How Much Insurance Do Trucking Companies Really Carry?

How Much Insurance Do Trucking Companies Carry?

Under federal law, most interstate trucking companies must carry at least $750,000 in liability insurance. This rule is set at 49 C.F.R. §387.9. Many large carriers carry $1 million or more. But in a serious crash, that federal minimum is often far too low. It rarely covers the lifetime cost of a serious injury. It rarely covers the loss of a loved one.

Are you reading this after a truck crash? Then you likely have one hard question. Will the trucking company’s insurance really cover what happened? This page answers that from your side. It’s for the injured person or the family left behind. It is not for the trucker’s side.

Most articles on this topic are written for carriers shopping for a policy. This one isn’t.

This is general educational information. It is not legal advice about your case. Every crash is different. The coverage that applies depends on the facts.

The federal minimum: what the FMCSA actually requires

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets the minimum insurance for interstate motor carriers. These are trucking companies that cross state lines. The rule is 49 C.F.R. §387.9. The required amounts are:

• $750,000 — for general freight and non-hazardous property.
• $1,000,000 — for oil and certain hazardous materials in smaller amounts.
• $5,000,000 — for the most dangerous materials. This includes explosives, poison gas, and large amounts of hazmat.

Here’s a detail most pages skip. That $750,000 floor was set by the Motor Carrier Act of 1980. It has never been adjusted for inflation. The FMCSA said so in a 2014 report to Congress (FMCSA-2014-0211). The report admitted the current minimums may be too low to cover a severe crash. That is not a lawyer’s opinion. It’s the regulator’s own conclusion.

Two things matter for victims:

• These are combined single limits for bodily injury and property damage. They are not a promise that the full amount goes to any one person.
• Rules differ for intrastate (in-state) carriers, which follow state rules. Interstate carriers follow FMCSA rules.

An attorney can find the real numbers. This means pulling the carrier’s federal filings. These include the Form MCS-90 endorsement and the BMC-91 or BMC-91X proof-of-insurance filing on record with the FMCSA. An attorney can also check the carrier’s operating authority and insurance status. This is done through the FMCSA’s SAFER / Licensing & Insurance (L&I) system. Remember, the amounts above are legal minimums. They are not a guarantee of what a company actually carries.

Why the minimum is often not enough

The $750,000 floor is often far below the true lifetime cost of a life-altering injury. Catastrophic harm doesn’t end when the hospital stay does. It can last for decades.

Consider what these injuries can require:

• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis: The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center reports high costs. First-year expenses for high tetraplegia can top $1.2 million. Average lifetime costs for a person injured at age 25 can top $5 million (figures in NSCISC’s published cost tables). The Mayo Clinic explains these injuries can cause permanent changes in strength, feeling, and body function.
• Traumatic brain injuries: these can mean years of rehab. In severe cases, they need round-the-clock support.
• Amputation and limb loss: prosthetics must be replaced roughly every few years for life. Therapy and adaptive equipment add more cost.
• Severe burns: these need repeated surgeries, skin grafts, wound care, and long recoveries.

One person’s future medical care alone can pass a $750,000 policy. When a policy pays its full amount, lawyers call this “exhausting the policy limits.” After that, the injured person needs another source of coverage. That’s why finding every policy early is so important.

Some families face the worst outcome — the death of a loved one. The harm then includes funeral costs, lost household income, and the loss of support and companionship. Florida’s Wrongful Death Act, Fla. Stat. §768.21, lets certain survivors recover these losses. We handle these cases with dignity. We focus on the family, never on grim details. Learn more on our catastrophic injury claims page.

The different policies a trucking operation may carry

A trucking company often carries several kinds of insurance. Only some of them pay injured people. Knowing the difference tells you what’s really available.

• Primary liability (bodily injury) coverage: the main coverage that pays people hurt in a crash. This is the first policy an attorney looks for.
• Cargo insurance: covers the freight the truck hauls — not your injuries. Don’t assume it will help with medical bills.
• General liability coverage: covers business risks beyond the truck itself.
• Non-trucking or “bobtail” coverage: may apply when a truck is driven without a load or off the job. But it may exclude coverage in some of those cases.
• Umbrella or excess policies: larger carriers often stack extra coverage on top of the primary limit. This is often where extra money is found in serious cases.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage: your own auto policy may add this. It can help when the at-fault party’s coverage runs out.

Which of these applies depends fully on the facts. It takes investigation to sort them out.

Who may be responsible beyond the driver

After a serious truck crash, more than one party can be legally responsible. Each may carry its own insurance. This is one of the biggest differences between a truck case and an ordinary car crash.

Depending on the facts, these parties may share responsibility:

• The motor carrier (trucking company)
• The truck owner, if a different company
• A leasing company
• A shipper or freight broker who arranged the load
• A maintenance contractor that serviced the truck
• A parts manufacturer, if defective equipment played a role

It also matters if the driver is an owner-operator or a company driver. The FMCSA’s leasing rules are at 49 C.F.R. §376.12. A carrier that leases a truck must usually keep control and responsibility for it during the lease. That single rule can decide which insurer answers for the crash.

Our attorneys handle catastrophic truck-crash cases. Untangling these layers is a core part of our investigation. Reaching every available policy can matter a lot. It can be the difference between a settlement that runs out quickly and one that reflects a lifetime of need.

People also ask about trucking insurance

What is the 60/70 rule for trucking? It’s an hours-of-service safety rule under 49 C.F.R. §395.3. It is not an insurance rule. A driver may not drive after 60 hours on duty in 7 days in a row. The limit is 70 hours in 8 days. When a driver breaks these limits, the logs can become key evidence of fault.

How much does $1,000,000 general liability insurance cost a trucking company? Premiums vary a lot by company, safety history, and cargo. But what a carrier pays for a policy does not decide what you can recover. The coverage limits and the facts of your case do.

How much is $750,000 in cargo insurance? Cargo pricing depends on the freight and route. More importantly, cargo insurance pays for damaged goods, not for your injuries.

Do CDL drivers get cheaper insurance? Sometimes experienced drivers get lower rates. But for you as a victim, that isn’t the key question. What matters is how much coverage is available to pay for your harm.

How coverage is identified and why acting promptly matters

Finding every policy takes work. And some of that work must happen fast. An attorney gathers the crash report, the carrier’s FMCSA filings, and other records. This often happens through formal legal demands and preservation letters.

Time matters because evidence can disappear. Under 49 C.F.R. §395.8, carriers usually only have to keep driver duty logs for six months. Electronic logging device (ELD) data can be erased. So can engine control module (ECM) “black box” data and maintenance records. They may be destroyed as routine if no one acts to save them. A prompt spoliation (evidence-preservation) letter can stop that.

Legal deadlines matter too. In Florida, the deadline to file most negligence claims is generally two years. This applies to claims arising on or after March 24, 2023, under Fla. Stat. §95.11. Florida also follows a modified comparative-negligence rule under Fla. Stat. §768.81. This means a person found more than 50% at fault generally cannot recover. We handle cases nationwide. So remember: deadlines and fault rules vary from state to state.

While you weigh your options, save everything. Keep photos, bills, names, and paperwork.

Talk to a catastrophic truck accident attorney about your options

You’re facing a life-altering injury or the loss of someone you love. You shouldn’t have to decode truck insurance alone. An attorney can investigate every layer of coverage and every responsible party for your family.

CHG Personal Injury Lawyers is a Florida-based firm. We handle catastrophic truck-crash and wrongful-death cases nationwide. Our licensed, Florida Bar–admitted attorneys can review what happened. We can help you understand the coverage that may apply. Request a free case evaluation whenever you’re ready.

This page is educational information only. It is not legal advice, and it does not promise any result. To learn more, visit our truck accidents resource. You can also read about spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries.

Quick FAQ

How much liability insurance do trucking companies carry? Most interstate carriers must carry at least $750,000 under 49 C.F.R. §387.9. Many carry $1 million or more.

Is the $750,000 minimum enough for a catastrophic injury? Often not. The minimum was set in 1980 and never adjusted for inflation. Meanwhile, lifetime costs for a serious spinal cord injury can exceed several million dollars, per NSCISC data.

Does cargo insurance pay for my injuries? No. Cargo insurance covers damaged freight, not the people hurt in a crash.

How does a lawyer find out how much insurance a trucking company has? By reviewing the crash report and the carrier’s federal FMCSA filings — the MCS-90 endorsement and BMC-91 filing. This often uses the FMCSA’s SAFER/L&I system and formal legal requests.