Motor Truck Cargo Insurance for Trucking Fleets
You're responsible for every load on your truck from pickup to delivery. Cargo insurance protects the freight you're hauling — and your reputation with shippers and brokers.
What's Actually Protected
Freight in Transit
Covers damage or loss to the goods you're hauling while they're on your truck — from loading dock to delivery point. Includes accidents, rollovers, and collisions.
Theft & Pilferage
Covers stolen cargo, whether the entire load is taken or individual items are pilfered. Most policies require specific security measures to maintain coverage.
Weather & Environmental
Covers cargo damaged by fire, flooding, wind, and extreme temperatures. For temperature-sensitive freight, reefer breakdown coverage is a critical add-on.
Why You Can't Operate Without It
Cargo insurance isn't technically required by the FMCSA for most carriers. But try getting a load without it.
Shippers and brokers require it.
Almost every shipper and freight broker requires proof of cargo insurance before they'll tender a load. No coverage, no freight. The standard minimum is $100,000, but many require $250,000 or more.
Your contract holds you liable.
The Carmack Amendment makes motor carriers liable for loss or damage to freight from the moment you accept it. Cargo insurance is what stands between a damaged load and a six-figure claim against your company.
One claim can end your business.
A full truckload of electronics, pharmaceuticals, or specialty goods can be worth $200,000 to $500,000. Without cargo coverage, a single total loss comes out of your pocket.
What Determines Your Rate
Cargo insurance pricing is driven by what you haul, how much of it, and where.
Commodity Type
What you haul is the biggest factor. Dry goods cost less to insure than electronics, pharmaceuticals, or alcohol. Hazmat has its own pricing tier entirely.
Coverage Limit
Higher limits cost more. Most carriers need $100,000–$250,000, but high-value freight may require $500,000 or more.
Deductible
Standard deductibles range from $1,000 to $5,000. Higher deductibles lower your premium but increase your out-of-pocket on claims.
Radius of Operation
Long-haul routes with more miles and more stops mean more exposure. Local and regional operations typically pay less.
Loss History
Prior cargo claims directly impact your rate. A clean claims history is your best asset at renewal.
Fleet Size
Larger fleets hauling more loads have more total exposure, but may qualify for volume pricing from certain carriers.
Security Measures
GPS tracking, locked trailers, secure parking protocols, and driver training programs can earn discounts.
Reefer Coverage
If you haul temperature-controlled freight, reefer breakdown coverage adds to your premium but is essential. A reefer malfunction can spoil an entire load.
Why It Matters Who Places This
Cargo coverage has more exclusions and fine print than any other trucking policy. The details matter.
We access 300+ carriers. We submit to the right ones.
Cargo insurance pricing and coverage terms vary enormously between carriers. We know which ones offer the broadest coverage for your specific commodity type — and which ones have exclusions that could leave you exposed.
We match your coverage to your freight.
A dry van fleet hauling packaged goods needs different terms than a reefer fleet hauling produce or a flatbed hauling steel. We build your cargo policy around what you actually haul, not a generic template.
We make sure your limits satisfy your contracts.
Brokers and shippers have specific coverage requirements. We review your contracts and make sure your policy meets every requirement before you're on the road — no surprises when you need to show proof of coverage.
We handle cargo claims fast.
When freight is damaged, time matters. We get your claim filed immediately and work with the carrier to resolve it so you're not stuck between an angry shipper and a slow adjuster.
Common Questions About Cargo Insurance
Get Your Cargo Insurance Quote
Tell us about your freight. We'll make sure it's covered from dock to dock.
(510) 270-8141