Commercial Truck Insurance

What is commercial truck insurance?

Commercial truck insurance is coverage for trucks used in business — semi-trucks, box trucks, dump trucks, tow trucks, and the trailers behind them. A policy generally starts with commercial auto liability for injuries and property damage you're responsible for, then adds coverage for your own equipment and cargo insurance for the freight you haul.
 

A personal auto policy usually won't respond when a truck is working. Commercial vehicle insurance is built for business use, and truck coverage is the version of it built for the transportation industry specifically — where filings, cargo, and contract requirements from brokers and shippers all come into play.
 

Trucking is what Milepost was built around. We've placed truck coverage from Omaha since 2017, and we work with the insurance companies to help make sure the federal and state filings that come with these policies are processed on time, typically within 24 hours once your policy is approved by underwriting.
 

Quick answer: what insurance coverages most trucking operations start with

These are the coverages that come up most often. Depending on how your trucking business runs, you may need others.

• Primary liability (auto liability): required for nearly every trucking company; helps pay for bodily injury and property damage you're legally responsible for
• Physical damage insurance: collision for accidents, comprehensive for theft, fire, vandalism, and weather
• Motor truck cargo insurance: helps cover cargo damage and loss — theft, fire, collision, and refrigeration breakdown
• Non-trucking liability: helps pay for bodily injury and property damage you're responsible for when you're driving the truck for personal use rather than under dispatch, if you lease on to a motor carrier. It does not repair your own truck
• Trailer interchange insurance: covers damage to trailers you pull but don't own, under a written interchange agreement
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist: generally helps protect you when the at-fault driver has no insurance, or not enough to cover the injuries
• Medical payments: generally helps with medical bills for you and anyone riding with you, regardless of fault. Availability varies by state, and some states use personal injury protection (PIP) instead'
• A certificate of insurance (COI): not a coverage, but the proof of insurance that brokers, shippers, and others commonly ask for before a load is tendered. The insurance companies we represent let you generate one online, 24/7

Link: See all coverages we offer →
 

Who we insure: Trucking operations of all sizes

Trucking operations vary widely from company to company. Our non-commissioned agents place customized coverage for owner-operators, motor carriers and small fleets, and private fleets, among others, and the coverage conversation is different for each.
 

Owner-Operators

Whether you're an owner-operator running under your own authority or leased on to a motor carrier, the coverage you need is different in each case. Under your own authority, you generally carry primary commercial auto liability, cargo coverage, and coverage on the truck itself, and you’ll likely need a federal filing on record if you are crossing states lines.
 

For owner-operators who are leased on, the motor carrier's policy usually covers you while you're under dispatch, and non-trucking liability is what responds when you aren't under dispatch. Our non-commissioned agents will confirm which of the two arrangements you're operating under, and what coverage that calls for.
 

Motor Carriers and Small Fleets

For-hire trucking companies need coverage across the fleet, the freight, and the drivers, plus filings that keep every truck legal in every state you run.
 

Motor carriers and small fleets often start with a single vehicle and driver, and grow over time into more trucks and drivers. We update your coverage as you add trucks and drivers, and we work with the insurance companies to help make sure the required filings are updated, typically within 24 hours once your policy is approved by underwriting.
 

Private Fleets

Retailers, manufacturers, and wholesalers hauling their own goods are commonly referred to as private carriers, and the coverage they need for cargo and drivers differs from a for-hire operation in many cases.

Because they haul their own goods, private fleets often have no cargo liability to a shipper. If a private fleet owns the trucks, they may also need workers compensation coverage for their drivers, depending on state law. Our non-commissioned agents will explain where a private fleet's coverage generally differs from a for-hire operation's.
 

New Ventures

New authorities generally face stricter underwriting and higher premiums in year one. Finding coverage for a new venture can be challenging, so we created a new authority guide that offers helpful pointers on how to make the insurance application process go smoothly.
 

Businesses that need truck insurance

If your business moves goods, equipment, or materials, you'll generally need commercial truck insurance. Operations we place coverage for include these, among others:

• Long-haul freight and logistics companies
• Local delivery services
• Car carriers and auto transporters
• Hotshot truckers and expediters
• Log haulers and logging operations
• Construction and landscaping businesses
• Retailers and wholesalers with delivery fleets
• Food and beverage distributors
• Towing, recovery, and roadside assistance services
• Agricultural, livestock, and farming operations
• Oversized load or irregular cargo haulers

If you haul specialized or unusual goods — such as an odd commodity, an oversize load, a specialty rig — that's worth a phone call rather than an online form. Milepost has placed coverage for operations like these since 2017. Call 1-844-380-6009 during business hours.
 

Types of trucks we cover

We place coverage on a wide range of commercial trucks. These are the ones we see most, though the list isn't exhaustive:

• Semi-trucks and tractor-trailers
• Box or straight trucks
• Dump trucks
• Tow trucks
• Flatbed trucks
• Refrigerated trucks (reefers)
• Pickup trucks and dually trucks
• Tank trucks
• Trailers, specialty rigs, and permanently attached equipment

If your rig isn't on this list, check out the link below or call our Omaha-based agents at 1-844-380-6009 during business hours to ask about your vehicle.
 

Link: See all vehicles we insure →
 

What coverages do trucks and tractor-trailers need?

Below is a list of coverages that come up most often. Depending on your operation you may need coverages not listed here.

• Primary commercial auto liability insurance helps pay for bodily injury and property damage you're legally responsible for after an at-fault accident, along with related legal fees. Your filing is generally based on this coverage, and nearly every operation is required to carry it.
• Physical damage coverage helps repair or replace your own truck. Collision covers accidents; comprehensive covers things like theft, fire, vandalism, and weather. If a truck is financed or leased, your lender or lessor will generally require physical damage coverage and ask to be listed on the policy as loss payee.
• Motor truck cargo insurance helps cover the freight you're hauling. Brokers commonly require a minimum cargo limit, often $100,000, before they tender a load.
• Trailer interchange insurance covers physical damage to a trailer you're pulling but don't own, when you're operating under a written interchange agreement.
• Non-trucking liability insurance generally covers bodily injury and property damage you're responsible for when you're driving the truck for personal use rather than under dispatch. If you lease on, this is usually the piece the motor carrier's policy doesn't cover. It does not repair your own truck — that is what physical damage coverage does. You may hear it called bobtail insurance, though the two aren't identical.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage generally helps protect you when the at-fault driver has no insurance, or not enough to cover the injuries. This coverage can vary widely by state.
• Medical payments coverage generally helps with medical bills for you and anyone riding with you after an accident, regardless of fault. Availability and how it works alongside workers' compensation vary by state, and some states use personal injury protection (PIP) instead.
• General liability insurance covers certain business claims that don't arise from the ownership, maintenance, or use of the truck — an injury at a loading dock, for example, or at your yard or office.
• Workers' compensation covers medical costs and lost wages when an employee is hurt on the job. It's generally a separate policy rather than an add-on, and whether you need one depends on whether you have employees and what your state requires — your insurance agent can confirm which applies to you.

Milepost is a Berkshire Hathaway company, and the insurance companies we represent are rated A++ (Superior)*. We'll help you put together coverage that fits to how you run your trucks, and help you adjust your insurance if your operation changes. If you carry general liability or workers' compensation elsewhere, we can review those policies alongside your truck coverage.
 

If you are not sure which of these coverages your operation needs, call 1-844-380-6009 during business hours (Mon-Fri from 8a-5p central) and one of our agents in Omaha will go through the list with you.

Link: See all coverages we offer →
 

How much does commercial truck insurance cost?

There's no single price for truck coverage, because operations vary widely in how their trucks are used. We quote each business individually, so the only accurate figure is the one on your quote — online or by phone during business hours, usually in about 15 minutes.
 

What drives your commercial truck insurance cost?

Among the factors insurance companies weigh most:

• Truck type and value. A box truck, a dump truck, and a semi-truck each cost different amounts to repair and replace. Higher repair costs generally mean a higher premium on the equipment side.
• What you haul. General freight, refrigerated goods, cars, and hazardous materials are each priced differently. Hazmat and oversize loads are typically priced higher.
• Operating radius and routes. Local, regional, and long-haul work is rated differently, and where your trucks are garaged matters too.
• Driving history and claims history. Insurance companies generally pull motor vehicle records (MVRs) for every driver on the policy and review your loss runs. A clean driving history usually earns better rates.
• Coverage limits and deductibles. Higher liability limits generally cost more; a higher deductible usually lowers your annual premium while raising what you pay at claim time.
• Years in business and authority age. New ventures generally pay more in the first year, and rates often improve once you have clean operating history behind you.
• USDOT compliance and inspection scores. Safety and compliance issues on your DOT number can sometimes lead to a premium increase at renewal.

Because our agents aren't paid on commission, they'll walk through which of these factors you can influence to help you save money on your insurance.
 

How to lower your truck insurance cost

A few of these usually help, though how much they move your premium depends on your operation.

• Keep driver records clean. MVRs and loss history are among the things insurance companies watch most closely over time.
• Run an approved electronic logging device (ELD). The insurance companies we represent offer a premium discount for approved ELDs.
• Consider telematics or dash cams. On their own they do not earn the ELD discount, though clean driving data generally helps at renewal.
• List every truck and driver. An unlisted truck or driver is a common reason a claim is delayed or disputed.
• Ask about your payment options. Zero-interest payment plans are available on the policies we place.
• Right-size your coverage. Skip what your operation doesn't need — a workers' comp policy if you have no employees, for instance. At the same time, we usually suggest carrying at least $1 million in auto liability even when your state or your contracts require less, because one serious injury can climb past a lower limit.

If you're shopping for the first time or coming up on renewal, our insurance guide for small trucking businesses walks through the documents to have ready before you call.
 

What are the commercial truck insurance requirements?

Coverage requirements usually come from more than one place at once. The ones that apply to most operations:

• Federal rules. Interstate operations generally fall under Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requirements. For most non-hazardous freight carried in vehicles at 10,001 pounds GVWR or more, the minimum is $750,000 in liability. Certain hazardous materials run higher, up to $5 million, and passenger carriers have their own limit criteria and amounts. The federal property-carrier minimums are written around that 10,001-pound threshold, so if you run hotshot in a lighter truck it is worth confirming with your insurance agent what applies to you — your state, your broker, and your contracts generally still set requirements of their own.
• Your state. Intrastate operations answer to state minimum liability coverage, and the numbers vary widely by state.
• Your contracts. Brokers and shippers commonly require $1 million in commercial auto liability and $100,000 in cargo coverage before they'll work with you, which is often above the legal minimum.
• Your lender or lessor. A financed or leased truck generally requires physical damage coverage, with the lienholder listed on the policy.

We help customers understand these requirements across the 30 states we serve, so if you're not sure which requirements apply to you, call us during business hours and we’ll gladly help you out.
 

Insurance filings for trucking

A missing filing can stop your truck. Your federal and state insurance filings are made by the insurance company, typically within 24 hours once your policy is approved by underwriting, and we work with them to help make sure yours get processed on time. These come up most often:

• BMC-91 or BMC-91X for motor carriers registered with the FMCSA
• Form-E for intrastate trucking in states that require it
• Ohio OS-32 for oversize and overweight loads traveling in or through Ohio

The MCS-90 is not a filing. It is an endorsement attached to your commercial auto liability policy, and it exists to protect the public if a final judgment is entered against you arising from your operations. It is not added coverage for your own operation. If the MCS-90 or filings cause the insurance company to pay on something your policy wouldn't otherwise cover, the insurance company can generally seek that money back from you.
 

Link: Learn more about filings →
 

What to look for in a commercial truck insurance company

Insurance for trucking is sold both by national direct writers and by agencies that place coverage on your behalf. Milepost is an agency. Here's what trucking companies get when they work with us:

• A Berkshire Hathaway company. Milepost Insurance is a licensed agency, and a Berkshire Hathaway company. The insurance companies we represent are rated A++ (Superior) by A.M. Best, the highest financial-strength rating an insurance company can hold*.
• Non-commissioned agents. Because our agents aren't paid on commission, the coverage we recommend is the coverage that fits your operation.
• Timely Filings. Your BMC-91, BMC-91X, Form-E, and Ohio OS-32 filings are made by the insurance company, typically within 24 hours once your policy is approved by underwriting, and we work with them to help make sure yours get processed on time.
• Certificates are available on your schedule. The insurance companies we represent let you generate a certificate of insurance online, 24/7, so a broker's request doesn't wait on business hours. You can also call during business hours and your insurance agent can prepare a certificate for you.
• Fast quotes. For most trucking businesses we can quote in about 15 minutes, online or by phone during business hours, with zero-interest payment plans available. Many customers quote and purchase coverage online in a single session without speaking with us first.
• Trucking is our specialty. Milepost is the insurance specialist for the businesses that run on vehicles, and we also place commercial property coverage. We do not offer personal auto insurance of any kind, traditional or pay-per-mile.

Related guides

• Commercial auto insurance
• Federal and state insurance filings
• Insurance for a new trucking authority
• Insurance guide for small trucking businesses
• Box truck insurance
• Dump truck insurance
• Tow truck insurance
• Keeping your fleet DOT compliant