Insurance requirements by truck type: semi, box truck, dump truck, hot shot and cargo van

Checked against official sources · Last reviewed October 6, 2026

The federal insurance minimums are set by weight rating and cargo, not by truck type. A for-hire carrier hauling non-hazardous freight across state lines needs at least $750,000 in public liability coverage for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,001 pounds or more. The lower $300,000 applies only when the whole fleet is made up of vehicles under 10,001 pounds GVWR.

FMCSA doesn't require cargo insurance for general freight. Below, each truck type is described by the weight lines that can apply to it, so you can check your own truck's rating against them. [1][2][5]

Quick comparison by weight rating

This table is for a for-hire carrier hauling non-hazardous freight in interstate commerce. Find the row that matches your truck and read across. Each rule measures weight its own way: the insurance minimums are written in terms of GVWR (the rule text doesn't say how a towed trailer counts; see the hot shot section), the CDL test uses the rating or the actual weight (whichever is greater), and IFTA counts axles and gross or registered gross weight.

Form 2290 (the heavy vehicle use tax) is separate from all of these: you file it for a vehicle with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 lbs or more. Hazardous materials change the insurance and CDL columns; see the hazmat section below.

Sources: [1][2][3][4][10][11][12][13][14]

Semi trucks (tractor-trailers)

A tractor pulling a trailer is a combination. It needs a Class A CDL when the combination is rated, or actually weighs, 26,001 lbs or more and the towed unit is rated (or weighs) over 10,000 lbs. Anyone getting a Class A or B CDL for the first time must finish entry-level driver training from a provider on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry.

For a for-hire carrier of non-hazardous freight across state lines, the minimum liability coverage is $750,000 for vehicles rated 10,001 lbs or more.

• IFTA: a combination over 26,000 lbs, or a vehicle with three or more axles, is an IFTA qualified vehicle. If you're based in an IFTA member jurisdiction and run it in two or more member jurisdictions, you generally need an IFTA license.
• Form 2290: you file for a vehicle with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 lbs or more. The tax is $100 a year plus $22 per 1,000 lbs over 55,000, and $550 a year for vehicles over 75,000 lbs.

If you lease your truck to another carrier instead of running under your own authority, the lease must say who provides any other insurance for the leased truck, such as bobtail insurance. See truck insurance types. [1][4][10][11][12][13][15][16][17]

Box trucks

A single truck rated 26,001 lbs or more needs a Class B CDL. The CDL test uses the rating or the actual weight, whichever is greater. A box truck rated 26,000 lbs is under the line, but running it at an actual weight of 26,001 lbs or more brings it within the CDL rules.

The insurance minimum uses the rating. A box truck rated 10,001 lbs or more falls under the $750,000 minimum for non-hazardous freight hauled for hire across state lines. A box truck rated under 10,001 lbs qualifies for the $300,000 filing only if every vehicle in your fleet is under 10,001 lbs.

• IFTA: a two-axle truck becomes an IFTA qualified vehicle when its gross or registered gross weight is over 26,000 lbs.
• Form 2290: only at a taxable gross weight of 55,000 lbs or more.

For the CDL, USDOT number and other rules, see box truck business. [1][2][10][11][12][13]

Dump trucks

The same weight lines apply to a dump truck. Check its rating:

• Rated 10,001 lbs or more: the $750,000 minimum applies if you haul non-hazardous property for hire across state lines.
• Rated or loaded to 26,001 lbs or more: the driver needs a Class B CDL. If it also pulls a trailer rated over 10,000 lbs and the combination is 26,001 lbs or more, that is Class A.
• Three or more axles: an IFTA qualified vehicle regardless of weight. A two-axle truck qualifies when it is over 26,000 lbs.
• Taxable gross weight of 55,000 lbs or more: you file Form 2290.

The $750,000 row in the federal table is written for for-hire carriers. If you haul only your own cargo as a private carrier, you don't need operating authority, which is what triggers the insurance filing with FMCSA. [1][5][10][11][12][13][18]

Hot shot trucks (pickup and trailer)

A pickup pulling a gooseneck or flatbed trailer needs a Class A CDL when the combination is rated, or weighs, 26,001 lbs or more and the trailer is rated (or weighs) over 10,000 lbs. A combination whose rating and actual weight both stay under 26,001 lbs needs no CDL for non-hazmat freight. The federal safety rules' definition of a commercial motor vehicle also counts the combination rating or weight, at 10,001 lbs or more.

Insurance is different. The federal insurance rows are written in terms of a vehicle's GVWR, and the definitions for those rules (49 CFR 387.5) don't define "motor vehicle" or a combination weight rating. If the pickup itself is rated 10,001 lbs or more, the $750,000 minimum applies to non-hazardous freight hauled for hire across state lines. The $300,000 filing is for a fleet that includes only vehicles under 10,001 lbs GVWR.

If the pickup is rated under 10,001 lbs, don't assume the trailer is ignored. The insurance rules say a truck and trailer that together bear a single load are regarded as one motor vehicle, and FMCSA guidance asks "Does the GVWR apply to the power unit only?" and answers "No." Neither says how the trailer's rating is counted, so confirm with FMCSA before you plan around $300,000 for a pickup-and-trailer rig.

An IFTA qualified vehicle includes a combination over 26,000 lbs. Details for hot shot carriers are on hot shot trucking. [1][2][3][4][6][10][11][12][19]

Cargo vans

The federal 387.9 rules and the MCS-90 requirement don't apply to a vehicle rated under 10,001 lbs GVWR unless it hauls certain high-hazard materials. A separate rule covers carriers with operating authority: if your fleet includes only vehicles under 10,001 lbs GVWR hauling non-hazardous property, the minimum filing is $300,000. FMCSA's filing chart shows the same amount.

The $300,000 applies to the whole fleet. Add one vehicle rated 10,001 lbs or more, and the $300,000 fleet row no longer fits; that vehicle falls under the $750,000 row. A cargo van rated 10,001 lbs or more is under the $750,000 row on its own.

If the van tows a trailer, don't go by the van's rating alone: FMCSA guidance asks "Does the GVWR apply to the power unit only?" and answers "No." See the hot shot section above.

A non-hazmat freight vehicle under the Class A and B thresholds doesn't need a CDL under federal rules. [1][2][3][5][10][14][20]

Hazardous materials raise the minimums

Hazmat changes the numbers for every truck type:

• $1,000,000 for oil, hazardous waste and hazardous materials not in the $5 million rows, in vehicles rated 10,001 lbs or more (interstate in any quantity; intrastate in bulk only).
• $5,000,000 for certain bulk hazardous materials (for example, hazardous substances in bulk in cargo tanks, portable tanks or hopper-type vehicles) and highway route controlled quantities of Class 7 material, in vehicles rated 10,001 lbs or more.
• $5,000,000 even under 10,001 lbs GVWR for bulk Division 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.3 Hazard Zone A or 6.1 Packing Group I Hazard Zone A material, or highway route controlled quantities of Class 7 material, in interstate or foreign commerce.

A vehicle carrying hazardous materials in a quantity that requires placarding is a commercial motor vehicle regardless of weight. If it is below the Class A and B lines, the driver needs a Class C CDL. The full table is on trucking insurance requirements. [1][10][21]

Cargo insurance is not federally required for general freight

FMCSA's filing chart lists the cargo insurance requirement as $0 for general-freight property carriers, whatever the truck. Household goods carriers are the exception: $5,000 per vehicle and $10,000 per occurrence.

That doesn't mean you can't be on the hook for freight. Federal law (49 U.S.C. 14706) makes a carrier under FMCSA jurisdiction liable for the actual loss or injury to the property it transports. The MCS-90 endorsement on your liability policy doesn't cover the cargo you haul. See motor truck cargo insurance. [2][5][22][23]

When the insurance filing is required

You need interstate operating authority if you haul federally regulated commodities owned by others, for compensation, across state lines. You don't need it if you haul only your own cargo, only exempt commodities, or only inside an exempt commercial zone.

Once you apply for authority, your insurance company files proof of coverage with FMCSA for you (Form BMC-91 or BMC-91X, or a BMC-82 surety bond). FMCSA won't grant authority until the required coverage is on file. See MC authority. [5][18]

What carriers paid: ATRI's 2024 figures by fleet size

A DOT (Volpe Center) study summarized by FMCSA in 2014 found that comprehensive premium data weren't readily available, because insurance underwriting is specific to each carrier, with no uniform pricing practices.

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) reports what carriers actually paid. In its 2025 report, premiums averaged $0.102 per mile in 2024. In ATRI's 2024 data, small specialized fleets (25 trucks or fewer) paid more than twice that. ATRI's figures cover auto liability and cargo coverage, not physical damage or workers' compensation. They are broken out by fleet sector and size, not by truck type, so treat them as averages, not a price for your truck. More on trucking insurance cost.

Sources: [24][25]

Common questions