Truck Insurance for New Authority: Requirements & How to Shop
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Short answer
- Legal minimum: $750,000 public liability for general freight, filed by your insurer with FMCSA.
- What brokers usually want: $1,000,000 auto liability and cargo coverage (often $100,000).
- Price: always a quote. Get several, ideally through an agent who works with multiple insurers.
Federal minimums (49 CFR 387.9)
| What you haul (vehicles 10,001+ lbs) | Minimum public liability |
|---|---|
| For-hire, non-hazardous property, interstate | $750,000 |
| Oil and hazardous materials not in the bulk categories below | $1,000,000 |
| Certain bulk hazardous materials, explosives, and highway-route Class 7 | $5,000,000 |
Coverages to understand
- Primary auto liability: damage you cause to others. This is the one filed with FMCSA.
- Motor truck cargo: the freight you haul. Check exclusions such as unattended vehicles and reefer breakdown.
- Physical damage: your own truck and trailer. Your lender will require it.
- Trailer interchange: if you pull trailers you don’t own under an interchange agreement.
- General liability and occupational accident: often asked for by shippers and some brokers.
How to get a better quote as a new authority
- Have your details ready: CDL years, MVR, radius, commodities, truck and trailer values, garaging address, and the USDOT/MC number.
- Quote with several markets. Independent agencies can shop multiple insurers at once.
- Choose deductibles carefully. A higher physical damage deductible lowers the premium but needs cash on hand.
- Ask about telematics programs if you already run an ELD or dash cam.
- Confirm the filings and certificate speed. Your authority won’t activate until the insurance filing is on record, and brokers need certificates fast.
Insurers and agencies in our directory
We list 10 insurers and agencies. All price by quote, and their appetite for new authorities varies, so ask each one directly.
- Progressive Commercial · Large commercial truck insurer quoting owner-operators under own authority or leased on.
- Cover Whale · Tech-driven commercial auto insurer for trucking, sold through insurance brokers.
- Nirvana Insurance · Trucking insurer that prices with telematics data and offers safety-based discounts; sold via agents.
- Lucky Truck (Buckner) · Online truck insurance program for owner-operators and small fleets, now part of The Buckner Company.
- Reliance Partners · Insurance agency specializing in trucking and transportation coverage.
- Great West Casualty · Trucking-only insurer (Old Republic company) covering liability, cargo, physical damage and owner-operators.
- National Interstate · Transportation insurer offering traditional and group captive programs.
- Northland Insurance · Commercial truck insurance for owner-operators and fleets.
- Logrock · Trucker-focused insurance and compliance help.
- Trucker Path Insurance · Trucking insurance agency from Trucker Path for owner-operators, small fleets and new authorities.
Related: startup checklist · how to get MC authority · insurance directory
Frequently asked questions
How much insurance does a new trucking authority need?
Federal law requires at least $750,000 in public liability for for-hire carriers of non-hazardous property in vehicles of 10,001 lbs or more. Oil and many hazardous materials require $1,000,000, and certain bulk hazmat requires $5,000,000. Most brokers and shippers ask for more than the minimum, commonly $1,000,000 auto liability plus cargo coverage.
Why is insurance so expensive for new authorities?
Insurers price on loss history, and a new authority has none. Your own driving record and years of CDL experience, radius, cargo, equipment value and garaging location all affect the quote. Rates often come down after you build a clean record.
What coverages do owner-operators usually buy?
Primary auto liability (required), motor truck cargo (required by most brokers), physical damage on the truck and trailer (required by lenders), and often trailer interchange, general liability and occupational accident coverage. Leased-on drivers may need non-trucking liability instead of primary liability.
Can a dash cam or ELD lower my premium?
Some insurers offer discounts or programs for telematics and camera data. Ask each insurer whether they use ELD or dash cam data and what they require.
Sources
- 49 CFR 387.9: minimum insurance levels (checked Oct 31, 2026)
- FMCSA: Get operating authority (checked Oct 31, 2026)
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