Trucking Loss Runs: Why You Need Currently Valued Loss Runs Every Year, Even With No Claims
You had a clean year. No accidents, no cargo claims, nothing. So when your renewal or new quote comes around, you send over last year’s loss runs that say “no losses,” and we come right back asking for new ones. If that’s frustrating, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common questions we get about trucking insurance.
Here’s the short version: a loss run only shows your claims history up to the day it was printed. Underwriters need trucking loss runs that are currently valued, usually run within about 60 days of your effective date, so they can see what has happened on your policy since then. Below we’ll cover what loss runs are, why underwriters lean on them, how many years you’ll need, how to get them, and what your agent can and can’t do with them.
Key Takeaways
- ✓A loss run is the claims history report for your policy. It’s produced by the insurance company, not by your agent.
- ✓Underwriters usually want loss runs valued within about 60 days of your new policy’s effective date. Last year’s clean report doesn’t show anything that happened after it was run.
- ✓Yes, you need an updated report even for a policy that already ended. Claims can be reported after a policy expires, and closed claims can reopen.
- ✓Most markets ask for 3 years of history if you’ve been in business that long, and 5 years for fleets.
- ✓MIG can request loss runs for you with a quick e-signed authorization, but some insurance companies will only release them to the named insured or the original agent of record.
- ✓Your agent can’t remove a claim or change it from open to closed. That’s up to the insurance company’s claims adjuster.
- ✓Report every loss to your insurance company right away, no matter how small. Late-reported claims can cause problems down the road.
What Is a Loss Run in Trucking Insurance?
A loss run (sometimes called a loss history report or claims history report) is a document from your insurance company that lists every claim filed under your policy over a set period. Think of it as a report card for your insurance history. Each insurance company you’ve had coverage with keeps its own record, so if you’ve switched companies, you’ll have a separate loss run from each one.
A typical trucking loss run includes:
| What’s on it | What it tells an underwriter |
|---|---|
| Named insured & policy number | Whose history this is and which policy it covers |
| Policy term & coverage lines | The dates and coverages (Auto Liability, Physical Damage, Cargo, etc.) on the report |
| Date of loss & description | When each claim happened and what type of loss it was |
| Paid amounts & reserves | What has been paid so far, plus what the insurance company expects it may still pay |
| Claim status | Whether each claim is open or closed |
| Valuation date (run date) | The date the report was printed. Everything on it is accurate only as of that day. |
That last line is the one that matters most for this post.
Why Underwriters Use Loss Runs to Quote Your Trucking Insurance
When an underwriter reviews your submission, loss runs are one of the best tools they have to understand your risk. Your application tells them what you haul, where you run, and who’s driving. Your loss runs show how that operation has actually performed. Underwriters use them to:
- Price your policy. Claim frequency and severity are major factors in your premium.
- Decide whether to offer a quote at all. Some markets have limits on the number or size of prior claims they’ll accept.
- Spot trends. Several small claims can say as much as one big one.
- Check open claims. An open claim with a large reserve is still a live risk.
- Confirm prior coverage. Loss runs help show that you’ve had continuous coverage.
A clean loss run works in your favor. That’s exactly why underwriters want to see a current one: they want to give you credit for a clean record, and they need proof that it’s still clean.
Why “Clean” Loss Runs Still Need to Be Currently Valued
A loss run is a snapshot. If your report was run last November and your policy renews this November, that report doesn’t show anything from the last 12 months. As far as an underwriter is concerned, that’s a full year of driving they can’t see.
- Shows “no claims” as of the day it ran
- Doesn’t show the past year of driving
- Won’t show late-reported claims
- Usually not accepted by underwriters
- Covers your most recent policy term
- Shows current paid amounts and reserves
- Reflects open/closed status today
- What most underwriters need to quote
A few reasons underwriters won’t accept an older report:
- Claims don’t always show up right away. Third-party claims can be reported to the insurance company weeks or months after the date of loss.
- Reserves change. A claim that looked small a year ago may have a much larger reserve today.
- Status changes. Claims open and close over time, and an underwriter needs to see where things stand now.
Good to know: “Currently valued” doesn’t mean something is wrong with your record. It just means the report needs a recent run date. Most underwriters want it within about 60 days of your effective date, and some markets may ask for an even more recent copy.
“That Policy Is Over. Why Do I Need a New Loss Run for It?”
This is the complaint we hear most, and it usually looks something like this:
| Policy term | What the client already has |
|---|---|
| 2023–24 · Insurance Company A | No losses. Loss run printed last fall. |
| 2024–25 · Insurance Company B | One claim, closed in June 2025. Loss run printed last fall, months after it closed. |
| 2025–26 · Current policy | Renewal or new quote coming up |
Both older policies have ended. One never had a claim, and the other claim was closed before the report was even printed. So what could possibly have changed? More than you’d think.
- 1
Claims can be reported on a policy after it ends
A claim belongs to the policy that was in force on the date of the accident, not the date someone reports it. A third party can come forward months or even years later. In many states, injury claims can be brought two years or more after an accident. If that happens, the claim shows up on the 2023–24 policy, even though that policy ended long ago and your old report still says “no losses.”
- 2
Closed claims can reopen
A closed claim isn’t always finished. New medical bills, an attorney getting involved or a lawsuit being filed can reopen it. Payments and reserves can change after it closes, too. The only way an underwriter can see that is on a newer report.
- 3
You may not know about a claim
Third parties often report claims straight to the insurance company. A claim can be sitting on an old policy without the insured ever hearing about it.
- 4
The run date is the underwriter’s proof
Underwriters need a currently valued report from each insurance company in their file. That’s a market requirement, not an agency preference. They can’t take anyone’s word that nothing changed, including ours. The new run date is what shows them.
The good news: if nothing has changed, your new report should look just like the old one. Many insurance companies can print one report covering every term you had with them, so you’re usually asking for one updated copy per company, not one per year.
Shopping your renewal?Send us your currently valued loss runs with your quote request to help keep things moving.
How Many Years of Loss Runs Do You Need?
The number of years depends on your operation and the market, but here’s what we see most often:
| Your operation | Loss runs usually needed |
|---|---|
| In business 3+ years | 3 years of currently valued loss runs |
| Fleets | 5 years of currently valued loss runs |
| In business less than 3 years | Loss runs for every term you’ve been insured |
| Brand-new authority | No loss runs yet. Underwriters look at experience, MVRs and other details instead. |
You’ll need a loss run from every insurance company that covered you during that window. If you changed companies mid-term or had different companies for liability and physical damage, each one has its own report. Some underwriters may ask for more or fewer years based on your operation. Just starting out? Check out our New Authority Guide.
How to Get Currently Valued Loss Runs
You have two options. You can request loss runs directly from each insurance company yourself, or you can let us request them for you.
- 1
E-sign a loss run authorization
Our team can send a short form you sign electronically. It gives us permission to request your loss history on your behalf.
- 2
We contact the insurance company
We send your signed authorization to each insurance company and ask for an updated copy. (Some underwriters call this a new “run date.”)
- 3
The insurance company processes it
Turnaround depends on the company. Some respond the same day, and some take several business days.
- 4
Your loss runs go to the underwriter
Once we have them, they go into your submission so underwriters can review them.
Sometimes you’ll have to make the request yourself. Some insurance companies will only release loss runs to the named insured or to the original agent of record who wrote the policy, even with a signed authorization. We know that can be aggravating, but it’s the insurance company’s process, and there isn’t a way around it. If that happens, call the insurance company directly or check their customer portal. Many have a loss run request option.
Tip: Don’t wait until the last week. Requesting loss runs about 60 days before your renewal keeps them current and gives you time to collect a report from every company without holding up your quote.
Why Your Agent Can’t Instantly Produce or Change Your Loss Runs
This comes up a lot with current and former clients, so we want to be clear: MIG doesn’t generate loss runs. We’re an insurance agency, not the insurance company. Loss runs come from the insurance company’s claims system. When you ask us for a copy, we request it the same way you would and wait for the insurance company to send it back. That can take several days.
For the same reason, an agent can’t edit what’s on the report. That means we can’t:
- Remove a claim from your loss run, even if you disagree with it
- Change a claim’s status from open to closed
- Change paid amounts, reserves, or fault details
Who can help: your claims adjuster. The adjuster assigned to your claim at the insurance company is the person who can update payment information and claim status. If a claim should be closed, or you think something on your loss run is wrong, the named insured should reach out to the adjuster directly. Once it’s updated, ask for a fresh loss run so the change shows up.
Report Every Claim, No Matter How Small
All losses should be reported directly to your insurance company right away, regardless of severity. A minor fender bender or a small cargo shortage might not seem worth calling in, but delayed reporting can cause problems for you down the road. A claim that’s reported months later can:
- Make it harder for the insurance company to investigate and defend you
- Lead to coverage issues, depending on your policy’s reporting requirements
- Show up on your loss runs in the middle of a quote or renewal, after the underwriter has already reviewed a “clean” report
Reporting a claim to your agent isn’t the same as reporting it to your insurance company. Always report it to your insurance company first. Then let us know through our claims reporting page so our team is in the loop. Not sure what your policy requires? Our guide on how to read your trucking insurance policy walks through it.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Trucking Loss Runs
What does “currently valued” mean on a loss run?
A currently valued loss run is one that was run recently, usually within about 60 days of your new policy’s effective date. The valuation date (or run date) shows when the report was printed, and the claims information is only accurate as of that date.
Why do I need new loss runs if I haven’t had any claims?
A loss run only shows claims through the day it was printed. Underwriters need a recent report to confirm nothing has been filed or reported since then, including claims that were reported late.
How many years of loss runs do I need for trucking insurance?
Most underwriters ask for 3 years of currently valued loss runs if you’ve been in business that long, and 5 years for fleets. If you’ve been in business less than 3 years, you’ll usually need loss runs for every term you’ve been insured. You’ll need a report from each insurance company that covered you during that time.
Can my insurance agent remove a claim or close it on my loss run?
No. Loss runs are produced by the insurance company, and an agent can’t change them. To update a claim’s status or payment details, the named insured should contact the claims adjuster assigned to that claim at the insurance company.
Why do I need a new loss run for a policy that already expired?
Claims are tied to the date of the accident, not the date they’re reported, so a claim can still be reported on a policy after it ends. Closed claims can also reopen, and payments or reserves can change. A currently valued report is the only way an underwriter can confirm nothing has changed on an older policy.
Why are loss runs taking so long to get?
Loss runs come from the insurance company, so turnaround depends on that company. Some send them the same day, and others take several business days. Some only release loss runs to the named insured or the original agent of record, so you may need to request them directly.
Ready to Shop Your Renewal?
Get your currently valued loss runs together and let a trucking specialist take a look.
Get a Free QuoteQuestions? Call (833) RING-MIG. We’re available Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. ET, during normal business hours and happy to help.
This article is for general information only and isn’t legal advice or a guarantee of coverage. Loss run requirements, timeframes and release policies vary by insurance company and underwriter. Coverage, claims decisions and loss run contents are determined by the insurance company. Marquee Insurance Group is an independent insurance agency.
