In trucking, most claims don’t start big, they get big because no one moves fast.

One of the most powerful things you can do as a fleet is settle small crashes quickly. Not by hiding them, but by handling them like a professional risk manager.

We worked with a fleet that had 8 low-impact crashes in one quarter. Each incident was under $5,000 in damage, but they acted fast:

• Pulled dash cam footage same day

• Called the other party to confirm no injuries

• Offered car rentals or direct repair payment

• Got signed release forms on every claim

Total out-of-pocket? $27K. What it would have cost with insurance? Mostly likely over $250K (plus a premium hike at renewal)

Here’s how you do it right:

1. Set a policy: claims under $5-25K get reviewed for fast settlement (depending on size of fleet).

2. Build a checklist: camera review, driver statement, contact info.

3. Assign a point person to manage the process.

4. Keep signed releases on file.

Fast settlements keep your loss runs clean. Clean loss runs = lower insurance quotes.

Pro tip: Don’t wait for your insurer to step in. By the time they do, the lawyer might already be involved.