Minimum Insurance Requirements for Commercial Vehicles

Many trucks and busses that pass through Las Vegas are either coming from or on their way to another part of the country. As such, the drivers and the companies that own these vehicles are likely subject to federal rules and regulations governing how they operate their business.

One of these rules pertains to insurance, as the federal government expects these types of vehicles to carry additional liability insurance in case they are involved in commercial vehicle accidents that are the fault of the truck driver. This additional liability insurance is required even though the State of Nevada ordinarily requires much less insurance from those who are simply driving personal vehicles.

Specifically, a truck that is hauling property general has to carry $750,000 in liability insurance coverage and must certify as much to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. When a trucker is hauling a hazardous material, the trucker may be expected to carry either $1 million or $5 million in liability coverage, depending on what type of material the trucker plans to transport.

Passenger buses ordinarily have to carry $5 million in liability insurance coverage, presumably so that they can offer protection and compensation to any passenger who happens to get hurt in an accident. Some smaller vehicles that transport passengers across state lines may only have to carry $1.5 million in liability insurance.

The bottom line is that truckers and bus operators are by law required to carry plenty of insurance that will hopefully be available to pay compensation in the event of a serious accident. Accordingly, victims should feel confident about seeking the recovery of medical bills, lost wages and other damages following a commercial vehicle accident caused by a negligent truck or bus driver.