Six More States Act To Prohibit Indemnification Contracts

Florida and Louisiana are among six states this year to pass anti-indemnification laws that prohibit contractors from shifting insurance liabilities onto truckers.

Louisiana’s new law takes effect Aug. 15 to protect truckers from having to choose between a hauling job and accepting liability should an accident occur on a shipper or receiver’s property. The law was signed in June by Gov. Bobby Jindal (R).

In Florida, the state’s new anti-indemnification law took effect July 1 after being signed by Gov. Charlie Crist (R) in June.

In all, 23 states have adopted anti-indemnification laws. In addition to Florida and Louisiana, the six passing such laws this year include Alaska, Washington, Connecticut and Iowa, said Robert Pitcher, vice president for state laws in the law department of American Trucking Associations.