Trucking Insurance in Texas
Insurance for owner-operators, motor carriers, small fleets and trucking companies usually involves several policies working together. Lavon Insurance is an independent agency that compares trucking insurance from multiple carriers based on your trucks, drivers, cargo, operating radius and authority.
- Multiple Trucking Carriers
- Owner-Operators to Small Fleets
- Intrastate & Interstate
- Local Texas Agency
- TX License No. 3318921
Trucking Insurance Is More Than One Policy
Your truck, cargo, trailers, liability exposures and drivers each create different insurance needs. The right combination depends on how your business actually operates.
An owner-operator hauling general freight may need a very different insurance program from a small fleet, refrigerated carrier, construction hauler or specialized transportation company. Contracts with shippers, brokers and motor carriers can also set their own coverage and limit requirements.
Not every insurance company writes trucking, and those that do often specialize in certain operations, radiuses or cargo. As an independent insurance agency, Lavon Insurance can compare available coverage from multiple carriers instead of treating every trucking business as the same risk.
Explore Trucking Insurance Policies
Select a coverage to learn how it can fit into a complete commercial trucking insurance program.
Trucking Policies
An overview of commercial trucking insurance and the coverage considerations for Texas owner-operators and motor carriers.
Explore Trucking Policies →Commercial Truck Liability
Primary auto liability for covered bodily injury and property damage arising from commercial truck operations.
Explore Truck Liability →Motor Truck Cargo Insurance
Coverage for qualifying freight in your care while it is being transported, subject to policy terms, limits and exclusions.
Explore Cargo Insurance →Truck Physical Damage
Coverage for qualifying physical damage to insured trucks and covered equipment from collision and other covered causes.
Explore Physical Damage →Trailer Interchange & Non-Owned Trailer
Coverage considerations for trailers your business pulls or is responsible for but does not own.
Explore Trailer Coverage →Bobtail & Non-Trucking Liability
Liability coverage for leased owner-operators during certain eligible non-dispatched or non-business use.
Explore Bobtail Coverage →Occupational Accident Insurance
Specified benefits for eligible owner-operators and independent contractors who are injured on the job.
Explore Occupational Accident →Trucking General Liability
Coverage for certain covered non-auto business liability exposures, such as premises and loading-dock claims.
Explore General Liability →How Trucking Insurance Coverages Fit Together
Each policy is designed for a different part of a trucking operation. Here is how they typically line up.
| Part of Your Operation | Coverage to Consider | What It Is Designed For |
|---|---|---|
| Your auto liability | Commercial truck liability | Covered injury and property damage to others caused by your commercial vehicle operations |
| Your truck | Truck physical damage | Qualifying covered damage to your insured tractor or truck |
| Your cargo | Motor truck cargo | Covered loss of or damage to qualifying freight you are hauling |
| Trailers you don’t own | Trailer interchange / non-owned trailer | Certain damage exposures for trailers in your care under an interchange agreement or similar arrangement |
| Off-dispatch driving | Bobtail / non-trucking liability | Certain eligible uses when a leased owner-operator is not operating under the motor carrier’s dispatch |
| Your business premises & operations | Trucking general liability | Certain covered non-auto liability claims tied to your business |
| You as a driver | Occupational accident | Specified benefits for eligible independent contractors injured while working |
Trucking Insurance for Texas Businesses
Insurance needs vary significantly depending on the type of trucking operation.
Owner-Operators
Coverage for independent drivers who own or lease their equipment, whether running under their own authority or leased to a motor carrier.
Owner-Operator Insurance Guide →Motor Carriers
Insurance for businesses operating commercial trucks and transporting property for customers under their own operating authority.
Small Fleets
Coverage for businesses running multiple trucks, drivers and routes, including driver qualification and fleet scheduling.
General Freight Haulers
Dry van and flatbed operations transporting general freight and common commodities.
Refrigerated Carriers
Operations hauling temperature-sensitive freight, where reefer breakdown coverage can matter.
Specialized Haulers
Heavy equipment, machinery, construction materials, oversize loads and other specialized cargo.
What Can Affect Your Trucking Insurance?
Commercial trucking insurance is heavily influenced by how the business actually operates. Complete, accurate information helps insurers evaluate the risk and can open up more options.
Common Underwriting Questions
- How many trucks and trailers do you operate?
- Do you run under your own authority or are you leased to a motor carrier?
- What type of cargo do you haul?
- Do you operate intrastate, interstate or both?
- What is your typical operating radius?
- How much experience do your drivers have, and what are their MVRs like?
- What is your claims and inspection history?
- Do you pull trailers you don’t own?
- What insurance do your contracts and brokers require?
Trucking Insurance Requirements in Texas
Minimum liability limits and filing rules depend on where you operate, your vehicle weight and what you haul.
Intrastate Trucking (Texas Only)
Carriers operating vehicles over 26,000 lbs within Texas generally need a TxDMV number. Most must carry at least $500,000 in liability, and the insurance company files proof electronically with TxDMV on Form E.
Interstate Trucking
For-hire carriers hauling non-hazardous property across state lines in vehicles of 10,001 lbs or more generally need at least $750,000 in liability, filed with the FMCSA by the insurer on a BMC-91 or BMC-91X.
| Operation | Minimum Liability | Proof Filed |
|---|---|---|
| Texas intrastate, vehicles over 26,000 lbs (general freight) | $500,000 | Form E with TxDMV |
| Texas intrastate, household goods movers under 26,000 lbs | $300,000 | Form E with TxDMV |
| Interstate for-hire, non-hazardous property, 10,001+ lbs | $750,000 | BMC-91 / BMC-91X with FMCSA |
| Oil and certain listed hazardous materials | $1,000,000 | TxDMV or FMCSA, depending on operation |
| Higher-risk hazardous materials (certain bulk hazmat) | $5,000,000 | TxDMV or FMCSA, depending on operation |
Brokers, shippers and motor carriers often require higher liability limits plus cargo and general liability coverage before they will load you. This section is general information, not legal or regulatory advice.
Coverage Depends on How You Operate
Owner-operators can have very different insurance responsibilities depending on whether they run under their own authority or lease their truck to a motor carrier.
When you are leased on, the motor carrier typically provides primary liability while you are under its dispatch, and you may still need bobtail or non-trucking liability, physical damage and occupational accident coverage. When you run under your own authority, you are generally responsible for the full program, including primary liability, cargo and the required filings.
Not sure which path fits? Our Owner-Operator Insurance Guide compares leased-on and own-authority coverage side by side, walks through new authority insurance step by step and shows typical first-year costs.
Your lease spells out who is responsible for primary liability, physical damage, cargo and trailer exposures. Reviewing it is an important first step in deciding which coverages to buy.
Surety Bonds for Texas Trucking & Transportation Businesses
Some trucking operations need more than insurance. Permit, operating-authority and freight-broker requirements can also involve surety bonds. See all trucking surety bonds.
Texas Form 1753
Over Axle & Over Gross Weight Bond
For qualifying Texas motor carriers applying for an Over Axle / Over Gross Weight Tolerance Permit through the Form 1753 process.
Learn About Over Axle Bonds →$75,000 Federal Requirement
BMC-84 Freight Broker Bond
For freight brokers and certain freight forwarders subject to FMCSA financial-responsibility requirements. The BMC-84 bond provides the required $75,000 financial security.
Learn About BMC-84 Bonds →Texas Oversize / Superheavy
Oversize & Superheavy Permit Bond
For qualifying carriers that need a Texas surety bond in connection with certain oversize or superheavy vehicle permits.
Learn About Oversize Permit Bonds →Not every trucking business needs a surety bond. Requirements depend on the operation, permit, authority and regulation involved.
Work With an Independent Trucking Insurance Agency
Trucking insurance can involve multiple policies, insurance companies and filing requirements. We help you keep it organized.
We compare available options from several trucking insurers instead of representing only one.
We look at your trucks, trailers, drivers, cargo, radius and authority before recommending coverage.
We help coordinate required state and federal filings and the certificates your brokers and shippers request.
Talk with a local Texas agent who can explain your options, not just an automated quote form.
How It Works
Tell Us About Your Operation
Share your trucks, trailers, drivers, cargo, territory and authority, by phone or through our online form.
We Compare Available Options
We shop your operation with trucking insurers and explain the differences in coverage, limits and price.
You Choose Your Coverage
Pick the program that fits, and we help with the filings and certificates you need to get rolling.
USDOT and MC numbers (or TxDMV number), truck and trailer VINs and values, driver names, license numbers and experience, cargo types and operating radius, your current policy and 3–5 years of loss runs, and your lease agreement if you are leased to a motor carrier.
Texas Trucking Insurance FAQs
What is trucking insurance?
Trucking insurance is the combination of commercial insurance policies used to cover the vehicles, cargo, liability and other exposures of a trucking business.
How much does owner-operator insurance cost in Texas?
Costs depend on whether you’re leased on or running under your own authority, plus your experience, lanes, freight and equipment. Leased-on owner-operators typically pay far less than new authorities, which often pay the most in their first year. Our Owner-Operator Insurance Guide breaks down typical costs by coverage.
What types of trucking insurance are available?
Common coverages include commercial truck liability, motor truck cargo, truck physical damage, trailer interchange, non-owned trailer coverage, bobtail or non-trucking liability, trucking general liability and occupational accident insurance.
What insurance is required for trucks in Texas?
Most Texas intrastate carriers operating vehicles over 26,000 lbs must carry at least $500,000 in liability, filed with TxDMV on Form E. Interstate for-hire carriers hauling non-hazardous property in vehicles of 10,001 lbs or more generally need at least $750,000, filed with the FMCSA. Hazardous materials carriers need higher limits, and brokers or shippers often require more than the legal minimum.
What is a Form E or BMC-91X filing?
These are proof-of-insurance filings your insurance company submits for you. Form E is filed with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles for intrastate carriers, and the BMC-91 or BMC-91X is filed with the FMCSA for interstate carriers. Only the insurer can make or cancel these filings.
Do owner-operators need their own trucking insurance?
Yes, though what you need depends on your arrangement. Owner-operators under their own authority generally need a full program including primary liability and cargo. Owner-operators leased to a motor carrier often need bobtail or non-trucking liability, physical damage and occupational accident coverage, depending on the lease.
What is the difference between bobtail and non-trucking liability?
Both are designed for leased owner-operators when the motor carrier’s liability coverage does not apply. Non-trucking liability generally applies to personal or non-business use, while bobtail coverage is tied to driving without a trailer. Definitions vary by policy, so the policy wording and your lease determine which one fits.
Does trucking insurance cover both the truck and the cargo?
Different policies cover different things. Truck physical damage covers qualifying damage to your insured truck, while motor truck cargo insurance covers qualifying freight you are hauling.
What is trailer interchange insurance?
Trailer interchange coverage can address physical damage to trailers you are responsible for under a written trailer interchange agreement but do not own.
How much does trucking insurance cost in Texas?
There is no single price. Premiums depend on your vehicles, drivers and their experience, operating radius, cargo, loss history, coverage limits, deductibles and whether you run under your own authority. Comparing quotes from multiple insurers is the best way to see what is available for your operation.
Can a new trucking authority get insurance?
Yes. Some insurers write new-venture trucking operations, although options can be more limited and driver experience matters. Having your USDOT and MC numbers, driver details and equipment information ready helps speed up the process. Our Owner-Operator Insurance Guide walks through new authority insurance step by step.
Related Coverage for Transportation Businesses
- Commercial Insurance
- Commercial Auto
- Workers’ Compensation
- Commercial Umbrella
- Trucking Surety Bonds
Serving trucking businesses across Texas from our office in Lavon, including Lavon, Wylie, Rockwall, Royse City, Princeton and Greenville.
Let’s Talk About Your Trucking Insurance
Tell us about your trucks, drivers, cargo and operation. We’ll compare available trucking insurance options from multiple carriers.
Coverage, eligibility, limits, deductibles, exclusions, endorsements, pricing, filings and availability vary by insurance carrier and individual trucking operation. This page is general information and does not change the terms of any policy.