Injury protection built for owner-operators and independent contractors who aren't covered by a traditional workers' compensation policy.
Workers' compensation is built around an employer-employee relationship. As an independent owner-operator or a 1099 contractor leased to a carrier, you generally aren't eligible for that carrier's workers' comp policy if you're injured on the job — there's no employment relationship for the policy to attach to.
Occupational accident insurance (often called OCC/ACC coverage) is designed to fill that specific gap: it pays benefits for injuries sustained while working, structured similarly to workers' comp but built for the independent-contractor relationship common in trucking.
Benefit structures vary by carrier — some pay a scheduled lump sum for specific injuries, others pay weekly disability benefits, and many plans combine both. We'll walk through the actual benefit schedule before you buy, not just the headline limit.
Leased owner-operators, independent contractors hauling under someone else's authority, and small fleet owners who classify their drivers as 1099 contractors are the core audience for occupational accident coverage. Many carriers and lease agreements require proof of OCC/ACC before they'll activate a lease, precisely because those drivers have no workers' comp safety net otherwise.
Occupational accident coverage is a private insurance product and is not a substitute for statutory workers' compensation where an employment relationship exists.
No. It's a private insurance product designed to provide similar protection for independent contractors who don't qualify for workers' comp because they aren't classified as employees.
Usually no — as a W-2 employee, you should be covered under your employer's workers' compensation policy instead. OCC/ACC is specifically for 1099 independent contractors.
Without OCC/ACC or workers' comp, you'd be responsible for your own medical costs and lost income following an on-the-job injury, unless you pursue a separate liability claim against a negligent third party.
Call or text 480.789.1844 to review OCC/ACC benefit options for your operation.