Insurance for Flatbed Fleets
Open deck means open exposure. Your cargo is exposed to weather, theft, and road debris. Your loads are heavy, oversized, and require expert securement. Flatbed insurance needs an agent who understands what makes your operation different.
What Makes Flatbed Operations Different
Load Securement & Liability
Flatbed loads must comply with FMCSA securement regulations — chains, straps, binders, edge protectors, and tarps. An improperly secured load that shifts or falls off creates catastrophic liability. Load securement failures are among the most expensive trucking claims, and they're almost always preventable.
Weather & Environmental Exposure
Unlike enclosed trailers, flatbed freight is exposed to rain, snow, sun, wind, and road spray. Tarping protects against some of it, but weather damage claims are a reality of flatbed operations. Your cargo policy needs to account for this inherent exposure.
Heavy & Oversized Loads
Steel, lumber, machinery, construction equipment — flatbed freight is heavy and often oversized. Overweight permits, escort vehicles, route planning, and specialized rigging all add complexity. Accidents involving heavy flatbed loads tend to be more severe, which affects your auto liability rates.
Coverage Built for Flatbed Operations
Five coverages for flatbed fleets — and what to watch for in each one when you're hauling open deck.
Auto Liability
Heavy loads mean longer stopping distances, more severe accidents, and higher damage potential. Flatbed auto liability rates reflect the heavier-than-average freight you carry. We place you with carriers who understand flatbed risk and price it fairly.
Learn more →Physical Damage
Flatbed trailers, stepdeck trailers, and specialized equipment like RGN lowboys vary widely in value. A standard flatbed might be $30,000 while an RGN is $150,000+. Your physical damage schedule needs to reflect the actual equipment you run.
Learn more →Motor Truck Cargo
Flatbed cargo is exposed to elements that enclosed freight isn't. Your cargo policy needs to cover weather damage, and your limits need to match the value of heavy/oversized loads that can be worth $100,000–$500,000+.
Learn more →General Liability
Flatbed loading and unloading involves cranes, forklifts, rigging, and manual securement at customer sites. The GL exposure at each job site is higher than a typical dock delivery.
Learn more →Additional Coverage
Oversized load permits, pollution liability for hauling treated lumber or industrial materials, and umbrella policies for high-value construction and energy contracts.
Learn more →What Drives Your Flatbed Rate
Commodity Type
Steel, lumber, and building materials are standard flatbed commodities with established rates. Machinery, oversized equipment, and hazmat loads carry higher premiums due to increased severity risk.
Load Weight
Heavier loads mean more severe accidents and more expensive claims. Carriers that consistently run at or near max weight pay more than those hauling lighter flatbed freight.
Oversized Frequency
How often you haul oversize or overweight loads matters. Occasional oversized loads may not affect your base rate. Regular oversized operations — wide loads, tall loads, heavy haul — put you in a different risk tier.
Securement Record
FMCSA inspection results for load securement violations directly impact your CSA scores and insurance rates. A clean securement record signals a well-run flatbed operation.
Equipment Type
Standard flatbeds, stepdecks, double-drops, RGN lowboys, and conestoga trailers each carry different risk and replacement cost profiles. Your policy needs to be scheduled correctly for each equipment type you run.
Driver Experience
Flatbed requires more skill than van operations — securement, tarping, crane signal operations, and oversized load navigation. Carriers value experienced flatbed drivers and price accordingly.
Common Questions About Flatbed Insurance
Get Your Flatbed Fleet Covered
Open deck, specialized freight, heavy loads — tell us how you operate. We'll build around it.