Commercial truck insurance is a set of separate coverages: primary liability for damage you cause to others, cargo for the freight you haul, physical damage for your own truck and trailer, plus coverages for leased owner-operators and specific contracts. Which ones you need depends on how you run, who you haul for and what your contracts require.
Assurance Group of America is an independent commercial truck insurance agency headquartered in Florida and licensed in FL, GA, IN, MS, NC, OH, PA, SC, SD, TN and VA. This hub explains each coverage in plain words and links to our deeper guides. It is general information, not coverage advice.
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Guides in this section
- Guide
Federal liability insurance minimums for trucksThe $750,000, $1 million, $5 million and $300,000 tiers, and who each applies to.
- Guide
Primary liability vs bobtail (non-trucking) insuranceHow coverage works when you lease onto a carrier, and what your lease must say.
- FAQ
Insurance questions for a new authorityFilings, the 90-day window, the protest period and what to have ready.
- Truck type
Hotshot truck insuranceWeight ratings, CDL thresholds and coverage for the truck and the trailer.
What does primary auto liability cover?
Primary liability pays for bodily injury and property damage you cause to others while operating your truck. It is the coverage federal rules require for motor carriers, starting at $750,000 for most for-hire freight trucks rated 10,001 lbs or more. See the federal liability minimums guide for every tier.
What is motor truck cargo coverage?
Motor truck cargo coverage pays for loss of or damage to the freight you are hauling, within the policy’s terms. Federal rules require a cargo filing only from household goods carriers, but most brokers and shippers require cargo coverage in their carrier agreements. Reefer loads often call for reefer breakdown coverage as well.
What does physical damage coverage pay for?
Physical damage coverage pays to repair or replace your own truck and trailers after collision, fire, theft and other covered causes. Each unit has to be listed on the policy. Lenders usually require it on financed equipment.
What is non-trucking liability (bobtail)?
Non-trucking liability covers a leased owner-operator’s truck when it is used outside the motor carrier’s dispatch, such as personal driving. The carrier’s primary policy covers the truck while it works under the carrier’s authority. Our guide to primary liability vs bobtail insurance explains the difference and the gray areas.
What is trailer interchange coverage?
Trailer interchange coverage pays for damage to a trailer you do not own while it is in your care under a written interchange agreement. It comes up in drop-and-hook work, intermodal container moves and load-board programs that use the platform’s trailers.
When does a trucking company need general liability?
General liability covers claims that do not involve driving the truck, such as injuries at a customer’s dock or damage caused while loading. Some shipper contracts, construction jobs and local delivery accounts require it.
What is occupational accident coverage?
Occupational accident coverage pays benefits if an independent owner-operator is injured on the job. Carriers often require it for leased owner-operators who are not covered by the carrier’s workers’ compensation.
Which coverages fit my type of trucking?
It depends on the operation. A reefer carrier, a dump truck on job sites and a car hauler face different risks. Our Trucking Operations Guide lists what underwriters look at and the coverages usually involved for 18 types of operation, and the free Coverage Requirements Checker shows the federal minimums for your setup.