The Best Commercial Truck Insurance

The Hartford Small Business Insurance: Best Commercial Truck Insurance For Specialty Trucks

The Hartford Small Business Insurance

Get Started With The Hartford Small Business Insurance

Read our Review

Total Rating	4.3
Pricing4.5 Affordability 4.3 Transparency 5.0
Features5.0
Customer Service3.0
User Reviews3.0

Pricing

Varied. Average general liability is $88/month

Types of insurance offered

30+ policy types

Time to receive quote

Usually same-day

Pros

Suitable for fleets
Aimed at specialty trucks
Fast price quotes

Cons

Not available in Alaska, Hawaii, or Louisiana
May not be suitable for small businesses

Why We Chose The Hartford For Best Commercial Truck Insurance

The Hartford is a top-rated insurer offering comprehensive insurance to businesses of all types and sizes. The Hartford's truck insurance is particularly well suited for small to large specialized truck equipment and trailer operations. Specifically, The Hartford aims to serve manufacturers, installers, and repairers of customized equipment added to a bare chassis to create a specialty vehicle.

The Hartford also courts trailer manufacturers, non-franchised trailer dealers, and auto body shops with tow operations of up to 50% of sales. The company says that its ideal truck insurance customer is one with insurance premiums that add up to $25K or more per month. That means The Hartford's policies are designed for companies seeking insurance for a fleet of trucks rather than for those with a single vehicle or two.

The Hartford Commercial Truck Insurance Pricing

Although The Hartford says its ideal commercial truck insurance customers will spend $25K/month or more to insure a fleet of trucks, premiums for individual trucks start at around $2,500/month with vehicle limits up to and above $1 million.

The Hartford provides personalized price quotes based on your business details and insurance needs. You can start your application online and expect to receive your personalized quote within 16 business hours of the time your request is acknowledged.

The Hartford Policies For Commercial Truckers

You can sign up for the following types of commercial truck coverage with The Hartford:

Motor truck cargo
Separate limits for named shippers
Separate limits for specific trips
Inland marine
Umbrella
Dealer plates
Newly acquired property
Business income
Business income for off-premises utility services coverage
Property in transit
Accounts receivable
Loss of use
Multinational

The Hartford specializes in risk-reduction engineering and has a dedicated risk engineering team to perform exposure evaluations and provide recommendations for improving your business security and safety.

Types Of Trucks The Hartford Covers

The Hartford’s commercial truck insurance is aimed at specialized truck businesses. The company lists businesses that install or repair equipment on specialized vehicles like the following:

Dry freight trailers
Refrigerated trailers
Dump trucks
Refuse trucks
Fire trucks
Ambulances

Best For...

Trucking companies with varying types of vehicles

Read our in-depth review

Get Started With State Farm

State Farm: Best Commercial Truck Coverage For Small Operations

State Farm	Visit Site

Pros

New policies available in 48 states
Excellent company reputation
Local agents

Cons

Some truck-specific policies lacking

Why We Chose State Farm For Best Commercial Truck Insurance

Some insurers on this list of the best commercial truck insurance are focused on large fleets, but not State Farm. If you have a smaller business with just one truck or a few, you can take advantage of State Farm's stellar reputation for service and its financial stability.

State Farm has earned an A++ rating from A.M. Best, the highest available from the credit rating agency. It's also rated AA by S&P Global Ratings. State Farm was also recently ranked number one for customer satisfaction in an Investopedia report.

State Farm Pricing For Commercial Truckers

State Farm does not make its pricing public. You’ll need to ask for a personalized price quote.

The cost of your State Farm coverage depends on how many vehicles your business operates, their value, your industry, and how many miles you drive.

State Farm Policies For Commercial Truckers

State Farm takes a slightly different approach to commercial truck insurance, marketing its coverage as distributors insurance. That indicates this insurance is aimed at cargo and delivery operations. State Farm’s distributors insurance package starts with these types of coverage:

Property
Business liability
Loss of income
Motor truck cargo
Employee dishonesty
Computer property
Equipment breakdown

State Farm recommends that customers work directly with an agent to discover if additional policies like the following make sense:

Commercial auto
Workers compensation
Commercial liability umbrella

Types Of Trucks State Farm Covers

State Farm covers many different types of vehicles, including trucks, vans, refrigerator trucks, catering trucks, farm vehicles, and more.

Best for...

Smaller or independent trucking companies

Nationwide Commercial Insurance: Best Commerical Truck Insurance For Public Auto

Nationwide Commercial Insurance

Get Started With Nationwide Commercial Insurance

Read our Review

Total Rating	4.4
Pricing4.1 Affordability 4.3 Transparency 3.7
Features5.0
Customer Service4.1
User Reviews4.4

Pricing

By personalized quote only

Types Of Insurance Offered

BOP + specialized coverage

Time To Receive A Quote

Approximately 30 minutes

Pros

Specialty coverage available
Deductible reductions for claims-free customers
Policies available for many types of commercial vehicles

Cons

Not available in all states

Why We Chose Nationwide For Best Commercial Truck Insurance

Nationwide offers a full range of commercial trucking insurance policies. In addition to fleet insurance, Nationwide singles out public auto businesses that provide transportation for members of the public, like taxis, limousines, and buses.

If your business auto insurance needs fall within that description, Nationwide could be a good company to start your insurance search with.

Nationwide Commercial Truck Insurance Pricing

Nationwide pricing information is available by custom quote only. You can request your custom quote online or by phone. If you phone in for a quote, you’re likely to receive it within 30 minutes.

Nationwide has two pricing policies commercial truck customers will find beneficial. First, you’ll be able to set and pay a single deductible for combined physical damage and cargo losses, potentially saving you money in the event of a claim. Nationwide also has a “diminishing deductible” policy. That means your deductible will be reduced by a percentage for each claim-free year, starting with your second year of coverage.

Nationwide Policies For Commercial Truckers

Nationwide’s business insurance offerings are second to none, with all the basic coverage types and many specialty policies. Additional types of coverage aimed at commercial truck customers include:

Physical damage
Cargo
Bobtail
Earned freight
Broadened reefer breakdown
Auto liability
Downtime expenses/loss of business income
Electronic equipment
Loan or lease gap
Personal effects
Towing
Windshield

Types Of Trucks Nationwide Covers

You can find Nationwide coverage for all kinds of commercial vehicles, including:

Limousines
Taxicabs
Car services
Buses
Vanpools
Ambulances
Nonemergency medical transport
Service vehicles
Farming vehicles
Parade vehicles
Residential waste haulers
Private haulers
Last-mile delivery vehicles
For-hire trucks
Containerized freight
Livestock transportation
Non-hazardous liquid and dry tanks
Auto haulers
Coal haulers
Dump trucks
Hotshots
Hazardous materials haulers
Household goods movers
Mobile home movers
Logging/pulpwood
Oilfield equipment
Refulse, waste, and scrap haulers
Towing
Truck driving schools

Best For...

Public auto companies

Read our in-depth review

Get Started With Milepost Insurance

Milepost Insurance: Best Commercial Truck Insurance For Tractor-Trailers

Milepost Insurance	Visit Site

Pros

Highly rated and reliable
Fast quotes
Many truck types covered

Cons

Not available nationwide

Why We Chose Milepost For Best Commercial Truck Insurance

Milepost Insurance is a reliable insurer offering a full range of commercial truck insurance. Beyond the basics, Milepost stands out for its focus on trailer insurance. Other insurance companies cover trailers, but we haven't seen one that specializes in trailers the way Milepost does.

Although it's not as familiar a name as some others on this list, you can rest assured that Milepost is a reliable company. Not only has it earned the highest financial stability rating of A++ by A.M. Best, but this insurance company is owned and backed by the multinational conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and all its resources

Milepost Trucking Insurance Pricing

Milepost offers pricing information by personal quote only. You can call or apply online. If you call, the company says you’ll have a quote within 15 minutes.

You can also access a certificate of insurance coverage online 24/7. That lets you provide instant proof to freight brokers and shippers.

Milepost offers a friendly feature for trucking companies, offering to handle insurance filings on your behalf. This includes:

Federal filings BMC-91 and BMC-91X
MCS-90 endorsement
State Form E
Oversize and overweight (OS-32)
Uniform Intermodal Interchange Agreement (UIIA) certificate

Milepost Policies For Commercial Truckers

Milepost offers customized coverage for your business. Policies aimed at trucking businesses include:

Auto liability
Physical damage
Comprehensive and collision
Personal injury protection (PIP)
Cargo
General liability
Trailer interchange
On-hook/in-tow
Garage keeper’s liability

Types Of Trucks Milepost Covers

Milepost covers many operational categories. These are listed on the website:

New authorities and new USDOTs
New CDL drivers
Team driving and slip-seat driving
Owner-operators
Less-than-truckload (LTL) and truckload (TL)
Local and long-haul
Over the road truckers (OTR)
Interstate and intrastate
Contract and common trucking
For-hire and not-for-hire

Here’s a list of the types of vehicle trailers Milepost covers:

Car carrier trailers
Dry van trailers
Dump trailers
Flatbed trailers
Gooseneck trailers
Intermodal trailers
Log trailers
Lowboy trailers
Refrigerated trailers

Milepost covers more than trailers, so don’t overlook this company if you operate these types of commercial vehicles:

Tractors
Dump trucks
Box trailers
Tow trucks
Pickup trucks
Cargo vans
Buses
Passenger vans and sedans
Bucket trucks
Auto transporters
Catering trucks
Cement mixers
Flatbed trucks
Pump trucks
Refrigerated trucks
Stake body trucks
Step vans
Roll-on vehicles

Best For...

Businesses that want a company that specializes in trucking insurance

Business Insurance Review Methodology

Merchant Maverick has been researching and reviewing business insurance since 2020. Our writers have tested over twenty different major insurance companies. In each review, we evaluate pricing, features, customer service, and user reviews.

When comparing different business insurance companies, we consider many data points, including relative pricing, the number of standard insurance policies available, and the ability to create custom policies. Our lists of the best business insurance providers include only those we’ve deemed worthwhile from multiple vantage points and often share qualities such as low cost, a variety of niche business insurance policies, multiple ways to file claims, and excellent customer support.

We spend an average of 10-15 hours researching and updating each one of our lists, ensuring that the business insurance companies included meet our internal standards for quality and reputation.

Commercial Trucking Explored

Commercial truck insurance is a type of commercial auto insurance. More specifically, it’s a bundle of insurance policies that offer comprehensive protection for trucking businesses and independent owner-operators. The exact combination of insurance your business needs depends on the specifics of your operation.

Here are some common elements you can include in your commercial truck coverage:

Primary Liability Truck Insurance: Just as personal auto insurance is legally required, you may be required to carry commercial auto liability insurance if your business involves trucking. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a part of the US Department of Transportation, enforces strict requirements for coverage between $750K and $5 million that vary depending on the types of cargo you carry and where you carry it. Factors include truck weight and size as well as cargo hazards.
General Liability Truck Insurance: You can add extra coverage to pay for damages done to someone else’s property. This may also protect you from lawsuits involving slander, libel, and false advertising claims.
Physical Damage Coverage: You’ll need an additional policy to cover damage to your truck and equipment in an accident or disaster. This type of coverage is voluntary.
Non-Trucking Liability: This type of coverage adds protection when you use your truck for a non-business purpose.
Bobtail Insurance: This type of coverage covers you when your truck is being driven without a trailer attached.
Motor Truck Cargo Insurance: The value of your cargo could exceed the value of the truck that’s hauling it. If you want to insure it against loss or damage, you’ll need a separate cargo insurance policy. This type of cargo insurance is not available in every state or for every trucking situation. Talk to your insurance agent to see if it’s a good idea for you.
Rental Reimbursement With Downtime: This policy kicks in when your vehicle is kept off the road because of an accident. It helps you recover the costs of renting a vehicle, helps you make your truck payments, and covers other bills.
Trailer Interchange Coverage: If you routinely use your trucks to haul trailers that you do not own, this type of insurance protects you if the trailer becomes damaged due to a collision, theft, fire, explosion, or vandalism.

Who Needs Commercial Trucking Insurance?

Commercial truck insurance is not the same as commercial auto insurance. Even if you routinely use work vehicles, including trucks, for your business, you may not qualify for commercial truck insurance.

If you and/or your employees haul cargo within the state where you do business, you may need only general liability. Interstate haulers who use large semi-trucks to haul cargo through multiple states may be subject by state or federal authorities to a different set of insurance requirements.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires certain insurance minimums before you’re allowed to register as a hauler with the FMCSA. If you’re planning to transport interstate cargo, either independently as an owner-operator or through lease agreements with employees, you must acquire FMCSA authority to do so. Once you receive valid Motor Carrier (MC) and Department of Transportation (DOT) numbers, you’ll have 90 days to acquire the appropriate insurance.

Final Verdict

Hopefully you have a better idea of what to expect from a variety of companies when it comes to insuring your trucking business. There are many companies that can give you a wide range of coverages depending on your various needs but you’ll need to decide if you want to go with one of the larger firms that may have more resources at their disposal, or a more niche insurance company that can give you some customized plans.

Thanks for checking us out and be sure to look at some of our other insurance blogs if you have any additional questions!

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Matt Sherman

Lead Staff Writer at Merchant Maverick

Matt has been helping small businesses make decisions since 2017. He has written reviews and articles across many different channels but specializes in the point of sale, payroll, and small business insurance categories and has been quoted in articles for Fox Business, Forbes, and other publications. Prior to joining Merchant Maverick, Matt was a journalist and editor for 14 years for a pair of weekly newspapers. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon and currently resides in Gladstone, Oregon.

View Matt Sherman's professional experience on LinkedIn.

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1. Progressive Commercial Insurance

❮ ❯

Available in 50 states + D.C.
24/7 claims
Average cost of $736-$1,125/month

2. The Hartford Small Business Insurance

❮ ❯

Available in 47 states + D.C.
Online and telephone claims
$2,500+/month

3. State Farm

❮ ❯

New policies available in 48 states + D.C.
24/7 telephone claims
Pricing by personalized quote only

4. Nationwide Commercial Insurance

❮ ❯

Available in 40+ states
24/7 claims
Pricing by personalized quote only

5. Milepost Insurance

❮ ❯

Available in 30 states
24/7 claims
Quotes in 15 minutes or less