I'm doing some dozer work for other farmers (small jobs like fence line clearing & waterway cleaning). How much do I need to worry about liability? What insurance should I have to cover a small owner operator like me doing occasional work?
I'm not running farm plates on the truck...."regular" registration so I'm good anywhere in the state. Liability ins on the truck is inexpensive if it's low miles and not for hire. Truck registration wasn't too bad because, in Iowa at least, when hauling "special mobile equipment"....(tractors, construction equip, etc) you only have to license it for weight of truck & trailer....not gross weight. That saved me $1000 on registration.
Not sure if it matters if it's considered custom work or separate business.....all done under my personal taxes.
I was more interested in some type of liability ins. while dozing on someone else's property. For example, if I should damage something, someone climbs on my dozer,falls off and gets hurt, or if I hit a buried utility that wasn't marked or they forgot to tell me about. I'm guessing a lot of small time operators like me don't bother with insurance, but I hate to risk my farm on it. Just curious what others have done to cover themselves.
It seems like the purpose of insurance is to keep the little guy out of business and make lawyers and professional victims a lot of money.
It seems like the purpose of insurance is to keep the little guy out of business and make lawyers and professional victims a lot of money.
Am having issue trying to wrap my head around that. In all the states I have lived and worked(11) if you cross a scale or get tagged by portables you better have plates that cover the weight in total of the truck, trailer, load. Never heard of exemption of load as to weight plates, are you certain they did not mean 'Vehicle Gross Weight RATING'?