Commercial Truck Liability Insurance in Texas
Commercial truck liability is the core of every trucking insurance program and the coverage your operating authority depends on. Lavon Insurance helps Texas owner-operators, motor carriers and fleets compare primary truck liability from multiple insurance companies, with the limits and filings your operation requires.
- Covers bodily injury and property damage you cause to others
- Pays legal defense costs for covered claims
- Carries your Form E, BMC-91X and MCS-90 filings
- Common limits from $750,000 to $1,000,000 or more
- For owner-operators, motor carriers and small fleets
What Is Commercial Truck Liability Insurance?
Commercial truck liability, often called primary auto liability, pays for covered bodily injury and property damage that your truck operations cause to other people, subject to the policy’s limits, terms and exclusions. It also typically pays to defend you against covered claims.
Because a serious truck accident can lead to very large claims, liability is the coverage regulators, brokers and shippers check first. It does not cover your own truck or the freight you haul. Those exposures are covered by truck physical damage and motor truck cargo insurance.
What Truck Liability Covers and What It Doesn’t
Truck liability is focused on harm you cause to others. Here is how common situations usually line up.
| Situation | Covered by Truck Liability? | Coverage to Look At |
|---|---|---|
| Injuries to other drivers, passengers or pedestrians in an accident you cause | Yes, up to your limit | Commercial truck liability |
| Damage to other vehicles, buildings or property in an accident you cause | Yes, up to your limit | Commercial truck liability |
| Attorney and court costs to defend a covered claim | Usually, per policy terms | Commercial truck liability |
| Damage to your own tractor or trailer | No | Truck physical damage |
| Damage to or theft of the freight you are hauling | No | Motor truck cargo |
| Damage to a non-owned trailer you are pulling | Generally no | Trailer interchange |
| Your own injuries as an owner-operator | No | Occupational accident |
| Injuries to your employees on the job | No | Workers’ compensation |
| Premises, loading-dock or other non-auto claims | No | Trucking general liability |
| Leased owner-operator driving off dispatch | Often not under the carrier’s policy | Bobtail / non-trucking liability |
How Much Truck Liability Insurance Do You Need?
Your minimum depends on where you operate, your vehicle weight and what you haul. Your contracts often require more than the legal minimum.
| Operation or Requirement | Common Liability Limit |
|---|---|
| Texas intrastate carriers, vehicles over 26,000 lbs (general freight) | $500,000 minimum |
| Interstate for-hire carriers, non-hazardous property, 10,001+ lbs | $750,000 minimum |
| Typical broker and shipper contract requirement | $1,000,000 |
| Oil and certain hazardous materials | $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 minimum |
Most trucking policies use a combined single limit (CSL), one amount such as $1,000,000 that covers bodily injury and property damage together per accident. Split limits divide that amount into separate caps, which can leave less available for a large injury claim.
Some contracts, higher-value operations and growing fleets add a commercial umbrella or excess policy above primary truck liability. See the full Texas trucking insurance requirements for more detail.
Truck Liability Filings and Endorsements
Your liability insurer, not you, makes the filings that prove you are insured. If a filing lapses, your authority or registration can be at risk.
Form E (Texas Intrastate)
Proof of liability insurance filed electronically with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles for carriers that need a TxDMV number. Your insurance record must stay active while you operate.
BMC-91 or BMC-91X (Interstate)
Proof of liability insurance filed with the FMCSA for interstate for-hire carriers. It is required to activate and keep your operating authority.
MCS-90 Endorsement
A federal endorsement for certain regulated motor carriers that guarantees the required minimum is available to the public. If the insurer pays a claim only because of the MCS-90, it can seek reimbursement from you.
Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist
Texas law requires auto liability policies to include UM/UIM coverage unless a named insured rejects it in writing. It helps when an at-fault driver has little or no insurance.
Sources: TxDMV, FMCSA and Texas Insurance Code § 1952.101
Truck Liability for Owner-Operators
Who buys primary liability depends on how you operate.
Running Under Your Own Authority
You need your own primary truck liability policy, with the required Form E or BMC-91X filing, before you can haul. Brokers will also ask for a certificate showing your limit.
Leased to a Motor Carrier
The motor carrier usually provides primary liability while you are under its dispatch. When you drive off dispatch, such as personal use or heading home, that coverage may not apply, which is why leased owner-operators often need bobtail or non-trucking liability.
Your lease agreement spells out who provides primary liability and what you must carry. Review it before you buy coverage.
What Affects the Cost of Truck Liability Insurance?
Liability is usually the largest part of a trucking insurance premium. Insurers look closely at these factors.
Drivers
Years of CDL experience, motor vehicle records, ages and the number of drivers you schedule.
Radius & Routes
Local, regional or long-haul operation and the states and cities you run through.
What You Haul
Commodities such as general freight, building materials, hazmat or heavy equipment carry different risks.
Safety Record
Roadside inspections, violations and your FMCSA safety data can affect eligibility and price.
Loss History
Prior accidents and claims over the last 3 to 5 years, shown on your loss runs.
Time in Business & Limits
New authorities often pay more, and higher limits or lower deductibles raise premium.
Getting a Commercial Truck Liability Quote
Lavon Insurance is an independent agency. We compare truck liability from multiple insurers that write Texas trucking businesses.
Tell Us About Your Operation
Your USDOT or TxDMV number, trucks, drivers, radius, commodities and current coverage.
We Compare Options
We shop truck liability with insurers that fit your operation and contract limits.
You Get Covered
Pick your limit, and we coordinate your filings and the certificates your brokers need.
Frequently Asked Questions About Commercial Truck Liability
What is commercial truck liability insurance?
Commercial truck liability, also called primary auto liability, pays for covered bodily injury and property damage your truck operations cause to others, plus defense costs for covered claims, up to your policy limit.
How much liability insurance does a truck driver need in Texas?
Most Texas intrastate carriers with vehicles over 26,000 lbs need at least $500,000. Interstate for-hire carriers hauling non-hazardous property in vehicles of 10,001 lbs or more need at least $750,000. Many brokers and shippers require $1,000,000, and hazardous materials carriers need more.
Does truck liability insurance cover my own truck?
No. Liability covers damage you cause to others. Damage to your own truck is covered by truck physical damage insurance.
Does truck liability insurance cover the cargo I haul?
No. Freight you are hauling is covered by motor truck cargo insurance, which is a separate policy.
What is a combined single limit?
A combined single limit is one liability amount, such as $1,000,000, that covers bodily injury and property damage together for each accident. It is the most common way trucking liability limits are written.
Do leased owner-operators need their own liability insurance?
The motor carrier usually provides primary liability while you are under its dispatch. Leased owner-operators often still need bobtail or non-trucking liability for times when they are not under dispatch, depending on the lease.
Who files my Form E or BMC-91X?
Your liability insurance company files them for you. Form E goes to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles for intrastate carriers, and the BMC-91 or BMC-91X goes to the FMCSA for interstate carriers.
Is uninsured motorist coverage required on a commercial truck policy in Texas?
Texas law requires auto liability policies to include uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage unless a named insured rejects it in writing.
What affects the cost of commercial truck liability insurance?
Insurers look at driver experience and records, operating radius, commodities, safety and inspection history, loss history, time in business and the limits and deductibles you choose.
Can a new trucking authority get liability insurance?
Yes. Some insurers write new-venture trucking operations, although options and pricing can be more limited. Driver experience and a clean record help.
Coverage That Works With Truck Liability
Liability is one part of a complete program. See our guide to trucking insurance policies or our overview of trucking insurance in Texas.
Truck Liability Insurance in Lavon & Throughout Texas
We help owner-operators, motor carriers and fleets across Texas, including these North Texas communities:
Compare Commercial Truck Liability in Texas
Tell us about your trucks, drivers and operation. We’ll compare liability options and limits from multiple insurance companies.
Insurance coverage, eligibility, limits, deductibles, exclusions, endorsements, filings, pricing and availability vary by insurance carrier, policy, vehicle, driver, cargo, business classification, operating authority and individual circumstances. This page is general information and is not a contract, legal advice, regulatory advice or a guarantee of coverage or compliance.