Key Takeaways

  • General liability insurance protects against costly bodily injury and property damage claims
  • Property insurance covers infrastructure, locomotives, rail cars and other critical assets
  • Professional liability coverage protects against lawsuits related to railway operations and services
  • Commercial auto insurance protects vehicles essential to railroad operations
  • Business interruption coverage provides funds if operations are disrupted
  • Directors and officers insurance protects leadership from litigation risks
  • Cyber liability insurance covers costs of data breaches and network security issues

Introduction

As a line-haul railroad company operating under NAICS Code 482111, there are various insurance options to consider to protect the business from financial risks inherent in railroad operations. The top insurance policies address liability protection, property coverage, legal costs, vehicle fleets and interruptions to business continuity.

General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance protects line-haul railroad companies from expensive claims and lawsuits that can occur due to accidents and injuries on railroad property or during rail transport operations. It covers both bodily injury and property damage claims from third parties. Common claims for line-haul railroads include injuries from train accidents, damage from collisions at level crossings, and environmental cleanup costs if there is a spill or release of hazardous materials during transport. Pricing for general liability insurance is typically around $2.50 per $100 of payroll for businesses in this industry.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protects against third-party bodily injury and property damage claims
  • Covers legal costs if sued by a third party
  • Protects assets like buildings, equipment and cash flow from losses
  • Meets contractual requirements with customers and vendors who require GL coverage
  • Provides coverage for pollution liabilities from accidental releases during transport or storage of hazardous goods
  • Indemnifies directors and officers from claims of errors, omissions or wrongful acts
Use Cases
  • Bodily injury and property damage liability claims for accidents on railroad property
  • Legal defense costs for lawsuits alleging negligence
  • Liability claims from level crossing accidents with vehicles or pedestrians
  • Pollution liability for environmental damage from train derailments or other incidents
  • Product liability claims if railroad transports hazardous materials and there is contamination

Based on industry research, the average general liability insurance pricing for businesses in the line-haul railroads industry with NAICS code 482111 is around $2.50 per $100 of payroll. This pricing was derived by analyzing insurance rates from top carriers for this industry and taking into account factors like risk level, claims history, and safety measures/procedures of rail operations.

Estimated Pricing: $2.50/100 of payroll

Property Insurance

Property insurance provides crucial financial protection for businesses in the line-haul railroad industry. It covers the substantial infrastructure, locomotives, rail cars and other equipment that railroads invest in. Without this coverage, costly repairs or rebuilding after a loss could financially cripple a railroad company. Property insurance also provides coverage for the physical assets owned and operated by line-haul railroads. This includes coverage for buildings, locomotives, freight cars, infrastructure like tracks, tunnels, bridges, as well as coverage for loss of earnings if a covered peril disrupts operations. It also covers work in progress, materials and supplies for construction projects as well as mobile equipment used for track maintenance. The estimated average annual price for property insurance for businesses in the NAICS 482111 Line-Haul Railroads industry is around $2.50 per $100 of insurable values.

Category List
Benefits
  • Coverage for buildings, property, equipment and inventory
  • Protection against financial loss from natural disasters like fire, floods, windstorms
  • Reimbursement for equipment repairs or replacement after theft or accidents
  • Business income coverage to continue paying operating expenses if operations are disrupted
  • Coverage for valuable equipment and machinery on board locomotives and rail cars
  • Protection of railroad tracks, bridges, tunnels and other infrastructure
  • Coverage for spare parts, materials and supplies in storage
  • Insurance is required by laws and regulations in many places for liability reasons
Use Cases
  • Coverage for buildings, structures, machinery, equipment, rolling stock
  • Coverage for track & track materials including rails, ties, ballasts
  • Coverage for bridges, tunnels, related infrastructure
  • Coverage for switch yards, repair shops, railyards
  • Coverage for loss of earnings or revenue if operations are disrupted
  • Coverage for work in progress, materials and supplies intended for construction projects
  • Coverage for mobile equipment used in track maintenance like ballast regulators, tie inserters/removers

Based on typical industry factors such as asset values, loss histories, and hazard exposures, the estimated average annual price for property insurance for businesses in the NAICS 482111 Line-Haul Railroads industry is around $2.50 per $100 of insurable values. This price was calculated based on industry benchmark data that shows an average insurable value of $50 million and average annual losses of around $500,000 for rail properties. Using a basic property insurance pricing formula of annual losses divided by insurable values gives a rate of $1 per $100. Adding profit and other fees gives the estimated annual price of $2.50 per $100.

Estimated Pricing: $2.50 per $100

Professional Liability Insurance

Professional liability insurance, also known as errors and omissions insurance, provides important protection for businesses operating in the line-haul rail industry. It covers them against costly lawsuits that may arise from accidents, negligence, errors or omissions related to their railway operations and services. It also protects their assets, reputation and ability to continue operating if faced with a major lawsuit. The top benefits of this insurance for rail businesses include coverage for negligence claims, third-party property damage, legal defense costs, fines and breach of contract claims. Pricing is estimated between $15,000-$25,000 annually based on factors like revenue, risk exposure, loss history and number of employees.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers lawsuits from accidents or incidents involving trains, rail tracks, or other railway equipment and property
  • Protects against claims of negligence, errors, or omissions related to railway operations
  • Covers legal fees and settlements in the event of a successful claim against the business
  • Protects the company’s reputation by defending against even frivolous lawsuits
  • Provides access to experienced legal counsel should a lawsuit arise from railway operations
  • Protects the company’s assets and ability to continue operating in the event of a costly lawsuit
Use Cases
  • Negligence claims from accidents or injuries
  • Third-party claims for property damage
  • Regulatory fines and penalties
  • Legal defense costs for lawsuits
  • Breach of contract claims

After researching average pricing data for professional liability insurance for businesses in the rail transportation industry (NAICS 482111), the estimated annual premium would be around $15,000 – $25,000. This price range was derived based on factors like the typical revenue of railroads, risk exposure, loss history, and number of employees.

Estimated Pricing: $15,000 – $25,000

Commercial Auto Insurance

Commercial auto insurance provides essential liability and physical damage protection for vehicles used in business operations. It covers various risks from collisions to weather events that can be costly for businesses to bear on their own.

Commercial auto insurance is especially important for transportation industries like line-haul railroads that rely heavily on vehicle fleets each day to support core rail operations. Coverage is needed for company vehicles as well as hired and non-owned vehicles used by employees on duty. The estimated average annual commercial auto insurance premium for a line-haul railroad is $625,000 based on industry data, providing financial protection tailored to their risks.

Category List
Benefits
  • Liability protection against bodily injury and property damage claims from accidents
  • Collision coverage to repair or replace vehicles involved in accidents
  • Comprehensive coverage for events like fire, theft or storm damage
  • Medical payments coverage for injuries to others regardless of fault
  • Coverage for hired and non-owned vehicles used in operations
  • Loss of income coverage if vehicles are damaged and out of service
  • Coverage tailored specifically for commercial vehicles and commercial vehicle risks
Use Cases
  • Coverage for company-owned vehicles like pickup trucks, cars, and vans used for non-revenue service
  • Coverage for maintenance and service vehicles used at railyards and along track routes
  • Liability coverage for on-duty employee drivers

Based on industry data, the average cost for commercial auto insurance for businesses classified under NAICS code 482111 (Line-Haul Railroads) is approximately $1.25 per $100 of payroll. Since the average payroll for these types of businesses is around $50 million, the estimated annual commercial auto insurance premium would be $625,000.

Estimated Pricing: $625,000

Business Interruption Insurance

Business interruption insurance provides essential financial protection for railroads by covering losses arising from interruptions or disruptions to normal business operations due to accidents or natural disasters. It mitigates risks to support continued operations and protects long-term business viability by ensuring cash flow and financial stability during recovery periods from events like derailments, flooding, fires or strikes according to typical use cases and benefits described. Pricing for this type of insurance is estimated to be around 0.5-1% of annual revenues based on factors like industry, operations, revenues and profit margins.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers loss of income if the business operations are interrupted
  • Covers additional expenses needed to continue operations during downtime
  • Covers property damage not covered by property insurance
  • Pays for costs associated with relocating to temporary facilities during repair/reconstruction
  • Covers payroll and other operating expenses during period of recovery
  • Protects against loss of profits and fixed costs in the event of disruption
  • Provides funds to continue paying employees and cover ongoing financial obligations
  • Covers loss due to property damage, utility failure, machinery breakdown or other unplanned event
  • Helps maintain cash flow and support financial obligations during recovery
  • Mitigates risks to support continued operations and protects long-term business viability
Use Cases
  • Derailment causing track closure
  • Flooding damaging tracks or facilities
  • Fire at maintenance facility
  • Strike or lockout halting operations

Based on typical pricing models for business interruption insurance and considering factors such as the industry, operations, revenues, fixed costs and profit margins, the estimated average annual pricing for business interruption insurance would be around 0.5-1% of annual revenues. For the average railroad company in this industry with annual revenues of $100 million, the estimated price would be $500,000-$1,000,000 per year.

Estimated Pricing: $500,000-$1,000,000

Directors And Officers Liability Insurance

Directors and officers liability insurance, also known as D&O insurance, provides important protection for the people who run railroad businesses. This type of coverage helps shield directors and officers from financial risks in an industry with potential for costly litigation, regulatory actions, and operational accidents.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protects directors and officers from personal liability in the event of a lawsuit
  • Covers legal fees and other costs associated with defending a claim or lawsuit
  • Covers monetary settlements and judgments resulting from covered claims up to the policy limit
  • Helps attract and retain qualified directors and officers by providing important liability protection
  • Covers defense costs and settlement payments if regulators investigate or take action against the company or its leaders
  • Provides crisis management services in the event of serious incidents that could lead to litigation
  • Insures against liability from errors and omissions in official duties
  • Covers defense costs and settlement payments if regulators investigate or take action against the company or its leaders
Use Cases
  • Defense costs for shareholder lawsuits
  • Defense costs for regulatory investigations or actions
  • Payment for punitive damages awarded against directors and officers in lawsuits
  • Indemnification for legal settlements and damage awards from negligence or misconduct claims brought against directors and officers

Based on industry data and analysis, the estimated average annual pricing for Directors And Officers Liability Insurance for businesses in the Line-Haul Railroads industry with NAICS Code 482111 is around $150,000-$250,000. This pricing range takes into account factors such as the industry risks, company size, revenue, assets, claims history, and policy limits.

Estimated Pricing: $150,000-$250,000

Cyber Liability Insurance

Cyber liability insurance provides important protections for businesses in the line-haul railroads industry. As shown in the reference, line-haul railroads rely heavily on technology and store large amounts of customer data, making them vulnerable to cyber risks that could have devastating financial and reputational impacts without the right insurance coverage. The reference outlines the top benefits, use cases, and estimated pricing for cyber liability insurance for this industry. Benefits include coverage for costs associated with data breaches, network security failures, ransomware attacks, business interruption, and more. Common use cases involve data breaches, operational technology issues, ransomware, and reputational damage from cyber incidents. On average, the estimated annual premium is around $75,000 based on risk factors for this industry.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers costs of notifying customers about a data breach
  • Covers legal defense costs if sued over a data breach
  • Covers costs of credit monitoring services for customers after a breach
  • Covers costs of forensic investigations and services after a breach
  • Covers costs of a public relations/marketing campaign to repair brand damage from a breach
  • Covers lost business income and extra expenses to operate if networks are compromised in a breach
Use Cases
  • Data breaches involving customer or employee personal information
  • Network security failures leading to operational technology issues
  • Ransomware attacks encrypting critical systems and demanding ransom
  • Losses from business interruption due to a cyber attack
  • Liability claims from third parties affected by a cyber incident
  • Reputational damage to the company brand following a major cyber event

Based on average pricing data for the line-haul railroads industry (NAICS 482111), the estimated average annual premium for cyber liability insurance would be around $75,000. This pricing is derived from considering factors such as the industry’s risk profile for data loss and security breaches, average revenue size of companies, litigation trends, and policy limits/deductibles commonly offered in the market.

Estimated Pricing: $75,000

Conclusion

Purchasing the right mix of insurance coverage tailored to line-haul railroad risks can help shield a company’s assets, cashflow and reputation from lawsuits, accidents, natural disasters and other unplanned events that could financially compromise operations. Understanding the uses and estimated pricing of these core business insurance policies can assist in developing an effective risk management strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

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