What Is A MCS 90 Filing?
While the majority of people will have never heard of the MCS 90 Endorsement, those who work in the commercial trucking industry or who have been injured by a commercial truck from a road accident or other will have certainly heard of the MCS 90 Endorsement.
Why? Well, the MCS 90 can often make the difference between whether or not someone receives compensation for their injuries in the event that they are involved in a trucking accident.
The only problem? The MCS 90 is one of the most confusing filings to make, and this can lead to many people being unsure of how to go about even getting one, let alone using it.
With all that being said, whether you’re a truck owner and you’re currently confused about what the MCS 90 endorsement is, or you’ve been in a truck accident and want to learn more about the compensation benefits, rest assured that we are here to lend a helping hand.
In this article, we are going to be explaining what t, what it consists of, as well as why it’s so important for a motor carrier. Let’s begin!
What Is The MCS 90?
In order to be able to effectively explain what the MCS 90 form is and what it will equip you with, it is first important that we explain why the MSC 90 became a necessary piece of documentation for motor carriers.
The demand for the MSC-90 mainly comes from the Federal Motor Carrier Act of 1980.
In this act, it was outlined that in order for a motor carrier to participate in hire or interstate commerce, they would need to show adequate proof (documentation) that they have the financial means that is equal to or greater than the minimum cost set by each state across the United States.
With that being said, it is essentially a kind of endorsement into a truck/commercial vehicle insurance that is pretty much legally required for all trucks and motor carriers working in interstate commerce to have.
If you’re not overly sure of what an endorsement means, it simply refers to an additional fee on top of whatever the insurance policy is.
As for a motor carrier? This term essentially refers to a company that transports passengers via a motor carrier for a fee.
Last but not least, interstate commerce basically means the crossing between state lines for business purposes, which is something that commonly occurs when carrying passengers to and from one place to another throughout America.
Across the USA, it is a regulation by law that there is an MCS-90 endorsement taken out for all commercial carriers and motor vehicles, as well as any private carriers, too.
In addition to this, if there are any mistakes to an MCS-90 or if it has expired, then the motor carrier/company in question will be at risk of having to pay a hefty fine by the Department of Transportation.
What Does The MCS-90 Do?
So, now that you have a better understanding of what the MCS 90 is, you might now be asking yourself what it does, exactly.
Despite what many people think, the MCS-90, despite being situated within public liability, does not actually offer any additional coverage/benefits to an insurance policy that is already in place.
On the contrary, the MCS-90 actually serves as a guarantee to the members of the public, and is simply deemed as an “amendment” on top of a standard insurance policy.
Essentially, the MCS-90 will ensure that if a member of the public gets injured involving a motor carrier or commercial truck, as long as the person in question was not driving, they will be entitled to receive a certain amount of compensation (typically the minimum amount of money to cover the cost of paying for the injuries) even if the insurance policy that the truck/motor carrier has does not cover this.
The main reason that an insurance company goes along with the Endorsement is because, besides being a regulation, the MSC-90 actually gets paid by its trucking company, so they aren’t forking out any additional fees.
In addition to this, it should also be noted that the MSC-90 often features a claim that actually allows insurance companies to get a reimbursement in the event that they need to pay a member of the public due to an accident.
Trucking Accident? Here’s What You Should Do
So, in the event that you happen to be in a trucking accident, it’s imperative that you make sure that you are able to get the compensation that you need.
For this reason, the first thing that you should do (after you have called 911, of course) is to make sure that you are seeking out the assistance of a trucking attorney that specializes in MSC-90 Endorsements.
By doing this, you will help to ensure that you will be able to receive at least the very minimum fee required to pay for treatment across any of the injuries that you might have received due to being involved in the accident.
Along with seeking the help of a trucking attorney, keep in mind that it is also very important that you make sure to reach out to your insurance company.
It is very important that you make sure to do this, as without alerting your insurance company, the MSC-90 might not be valid.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have taken the time to read through the guide above, we are hoping that we have helped you to better understand what an MCS 90 Endorsement is, why it’s so important for commercial trucks and motor carriers, as well as how it can be beneficial to members of the public who have been injured by one in an accident that was not their fault.
Thank you for reading!