Cargo Insurance for Truckers: Requirements & What to Check

FMCSA does not require cargo insurance for for-hire carriers of general freight; the federal cargo requirement applies only to household goods carriers ($5,000 per vehicle, $10,000 per occurrence, filed on BMC-34 or BMC-83). You still need it in practice, because under the Carmack Amendment (49 U.S.C. §14706) you are liable for actual loss or damage to the freight, and most brokers require proof of cargo coverage.

By TruckerStack Editorial, AK Digital Marketing LLC · Checked against official sources on 2026-11-04 · Editorial policy · Not insurance, legal or financial advice.

Is cargo insurance legally required?

FMCSA's own filing chart lists a cargo insurance requirement of $0 for for-hire property carriers of non-hazardous freight, in both the under-10,001 lb and 10,001 lb-plus classes, and for hazmat carriers. The only motor carriers with a federal cargo requirement are household goods (HHG) movers (FMCSA Insurance Filing Requirements).

Sources: FMCSA Insurance Filing Requirements; 49 CFR 387.301(b) and 49 CFR 387.303(c) (HHG cargo liability). Note: eCFR shows editorial suspension notes on parts of subpart C; FMCSA's chart above reflects how filings are handled today.

State rules can add requirements for intrastate movers. Texas, for example, requires household goods carriers to carry $5,000 per vehicle / $10,000 aggregate cargo coverage; see our Texas guide.

Why you need it anyway: Carmack liability

The Carmack Amendment, 49 U.S.C. §14706, makes an interstate motor carrier that issues or delivers under a bill of lading liable for the actual loss or injury to the property. Failing to issue a bill of lading does not remove that liability. The same statute says a carrier may not set less than 9 months for a shipper to file a claim or less than 2 years to sue after a claim is disallowed in writing.

Your federally required auto liability (the $750,000 under 49 CFR 387.9) exists to protect the public from bodily injury and property damage caused by operating the truck. A motor truck cargo policy is the separate coverage that pays for the freight in your care. Without it, a single theft, rollover or reefer failure can come straight out of your pocket, or out of your factoring reserve.

That is also why brokers and shippers write cargo minimums into carrier agreements and ask for a certificate of insurance before tendering a load. The required limit is whatever your contract says, so read it before you buy a policy.

Limiting liability: released rates

For freight other than household goods, §14706(c)(1)(A) lets a carrier limit its liability to a value declared by the shipper in writing or agreed in a written agreement, if that value is reasonable. In practice, the liability terms that bind you are usually in the broker-carrier agreement and rate confirmation. Many agreements make the carrier liable for full value, so check whether your cargo limit actually matches the value of the loads you accept.

Cargo policy checklist

1. Limit basis: per vehicle, per load or per occurrence? Does it apply to every truck and trailer you run?
2. Scheduled equipment: are your trailers listed? Hot shot carriers should confirm both the pickup and the gooseneck are scheduled.
3. Commodity exclusions: many cargo forms exclude or sub-limit certain goods. Ask for the excluded-commodity list in writing and compare it with what you haul.
4. Theft conditions: unattended-vehicle, locking and parking conditions can void a theft claim.
5. Reefer breakdown: temperature-controlled freight usually needs a specific endorsement.
6. Deductible: who pays it under your broker agreement?
7. Radius and territory: does the policy cover all the states and lanes you run?
8. Additional coverages: debris removal, loading and unloading, and earned freight, if offered.

Avoiding cargo claims

• Note exceptions on the bill of lading at pickup (count, condition, seal number) and get them signed.
• Photograph freight, securement and seals at pickup and delivery.
• Keep reefer temperature logs and download them when there is a dispute.
• Run the broker or shipper through our DOT/MC lookup before booking to confirm authority and bond.

How proof of cargo coverage works

For general freight carriers, cargo coverage is not filed with FMCSA, so it will not appear on FMCSA Licensing & Insurance. Brokers verify it with a certificate of insurance from your agent instead. Household goods carriers are different: their BMC-34 or BMC-83 cargo filing is on record with FMCSA. You can check any carrier's liability filing in our authority & insurance checker.

What affects cargo premiums

Premiums are set by each insurer and we do not publish price estimates. What moves a quote: authority age (new MCs are rated higher), driver MVR and CDL experience, radius and lanes, commodity, vehicle value and GVWR, garaging ZIP, CSA/inspection history (check yours in our DOT lookup), deductibles and limits above the minimum that brokers often require.

For cargo specifically, the commodities you haul and the limit you choose matter most. We do not publish price estimates.

Related

• Commercial truck insurance hub
• Insurance minimums table
• Authority & insurance checker
• Check any carrier's insurance on file
• Owner-operator truck insurance
• Hot shot truck insurance

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