At Sovereign, we believe in the importance of educating our clients, and prospective clients, on the various nuances between one insurance carrier’s policy offerings, versus another. Today, we’d like to highlight an important coverage consideration that directly affects your non-emergency medical transportation operations: the loading and unloading exclusion.
What is the loading and unloading exclusion?
It removes coverage for bodily injury or property damage that occurs while a passenger is entering (loading) or exiting (unloading) your vehicle. In the NEMT industry, this is a high-risk exposure area given the mobility needs of passengers, particularly those who require wheelchairs, stretchers, or physical assistance entering and exiting the vehicle. Many liability claims in the NEMT industry arise not only from driving-related incidents, but from injuries during the entering or exiting process, precisely the events a loading and unloading exclusion would omit from coverage. If your policy contains this exclusion, you may be personally liable for significant costs in the event of a claim.
What should you do?
Protecting your business means ensuring your policy covers the specific risks you face. Start by verifying your policy’s treatment of loading and unloading exposures is a critical step in that process. Contact your agent and request a thorough review of your policy to determine whether a loading and unloading exclusion is present. If it is, request that your agent remove this exclusion or endorsement for loading and unloading. And if necessary, move the policy to a different insurance carrier that provides sufficient coverage for the loading and unloading of passengers.
If you are uncertain or would like assistance reviewing your policy, contact our team at Sovereign Transportation Insurance.