Car hauler insurance for the vehicles on your trailer.
Auto transport is cargo that drives on and off the trailer, gets scratched at a dealer lot, and is often worth more than the truck. The markets that write it are few and specific.
Designed for
Hotshot auto haulers, wedge and stinger operators, dealer and auction transporters
Typical loads
Dealer trades, auction vehicles, fleet moves, private transport
What carriers ask
Trailer type and capacity, vehicle values per load, lanes, and experience with the equipment
Why car haulers are a class of their own
The cargo on a car hauler is high-value, exposed, and handled at every stop: loading damage, chipped windshields, hail on an open trailer, and the occasional total loss of a vehicle that came off a ramp. Standard motor truck cargo forms often limit or exclude vehicles in transit, and dealers, auctions, and brokers require a specific per-vehicle and per-load limit before they hand over the keys.
We work with the markets that write auto haulers — single-car hotshot rigs, wedge trailers, and multi-car stingers — and build the submission around the equipment, the lanes, and the contracts you haul under.
Coverage we arrange for car haulers
Common questions
What cargo limit does a car hauler need?
It depends on what you carry: a single luxury vehicle can exceed the limit that covers eight economy cars. Brokers and auctions commonly require $100,000 to $250,000 or more per load, and some want a per-vehicle limit. We size the limit to your typical and your highest-value loads.
Does regular cargo insurance cover vehicles I haul?
Frequently not, or only with sub-limits and exclusions for loading damage, hail, or theft. Auto hauler cargo is a specific form. We confirm the wording before you accept loads.
Can I start car hauling with a pickup and a wedge trailer?
Yes — this is the common hotshot auto-hauler setup. You still need operating authority for interstate for-hire work, liability at commercial limits, and cargo written for vehicles. Markets exist for new entrants with clean records.
Why is car hauler insurance harder to place?
The claims are frequent and expensive relative to the premium: loading and unloading damage, weather on open trailers, and total losses. Fewer carriers write the class, and they want to see experience, equipment condition, and how you secure and inspect vehicles.
Which carriers write this?
Market appetite for auto haulers 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 auto hauler 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
- Bobtail & non-trucking liability
- Cargo van insurance
- MCS-90 endorsement
- Amazon Relay insurance requirements
By state
Get a car hauler quote
Tell us the trailer, the typical load values, and the lanes. We match you with markets that write auto transport.
A quote request does not bind coverage. Availability, limits, exclusions, and effective dates are subject to carrier approval and policy terms.