’re experts at getting you back on the road fast. More than that, when you call 1st Guard® real people still answer the phone. You won’t have to navigate through ten menu items to speak with someone. Plus if you need something after hours you can always manage your account online 24/7. We’re in this business because we love serving truckers. Everyone else just wants your money. Who is 1st Guard, and what can you offer me? 1st Guard Corporation is the leading provider of physical damage truck insurance (also known as comprehensive and collision) and non-trucking liability truck insurance for leased owner operators. 1st Guard Corporation originated in Detroit, Michigan in 1937. First Guard Insurance Company underwrites the majority of physical damage coverage that 1st Guard® services, and is rated “A”(Excellent) by A.M. Best. Through the years, 1st Guard® has become the nations’ premier provider of truck insurance products for leased owner operators, including physical damage, non trucking liability, occupational accident and passenger accident truck insurance. Your rates seem great, how does your service compare with other companies? Each time a claim is processed by 1st Guard®, we send a satisfaction survey with the claim payment. The results of these surveys have given 1st Guard® an over 99% satisfaction rating with our customers for many years. The surveys are based on the following criteria: speed of claim payment, courtesy of our claims personnel, and agreement with fair settlement. Further, over 99% of surveyed customers said they would recommend 1st Guard® to others based on the claim service they received. This kind of rating is nearly unheard of with other companies. My dealer suggested I package my physical damage truck insurance premium with my truck loan. Is this a good idea? Almost never! Not only will you pay a higher premium, but you will most likely pay interest charges as well. Furthermore, the salesman usually earns an additional commission for packaging insurance with your note. Before committing to this type of arrangement, call 1st Guard® or visit us on the internet for a quote – you’ll be surprised how much you can save when you buy your truck insurance direct! I just purchased a tractor that has a very high value. Will 1st Guard® be able to insure it, or will I need to look for a specialty insurance company elsewhere? Look no further! 1st Guard® can insure equipment up to $300,000 in value. Only a handful of tractor and tractor trailer combinations would exceed this limit. In most cases 1st Guard® can accommodate the high value truck insurance needs of leased owner operators. Is non-trucking liability insurance the same as bobtail coverage? People commonly refer to non-trucking liability insurance as bobtail coverage. Technically bobtail coverage is different than nontrucking liability insurance. The distinctions, however, are somewhat subtle and complex. As a general rule, most leased owner operators carry non-trucking liability truck insurance even though they might refer to it as “bobtail coverage.” 1st Guard® sells non-trucking liability truck insurance. If your trucking company says they require you to carry “bobtail coverage” ask them if they really mean non-trucking liability. Usually they do. What type of insurance coverage do I need to obtain my registration and tags? If you operate under your own authority (not leased to a motor carrier) primary commercial auto liability truck insurance is required to register your truck and obtain tags. 1st Guard® does not offer this coverage. However, if you are leased to a motor carrier, your fleet or trucking company should provide your primary liability and cargo insurance coverage. You should obtain a liability certificate of insurance (or “cab card”) from your fleet to present to the tag office. We also suggest that you take a copy of your non-trucking liability certificate of insurance and lease agreement along as well. Physical damage and non-trucking liability truck insurance alone is not sufficient for you to obtain your registration and tags. If I am involved in an accident which coverage will pay for damages to my truck? Physical damage coverage pays for collision damage to your equipment. 1st Guard® physical damage coverage gives you protection for collision losses 24 / 7, whether you are under dispatch or operating your truck for personal use. My trucking company insists that I purchase my physical damage and non-trucking liability truck insurance through their in-house insurance program. Can they force me to do this? Generally no. Many trucking companies offer an insurance program that is deducted from your settlement for convenience. Most of the time you are able to buy your own truck insurance. Check with your company first. Then receive an online instant quote or call us and see just how much you can save. I have a loan on my truck, and my lienholder/finance company wants proof of my truck insurance coverage. What should I send them? Lienholders/finance companies want proof of your physical damage truck insurance coverage. Just give us a call and we’ll handle this for you. Alternatively you can download proof of your physical damage truck insurance coverage on-line and fax or e-mail it to anyone you wish. Do I need to carry physical damage truck insurance if I pay off the loan on my truck? No, but it is highly recommended. Remember that physical damage truck insurance covers your truck for collision, fire, theft, and vandalism at all times, whether you have a loan or not. You want to protect your investment in the truck whether you owe anything or not. Can I keep my coverage with 1st Guard® if I change trucking companies? Usually yes, and better yet, your rate should not change. However, circumstances differ that my affect your policy premium. Please remember that it is extremely important that you notify us any time you change companies. 1st Guard® provides the fleet truck insurance program for my trucking company. Can I call 1st Guard® directly if I have questions about my coverage? Absolutely. We encourage you to call us whenever we can serve you.