FAQ for motor carriers

Questions frequently asked by motor carriers about Central Analysis Bureau:

Who is Central Analysis Bureau:

We are a company that provides financial analysis and other services to insurance companies who write insurance for motor carriers. We have been in business for over 50 years. Motor carrier insurance is a very specialized industry and insurance companies have come to rely on us for our expertise in financial analysis specifically designed for the financial structure of motor carriers and the needs of the insurance industry. We are also experts in regulatory requirements, safety issues and policy language and advise insurance companies in these areas as well.

Who are Central Analysis Bureau's clients:

Our clients are insurance companies that write policies for motor carriers and that make filings with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and with state authorities. We also deal with Managing General Agents that are authorized by insurance companies to issue policies in their name (referred to as having the “pen”). The vast majority of insurance companies that issue policies to for-hire motor carriers use our financial analysis service. Certain other brokers and agents have very limited access to our information. No one outside of the insurance industry has any access to our financial analysis services or any of the information in our files.

What is Central Analysis Bureau's privacy policy:

Only the type of companies listed in the “Who are your clients” section have access to any of the information provided to us by you. The information is mainly used by Central Analysis Bureau to perform a financial analysis of your company and provide a rating to our clients. Certain information from the Motor Carrier Insurance Information form is available to our clients. None of this information is sold or otherwise provided to anyone outside the insurance industry.

Information that comes from public record government databases, such as information from the form MCS-150 that you have completed may be provided to a wider list of companies but we are not in the business of selling any of this information for marketing purposes. This information is used primarily to provide clients with safety and insurance filing snapshots of motor carriers.

Can I get a copy of the rating Central Analysis Bureau provides to an insurance company:

Our rating is provided solely to an insurance company and not as a matter of course to the motor carrier. However, if you have concerns regarding your rating we are always available to discuss it with an authorized representative of your company and explain our reasoning. You are also always invited to submit updated or additional information to address any concerns we may have.

What is the best way to present our financial information:

Since our rating is in large part based on comparisons to criteria we set that we designed specifically for the motor carrier industry it is best if you provide us with accrual based financial statements with fixed assets valued at cost less accumulated depreciation. We will use financial statements prepared on a cash basis and those that are prepared using accelerated depreciation. It is best if you note the method depreciation used so that we can adjust our criteria if accelerated depreciation is used. We cannot use financial statements that include appraised value or projections.

Since insurance companies make filings that only list the name of the regulated motor carrier and since they take on contingent liabilities under those filings we need financial information that includes only the accounts of the regulated motor carrier. You are invited to submit information on affiliates, subsidiaries and parent companies and we will review them but our rating is primarily based upon the accounts of the regulated motor carrier.

My agent never heard of Central Analysis Bureau:

We deal only with insurance companies and at the insurance companies we deal primarily with the underwriters who make the ultimate decision whether or not to provide a quote on insurance. Therefore your local representative may not be familiar with us. If they have any concerns we will be happy to discuss them and we invite them to contact us.

Why should I provide Central Analysis Bureau with this information:

Underwriters at client insurance companies check with us when preparing a new or renewal quote and the absence of up-to-date information may delay the quote process or result in the underwriter declining to provide a quote at all.