As a truck driver, your income depends on your health. If you are sick, you might not be able to work, and this would affect your income and might even result in the loss of your job. The Bureau of Labor Statistics research shows that a trucker gets an average salary of $40,000 annually. So, it is wise to invest in health insurance for truck drivers.
About 70% of truck drivers might have at least one serious health condition. It is a result of the dangerous nature of the job, which includes long hours of work and continuous stretches of little or no sleep.
It might be particularly challenging for you if you are an on-the-road trucker who would mostly go a long distance away from your home state and might sometimes need medical attention on the road. Although your trucking company might offer some form of health insurance coverage to you as an employee or a contract driver, some of these insurance offerings are not enough. Some might come as a high-cost option for you as a truck driver considering the average salary range most truckers earn. Others would not just be enough to cover in case of family emergencies.
Why is Health insurance Important to You as a Truck Driver?
Healthcare insurance is essential to you as a trucker, considering that you cannot afford to get sick or injured without getting proper care as soon as possible, maybe because of the cost and that you are scared of using up all your savings. You’ll need to get medical attention so that you can quickly get back to the road.
Findings show that a majority of truck drivers who make long hauls across the country have more than a single unhealthy behavior or condition. Most of these conditions can pose to be harmful threats to your life in the long run. It is a good reason why must have been implored to get health insurance coverage.
As a trucker, most times, you are not around, busy traveling the country. You would need to cover the cost of your spouse and children when you are away without having to pay for everything yourself.
How to get Health Insurance for Truckers
There are different ways you can go about getting your health insurance coverage as a truck driver.
- You can be able to get health insurance as a truck driver from the insurance marketplace during the open enrollment period, which usually begins at the later end of every year.
- You can be able to obtain health insurance via special enrollment at any time outside the open enrollment period if you have a qualifying life event.
- Truckers can obtain health insurance through the Medicaid program.
- You can also obtain healthcare insurance as a truck driver through government compliant Med Sharing plans or by purchasing a suitable short-term medical plan.
There are also other add-on plans, such as dental or vision plans, that you may require and purchase at any time.
Health Insurance Plans for Truck Drivers
1. Medicare:
This health plan is primarily an age-based program that is available to provide financial aid to people who are 65 years or older and cater for their medical needs.
This plan provides you access to medical practitioners nationwide who are participants of the Medicare network. If you are 65 or above and have worked and paid taxes for at least ten years, you automatically would qualify for original Medicare parts A and B.
2. Medigap:
Even with a Medicare plan, you might also need to get a Medigap policy to fill in the blanks for medical costs that a Medicare plan might not cover. These are standard plans by the government, which is sold by private insurance companies as supplemental insurance to cover the remaining health care costs that Medicare might not cover, like co-payments, Co-insured, and deductibles.
3. Fixed Benefit Plan:
This health plan can supplement your ACA plan. It would provide you cover to see any licensed doctor or hospital within the hospital and pay for things like doctor’s visits and prescription fees.
4. Med-Sharing:
This health plan works like every other health insurance plan. The difference is that you pay premiums into an escrow, and then claims are paid into members’ shared responsibility accounts. This plan can mostly help you cover costs like preventive care costs, doctor visits, etc.
Although Med-Sharing plans are government compliant, they are in no way affiliated with the government. You might also not be taxed. Some advantage includes:
- You can purchase the plan any time of the day
- Monthly premiums are considerably lower than standard ACA plans.
- Premium prices are categorized according to age range. It helps you pay a stable amount for a while.
- All monthly premiums are for helping members.
5. Medicare Medical Saving Account:
You can obtain a Medicare advantage plan if your operating axis is not too full. If you’ll be able to access a network of health specialists working with your provider platform.
6. Marketplace Insurance Plans:
You can purchase a suitable health cover for truckers from the insurance marketplace. Most independent operators compulsorily have to buy these policies so as not to leave themselves and their families at risk.
Based on your income level, you can either purchase a short- or long-term health medical plan that covers even supplemental policies for vision, dental, accident, or death.
Which Trucking Company Has the Best Benefits?
Depending on what you require and expect from an insurance provider as a trucker. The best trucking company that could give you the best benefits would be subject to your choice and financial capabilities.
There are certain factors you should consider when choosing a trucking insurance company that would suit your needs.
- Paying Benefits
- Wide range of coverage options
- Full compliance with the law and regulatory bodies
- Clear communication of packages and offers
- Amount of deductible to coverage
- The inclination of insurance plans to suit your needs.
It is essential to put in the effort to research trucker’s insurance providers around you to find the best fit for your needs. There is no absolute best, although there is a list of our top suggested ten that offer top health insurance services for truck drivers.
- Hiscox Insurance
- State Farm
- Hub international
- Progressive
- Reliance Partner
- National Interstate
- 1st Guard
- Truck Writers
- Northland Insurance
- AIG Truck Insurance
How Does the Truckers Association Affect Your Health Insurance?
- They can provide you with a lot of benefits as they advocate for better deals for the average truck driver
- They can also provide you with information and even better-negotiating benefits for the union. This could include better insurance rates.
- Although most truckers complain that being in a trucker’s association is not worth the cost, you can still benefit from what these associations have to offer.
