Avoid UIIA Violations: Let Your TMS Handle Insurance Requirements

For trucking companies operating in intermodal freight, staying compliant with the UIIA (Uniform Intermodal Interchange and Facilities Access Agreement) is more than a checkboxits a requirement to keep freight moving and operations running smoothly. A single misstep, especially related to insurance, can result in terminal access denial, revenue loss, and frustrated customers.

Fortunately, modern Transportation Management Systems (TMS) offer smart, automated tools to manage UIIA insurance compliance, reduce human error, and help you avoid costly violations. Heres how your TMS can take the guessworkand riskout of UIIA insurance requirements.

Understanding UIIA Insurance Compliance

The UIIA, administered by the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA), requires motor carriers to carry specific types and amounts of uiia customer service insurance before they are allowed to interchange equipment with railroads, steamship lines, and other intermodal equipment providers.

Typical insurance requirements include:

• Automobile Liability At least $1 million per occurrence

• General Liability Insurance

• Trailer Interchange Insurance To cover non-owned equipment

• Workers Compensation As required by state law

• Additional endorsements As required by individual equipment providers

These policies must be kept current and submitted by an authorized insurance agent directly to IANA.

The Risk of Manual Insurance Management

For many small and mid-sized carriers, insurance tracking is handled through email threads, spreadsheets, or calendar reminders. This manual process is prone to:

• Missed renewal deadlines

• Incorrect policy limits

• Incomplete submissions

• Lapsed coverage without warning

All of these issues can result in UIIA violations, meaning immediate suspension from the IANA database. If your carrier account is suspended, your drivers may be turned away at terminalsand every hour of downtime costs money and reputation.

How a TMS Can Help

A Transportation Management System designed with UIIA compliance in mind gives you automation, visibility, and peace of mind. Heres how:

1. Centralized Insurance Dashboard

Your TMS acts as a digital control center for all insurance-related data. Each policyauto, general, trailer interchange, workers compis stored and linked to your fleet assets, drivers, and carrier profiles.

2. Automated Expiry Alerts

The TMS automatically tracks the expiration dates of each policy and sends proactive alerts to your team or your insurance agent. This helps ensure renewals are handled well before any lapses occur.

3. Equipment Provider Compliance Checks

Each intermodal equipment provider may have unique insurance requirements. Smart TMS systems compare your current coverage against provider-specific standards, flagging any discrepancies before they become a problem.

4. Real-Time Compliance Visibility

Your team can instantly see which trucks, drivers, or terminals are UIIA-compliant and which are not. If a truck is flagged as non-compliant, the TMS can prevent dispatch until the issue is resolved.

5. Streamlined Insurance Submissions

Some advanced TMS platforms integrate with third-party compliance services or directly support coordination with your insurance agentstreamlining the document submission process to IANA.

Real Benefits of TMS-Based UIIA Insurance Management

Automating UIIA insurance tracking doesnt just protect you from violationsit improves your entire operation:

• Avoid last-minute surprises at terminals

• Stay ahead of renewals and updates

• Reduce administrative workload

• Ensure driver and asset compliance before dispatch

• Strengthen relationships with shippers and partners

Conclusion

UIIA compliance, especially when it comes to insurance, is too important to leave to manual processes. One missed policy update can bring your operations to a standstill. Thats why smart carriers are turning to TMS solutions to automate insurance tracking, flag compliance risks, and keep freight moving without delays.

Let your TMS handle the heavy liftingso you can focus on delivering freight, not fighting paperwork. Avoid UIIA violations the smart way: automate your compliance process today