Loss Run Report

Key Takeaways

• A loss run shows claims history — frequency, severity, and types of losses — and is reviewed by insurers when setting rates or evaluating coverage.
• Request your loss run from your current insurer before seeking competitive quotes. Most insurers provide it within 10 business days.
• Patterns in your loss run — frequent cargo claims, recurring physical damage — tell a story that insurers will read. Understanding it before they do is useful.

Plain-English meaning

A loss run is a record of insurance claims history for a specific insured, typically covering 3 to 5 years. It shows the date, type, and amount of each claim, along with reserve amounts for open claims. Insurers and brokers use loss runs to assess risk when writing or renewing coverage.

Commercial trucking carriers are typically asked to provide loss runs when applying for new coverage or when a broker markets their account to new insurers.

In fleet operations

Reviewing your own loss run periodically gives you a clear picture of your claims history — which incident types are most frequent, what the total paid and reserved amounts are, and whether open claims have aged.

A loss run showing a pattern of cargo claims, liability claims, or frequent small physical damage events tells a story that insurers will interpret. Understanding what that story says — and whether it's accurate — is part of managing commercial insurance effectively.

Reading patterns in your own loss run

Frequency matters as much as severity. Multiple small physical damage claims in a short period can affect rates more than a single larger event — claims frequency is a separate factor from total dollars paid.

Open claims with aging reserves deserve attention. A claim that has been open for more than a year with no movement may indicate a delayed settlement. Your broker can help you understand what each open claim's current status means for your upcoming renewal.

Check for accuracy. Loss runs occasionally include claims that were closed with no payment, duplicate entries, or claims that belong to a prior carrier. Errors are worth correcting before your broker markets the account.