As any motor carrier knows, America runs on trucks. Motorcarriers play a vital role in keeping our factories and officessupplied and our store shelves stocked. But these motor carriersalso are aware of the intrinsic risks associated with constantlybeing on the road. Both employees and independently contracteddrivers know that at any time they could be involved in acatastrophic accident. Luckily, the employee driver is protectedunder the motor carrier's workers' compensation policy. But whatabout the independently contracted driver?

Prudent motor carriers should protect themselves and alsoindependent owner-operator drivers by offering them comprehensiveoccupational accident insurance coverage.

Typically, an occupational accident coverage policy offers threecomponents: accidental death and dismemberment, accident medicaland accident disability. The coverage is not a general medical orhealth policy, but rather a specific cause-and-effect policytriggered by an accidental injury that occurs in the course of aninsured driver's work. That would include injuries sustained in anaccident while en route to a delivery or in slip-and-fall incidentsin the course of the driver's duties.