Transport Insurance
Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane & Canberra

A transport operator should describe the work undertaken by its vehicles and drivers. Local deliveries, long distance freight, heavy haulage and refrigerated transport can involve different routes, equipment and contractual responsibilities. Explain the kinds of goods carried, the operating areas and whether loading or unloading is performed by your staff. Include depot activities and temporary storage if they form part of the service. A vehicle schedule alone may not explain the exposure created by the load or the work at a customer’s premises. The insurance discussion should follow the journey from collection through handover.

Describe the fleet configuration and the use of subcontractors. Prime movers, trailers, specialist bodies and hired units may have different ownership and insurance arrangements. Explain who supplies the driver and who controls the job when equipment is exchanged or borrowed. Maximum load values and unusual consignments should be identified, along with security and parking practices relevant to the operation. Motor damage, cargo loss and liability to another party are separate questions. A transport business should not assume that insuring the truck also insures everything carried on it or every obligation accepted in the customer contract.

Customer terms and consignment documents should make the service and handover arrangements understandable. Keep instructions about the load, delivery location, handling and timing with the job record. Review any request to accept liability beyond the business’s usual terms, especially for valuable or time-sensitive goods. Ask how the proposed wording treats contractual liability, delay and damage arising during loading or unloading. An obligation to reimburse consequential losses may not be accepted by the insurer. Discuss the actual clause rather than relying on a certificate that shows only a general policy type and limit.

Driver records, maintenance information and equipment schedules help explain how the transport operation is managed. For specialist equipment, include fitted cranes, tail lifts, refrigeration and other items that may affect repair or replacement. Ask about recovery, clean-up and temporary replacement arrangements, including any limits or conditions. Goods can be affected by temperature change or misdelivery without a collision, so raise those scenarios separately. Where freight passes to another carrier, clarify the evidence of transfer and the responsibilities retained by your business. The route may involve several parties, but the customer’s claim may still arrive at the operator that accepted the booking.

After an event, preserve the transport job details as well as the vehicle accident information. Record the load, collection and delivery instructions, driver account and any transfer between vehicles. Photographs, location information and relevant temperature or tracking records may help explain what occurred. Keep damage to the vehicle separate from damage to goods and other property. Drivers should know who arranges towing and how to contact the insurance coordinator. Appropriate immediate action to protect people and property should be taken while keeping the policy’s assessment, reporting and approval provisions in mind.

At renewal, review new routes, commodities, customer contracts and subcontracting arrangements. Update vehicle and equipment values when specialised units are added or modified. Consider the effect of losing the vehicle that performs a particular type of work and whether a realistic substitute is available. Review recurring incidents by task and location so operational changes can be considered alongside the insurance discussion. Keep unresolved freight disputes and significant changes in activities available for the submission. A useful transport review connects vehicles, loads and contracts, rather than treating each as an isolated list, while recognising that policy terms determine which losses may be insured.