Non-Trucking Liability (NTL)

Definition

Non-Trucking Liability (NTL) is the optional coverage that pays for liability and physical damage when an owner-operator is using the truck for personal purposes - driving home from a terminal, running errands during off-duty time, or hauling a non-revenue load. It fills the gap left by the motor carrier's primary BIPD policy, which only responds while the truck is in dispatched service for the carrier. Most leased owner-operators are required by their motor-carrier lease agreement to carry NTL; the typical limit matches the carrier's BIPD ceiling. NTL is also called bobtail or deadhead insurance, although purists distinguish bobtail (no trailer) from deadhead (empty trailer) - NTL covers both situations.