Ghost policy

[pok]

Can anyone recommend an insurance company to carry a ghost policy? I'm looking to drive a sprinter van for O/O but the carrier says I need a ghost policy.

 

[Turtle]

I'm a little surprised that a carrier would suggest a ghost policy (which provides you with no benefits whatsoever) instead of simply requiring you to have Occupational Accident Insurance (which is cheap and will provide health and income benefits if you are injured while under dispatch). Maybe you're already loaded with health and accident and disability income insurance and all you need is the ghost policy?

Speaking as someone who was injured while making a delivery and was off for 6 months recovering, Occ Acc insurance is worth every penny.

 

[pok]

Thanks Turtle. I'll check out this policy instead. I had a couple of recruiters at the expo tell me I could not drive for an O/O because their insurance would not cover NY.

 

[Turtle]

Ah, OK. Yeah, the state of New York generally considers owner operators (as well as many other types of independent contractors) to be employees of a company (either the carrier or the fleet owner) under the Workers Compensation Law. There are several states in which ghost polices are not available, and I'm pretty sure New York is one of them. TN, TX, MI, NJ, are ones I know for sure don't allow them. You'll probably need to call the NYSIF for information, or maybe someone here who is from NY can chime in on how they had to handle things.