Occupational Accident Coverage for Owner-Operators

What Is Occupational Accident Insurance?

Occupational accident insurance provides specified benefits to independent contractors—like owner-operators leased on in Central Arkansas—who are injured or killed in a work-related accident. Plans typically include medical expense coverage, temporary disability benefits, accidental death and dismemberment, and optional riders. Occ/Acc is not workers’ compensation, but it’s widely used when contractors aren’t eligible for workers’ comp under a motor carrier’s program.

Who Needs Occ/Acc and Why It Matters

Leased owner-operators often must carry Occ/Acc per the lease to protect themselves while loading, unloading, or running routes between Cabot, Little Rock, and Memphis. Independent drivers with their own authority may also consider it to fill personal medical and income gaps. For liability to others while you’re off dispatch, pair Occ/Acc with non-trucking liability; for business use on the road, maintain commercial auto liability within your larger commercial trucking insurance plan.

Key Features of Our Occ/Acc Plans

Programs can include:

• Accidental medical expense limits tailored to your needs
• Temporary total disability benefits tied to average weekly income caps
• Accidental death and dismemberment benefits
• Optional riders (when available) for items like occupational disease or hernia coverage
  

Note: Occ/Acc benefits are capped by policy; review limits carefully to align with your routes and risks around I-40, US-67/167, and regional yards.

Workers’ Comp vs. Occupational Accident — A Clear Comparison

• Workers’ comp: for employees, state-regulated, typically unlimited medical per statute, includes employer liability protections.
• Occ/Acc: for independent contractors, usually lower cost with specified caps, not a legal substitute for workers’ compensation. Many fleets use both—workers’ comp for W-2 staff and Occ/Acc requirements for 1099 drivers.