Bobtail and non-trucking liability insurance
Leased to a carrier? Review your lease, how you use the tractor, and the actual policy terms before choosing bobtail or non-trucking liability.
Designed for
Owner-operators leased to a motor carrier
Typical requirement
Most leases require bobtail or non-trucking liability plus physical damage
What carriers ask
The lease, the tractor, the driver's MVR, and the motor carrier you are leased to
Two coverages, one gap
Bobtail generally describes liability coverage for a tractor operated without a trailer. Non-trucking liability generally addresses personal, non-business use. They are not the same coverage: an empty truck or an off-dispatch trip can still serve a business purpose.
Send Supreme the lease and explain your actual trips, including travel between loads and for maintenance. We help review the required coverage and the available policy forms rather than assuming the carrier's policy stops at a particular dispatch status.
Coverage we arrange for leased-on owner-operators
Common questions
What is the difference between bobtail and non-trucking liability?
Bobtail generally focuses on operating a tractor without a trailer; non-trucking liability generally focuses on personal, non-business use. The actual definitions and exclusions vary by policy. Do not use an off-dispatch status alone to decide whether a trip is covered.
Does my motor carrier's insurance cover me?
That depends on the lease, the carrier's policy, and what the truck is doing. Ask for a review of business use, personal use, travel between loads, and damage to your own tractor. Do not assume either full coverage or a gap based only on dispatch status.
How much does bobtail insurance cost?
Bobtail and non-trucking liability are among the least expensive trucking coverages because the exposure is limited. The tractor's value, the driver's record, and the limits the lease requires set the premium; we quote it together with the physical damage so you see the whole cost.
I run under my own authority — do I need bobtail?
Start by reviewing your primary auto liability policy and how the truck is used. Bobtail and non-trucking liability are commonly discussed for leased operators; they are not replacements for the primary liability your own-authority operation may need.
Which carriers write this?
Market appetite for bobtail & non-trucking liability changes by state and by year. Carrierlens is the free directory of trucking insurance markets our agency built: carriers, MGAs, and wholesalers, with the states they write and their appetite documents.
See markets for trucking on Carrierlens →Other operations we insure
- Dump truck insurance
- Hotshot insurance
- Box truck insurance
- Reefer truck insurance
- Hazmat trucking insurance
- Tow truck insurance
- NEMT insurance
- Semi truck insurance
- Car hauler insurance
- Cargo van insurance
- MCS-90 endorsement
- Amazon Relay insurance requirements
By state
Get a bobtail quote
Send us the lease and the tractor. We quote bobtail, non-trucking liability, and physical damage together.
A quote request does not bind coverage. Availability, limits, exclusions, and effective dates are subject to carrier approval and policy terms.