What truck insurance do I need?
A few quick questions about how you run. See what's required by law, what's expected and what's worth having.
How you run
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Your coverage list
Answer 8 more questions above to see your list.
Required, expected, recommendedThe three kinds of need, and who sets each one
Most truckers hear "you need this" about every coverage. There are really three kinds of need, and knowing which is which helps you spend money in the right place.
- Required by lawSet by FMCSA or your state. Example: primary auto liability filed with FMCSA; workers' comp once you have employees.
- ExpectedSet by your lender, the carrier you lease to, brokers and shippers. Example: physical damage on a financed truck; $100,000 cargo for most brokers.
- RecommendedNobody requires it, but a claim without it can end the business. Example: physical damage on a paid-off truck; general liability.
For how each coverage works, see the commercial truck insurance guide.
Questions people ask6 short answers
What trucking insurance is required by law?
For-hire interstate carriers must carry primary auto liability and have it filed with FMCSA: $750,000 for general freight in trucks 10,001 lbs or more, $300,000 under 10,001 lbs, and $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 for hazmat. Household goods carriers also need cargo insurance on file. Most other coverages are required by lenders, leases and contracts rather than by law.
Is cargo insurance required?
Not by FMCSA for general freight. But most brokers and shippers won't load you without it, and $100,000 is a common requirement. Household goods carriers are the exception: they must file cargo coverage with FMCSA.
Why do brokers want $1,000,000 in liability if the minimum is $750,000?
A serious truck accident can easily cost more than $750,000, and a broker can get pulled into the lawsuit. Asking for $1,000,000 protects them. That's why most carriers carry $1,000,000 even though the filing shows the federal minimum.
I'm leased onto a carrier. What do I need?
Federal leasing rules make the carrier responsible for liability while you run for them. You usually carry non-trucking liability or bobtail (your lease says which), physical damage if your truck is financed, and occupational accident. The lease has to spell out what they require and anything they charge back to you.
What's the difference between trailer interchange and non-owned trailer coverage?
Both cover damage to a trailer you don't own. Trailer interchange is for trailers you pull under a written interchange agreement, like containers and chassis. Non-owned trailer coverage is for trailers you pull without one, like many power-only loads.
Do I need workers' comp if I'm an owner-operator?
Usually not for yourself. Workers' comp is for employees, and almost every state requires it once you have drivers on payroll. Owner-operators and 1099 drivers typically carry occupational accident instead.
Who built this
I'm Alex Kuchkarov, an independent trucking insurance broker. The most expensive mistake I see isn't a high premium; it's a policy that's missing what a broker's contract or a lender requires, found out after a load gets rejected or a claim gets denied. This list is how I'd start sorting out any new account.
This page is educational. It is not a quote, a policy or an underwriting decision. Help from a person is always here if you want it; it isn't required.