What does 49 CFR 387.29 (Definitions) require?

Short answer

49 CFR 387.29 defines terms used in the subpart, including "Accident", "Bodily injury", "Financial responsibility", and "Public liability".

1. Accident means continuous or repeated exposure to the same conditions resulting in public liability.

2. Bodily injury means injury to the body, sickness, or disease including death resulting from any of these.

3. Financial responsibility means the financial reserves sufficient to satisfy liability amounts set forth in this subpart covering public liability.

4. Public liability means liability for bodily injury or property damage.

The rule says

"Accident means includes continuous or repeated exposure to the same conditions resulting in public liability which the insured neither expected nor intended." (49 CFR 387.29)

"Bodily injury means injury to the body, sickness, or disease including death resulting from any of these." (49 CFR 387.29)

"Financial responsibility means the financial reserves (e.g., insurance policies or surety bonds) sufficient to satisfy liability amounts set forth in this subpart covering public liability." (49 CFR 387.29)

"Public liability means liability for bodily injury or property damage." (49 CFR 387.29)

In plain English

These definitions are crucial for motor carriers to understand their financial responsibility requirements. The terms defined in 49 CFR 387.29 help motor carriers determine the minimum levels of financial responsibility they must obtain to operate. For instance, "public liability" includes liability for bodily injury or property damage, which means motor carriers must have sufficient financial reserves to cover these types of claims.

What to do

• Review the definitions in 49 CFR 387.29 to understand the terms used in the subpart.
• Determine the minimum levels of financial responsibility required based on the definitions.
• Obtain the necessary insurance policies or surety bonds to satisfy the financial responsibility requirements.
• Ensure that the insurance policies or surety bonds remain in effect continuously until terminated.