Prices of propane gas trucks could go up as their builders face a hard time getting insurance.

A report in the Toledo (Ohio) Blade found that in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, companies that build or repair propane trucks are being told their policies won’t be renewed or that they will cost a lot more.
Analysts say insurers are having a hard time finding reinsurers – the companies that insure insurance firms. Eagle Fabrication in Oak Harbor, Ohio, which builds propane delivery straight trucks, told the paper that although it has had no claims, its insurer will not renew its policy.
The same insurance company, Ranger Insurance, which specializes in coverage for the propane industry, has told BT&T Inc. in Hanover, Ind., that it will see a 25-percent hike in premiums.
Brad Kading, spokesman for the Reinsurance Assn. of America, told the paper, “Propane has always been viewed as a high risk without terrorism, and now with terrorism it’s an even higher risk.” More risk equals higher premiums.