According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, being a truck driver is a dangerous and taxing profession, with a high chance of vehicular accidents, sleep deprivation, emotional strain, and lack of social connection. You are always on the road, going from place to place, and have a near-guaranteed possibility to work on weekends and holidays. This doesn’t include the competitive nature of the profession if you are an independent truck driver, with companies eager to squeeze what little benefit they can from your hard work, establishing constraints that can leave you in unhealthy situations.
As an independent truck driver, the burden is on you to secure your health and wellness through truck driver health insurance. It is a daunting task, however, to find the right insurance as it requires knowledge of where you are going to drive, how you will operate, and what conditions you will face while driving.
Why Do You Need Truck Driver Health Insurance?
Truck driving is dangerous. While you try to be the best driver you can possibly be, obeying traffic laws and following state guidelines as you cross state borders, accidents do happen. Hazardous weather can ruin roads, creating potholes and cracks on the interstate, damaging your vehicle, and putting you at risk. If you drive where it snows, there is a chance of skidding and slipping. Many states try to keep their roads safe, but sometimes places are missed or not attended to promptly.
This doesn’t include unforeseen health complications that come with such immobile mobility. While you are driving your truck, illnesses that spring up from a lack of movement and a “road diet” (fast food, quick eats, etc.) can lead to:
Gout
Gout is arthritis formed by the excess of uric acid in the body. You create uric acid when your body breaks down purines found in high-fructose foods. As a truck driver, you cannot always be guaranteed a healthy meal, and given the nail-biting time constraints and stress you’re well familiar with, a quick fast-food bite is almost certainly going to be your choice of dinner as you gas up and continue your journey.
Hypertension
According to NIOSH and the CDC, high blood pressure was found in 26% of truck drivers. 24% of the United States workforce suffers from high blood pressure. It is a widespread condition and can only be diagnosed and monitored by taking the initiative–which can be difficult and makes having health insurance for an independent truck driver.
Low Physical Activity
While not necessarily a medical condition, truck drivers suffer from what we call “mobile immobility.” What this means is that while the truck driver is traveling great distances, the body itself is receiving little to no stimulation. For twelve hours of the day, for instance, only an hour is spent stretching, walking around, and moving the body. The other eleven hours are spent stationary, both hands on the wheel, body stiff, and focused on the road’s hazards.
As an independent truck driver, your well-being is your responsibility, and every year medical costs rise. Without truck driver health insurance, these costs could come out of your pocket. You shouldn’t let your health, safety, and financial security be compromised by things outside of your control, so devoting resources to some truck driver health insurance seems like a no-brainer.
But where do you begin? There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different insurance plans for independent truck drivers, with truck driver health insurance costs fluctuating based on cargo, state, driving conditions, and too many other factors to properly convey the importance of such a weight decision. That is why our experts at Your Plan Insurance take the complication of finding the right insurance out of your hands and replace it with security, peace of mind, and extensive truck driver health insurance coverage.
Our Plan, Your Plan
At Your Plan Insurance, we proudly serve the following companies:
- Ambetter
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Christus Health
- Community Health Choice
- First Care
- Molina
- Vantage Health Plan
- Oscar
- And more!
Truck driver health insurance costs don’t need to be foreign or esoteric when working with Your Plan Insurance. Whatever your budget, need, or concern, our agents are ready to answer any truck driver health insurance coverage questions.
Ensuring the Best Insurance
Finding the right plan for your needs can be difficult with how interconnected the market is. Do you need individual insurance? Family insurance? At Your Plan Insurance, we do the utmost research on your behalf to bring you the best possible options for your health and well-being.
So what are a few names you should know?
Medicaid or CHIP
Depending on how much you make, which is difficult to calculate as an independent trucker, you could qualify for insurance through Medicaid or CHIP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program. This is government-sponsored insurance and is an option if you meet the financial requirements to qualify.
Individual and Family Plans
Through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), individuals and families looking for health insurance for independent truck drivers can find plans through the government or brokers such as Your Plan Insurance. These plans have enrollment dates that vary from state to state but provide guaranteed coverage for your claims.
Remember that depending on where you drive, your truck driver health insurance may need guarantees that different states will honor the same claims as your home state (for example, insurance bought in Texas will function up until Georgia or vice-versa).
MedSharing
Think of this as “communal insurance.” Instead of paying directly to the insurer, you pay into an escrow account at a cost directly correlated with your age bracket. This means that your truck driver health insurance coverage premiums are usually lower than other plans. Still, your coverage is determined by the amount of money in the escrow account–which fluctuates based on MedSharing contributions.
Whatever truck driver health insurance coverage you choose, the experts at Your Plan Insurance will be on call to assist you!