Semi truck insurance for the tractor, the trailer, and the freight.
Whether you run one 18-wheeler on your own authority or a fleet of tractors, the policy has to match the freight, the lanes, and the filings. We shop trucking markets that write semis.
Designed for
Owner-operators, leased-on drivers, and fleets running tractor-trailers
Typical freight
Dry van, reefer, flatbed, and specialized over-the-road freight
What carriers ask
Driver MVRs and CDL years, radius, freight, equipment values, and loss runs
The four policies every semi runs on
A semi truck policy is a stack: primary auto liability at the limit the FMCSA and your shippers require, physical damage on a tractor that may be worth more than the house, motor truck cargo for what is on the trailer, and bobtail or non-trucking liability for the miles you run without a load. Underwriters price the stack on the driver's record, the radius, the freight, and the loss history.
We place semi trucks for owner-operators, leased-on drivers, and fleets — new authorities included — with carriers that write over-the-road and regional tractor-trailer operations, and we build the submission so the underwriter sees a clean file.
Coverage we arrange for semi trucks
Common questions
How much is semi truck insurance?
It depends on the driver's record, years of authority, radius, freight, equipment values, and loss history more than on the truck itself. New authorities and drivers with violations pay the most; leased-on operators who only need bobtail and physical damage pay far less. We quote from multiple markets so you can compare real numbers for your operation.
What is the minimum insurance for a semi truck?
For-hire interstate carriers hauling general freight must carry $750,000 in liability under FMCSA rules; hazardous materials require $1,000,000 or $5,000,000 depending on the material. Most brokers and shippers require $1,000,000 regardless. Cargo is not a federal requirement, but nearly every broker requires it.
Does a leased-on owner-operator need their own policy?
Usually the motor carrier covers liability while you are under dispatch. You still need bobtail or non-trucking liability for the rest of the time and physical damage on your own tractor — the carrier's policy does not pay for your truck.
Can a new authority get semi truck insurance?
Yes. New authorities have fewer markets and higher first-year premiums. A clean MVR, at least two years of CDL experience, a newer tractor, and a clear description of the freight and lanes get a new authority quoted.
Which carriers write this?
Market appetite for semi trucks & 18-wheelers 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
- Bobtail & non-trucking liability
- Car hauler insurance
- Cargo van insurance
- MCS-90 endorsement
- Amazon Relay insurance requirements
By state
Get a semi truck quote
Send us the tractor, the trailer, the freight, and the driver's record. We quote the whole stack from trucking markets.
A quote request does not bind coverage. Availability, limits, exclusions, and effective dates are subject to carrier approval and policy terms.