Commercial truck insurance cost: the averages, the minimums, and what moves your quote
Steve Woods · Lead Dispatcher, TruckSprint
Steve Woods leads the TruckSprint dispatch desk and reviews every guide we publish. How we research and update guides.
Updated October 2026
Quick answer
Commercial truck insurance cost averaged 10.6 cents per mile in 2025, according to ATRI, about $10,600 a year at 100,000 miles. That average leans toward larger fleets; new authorities and small carriers often pay more. The federal floor for for-hire general freight is $750,000 liability, and most brokers want $1,000,000 plus cargo coverage.
Source: ATRI, Operational Costs of Trucking (2025 data) · checked 2026-10
Insurance is the bill that surprises new carriers most, and the one where internet "average premiums" are least reliable. I'm Steve, lead dispatcher at TruckSprint. We see what coverage brokers ask for every day, and we've watched good carriers lose loads over a certificate that didn't match. This guide uses only sourced numbers and tells you what really moves your quote.
What the average costs
ATRI's annual cost survey is the most-cited source for trucking costs. For 2025, it put insurance at 10.6 cents per mile, out of a total of about $2.34 per mile to run a truck.
Source: ATRI, An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking (2025 data), as reported by FreightWaves 2026-07-15 · checked 2026-10
| EXAMPLE miles per year | At ATRI's 2025 average |
|---|---|
| 60,000 | $6,360 |
| 100,000 | $10,600 |
| 120,000 | $12,720 |
Two cautions. ATRI's data comes mostly from established fleets with loss history and buying power, so a one-truck new authority should expect to pay more than the average. And per-mile cost falls as miles rise, because much of a premium is fixed per truck. For a figure closer to your own situation, use our truck insurance cost estimator.
The federal minimums
| Carrier and cargo | Minimum public liability | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| For-hire, interstate, general freight, 10,001 lb GVWR or more | $750,000 | 49 CFR 387.9 |
| Oil and most listed hazmat | $1,000,000 | 49 CFR 387.9 |
| Certain bulk hazmat, explosives, poison gas, radioactive | $5,000,000 | 49 CFR 387.9 |
| Cargo, general freight | No federal minimum | 49 CFR 387.303 (household goods only) |
Source: 49 CFR 387.9 and 387.303, eCFR · checked 2026-10
The federal minimum is the floor for keeping your authority. It isn't what brokers require. Most brokers want $1,000,000 in auto liability and a cargo policy, and programs like Amazon Relay list their own requirements on top. Your certificate of insurance has to show all of it, which is why the COI is the most common hold-up in carrier packet setup.
Which coverages you need
What you need depends on your equipment, whether you run under your own authority, whether the truck is financed, and whether you have employees. Set yours:
Build your coverage list
- Primary auto liabilityFederal minimum
$750,000 for general freight (49 CFR 387.9); many brokers want $1,000,000.
- Motor truck cargoUsually required by brokers
No federal cargo minimum for general freight; brokers and shippers set the limit. Check exclusions for your commodity.
- Physical damageRequired by your lender
Covers your truck and trailer. Lenders require it; if you own outright, price it against what a total loss would cost you.
- General liabilityWorth pricing
Covers non-driving claims, like damage at a dock. Some programs require it (Amazon Relay: $1M/$2M).
Industry average budget: $10,600 a year at 10.6 cents a mile (ATRI, 2025 data). That's an average across mostly larger fleets, not a quote; new authorities and small fleets can pay more.
The common coverages, in plain terms:
- Primary auto liability pays for injuries and damage you cause to others. Federally required under your own authority.
- Motor truck cargo pays for the freight you're hauling. Brokers set the limit.
- Physical damage pays to repair or replace your truck and trailer. Lenders require it.
- Non-trucking liability (bobtail) covers a leased owner-operator when not under dispatch.
- Trailer interchange covers trailers you pull but don't own, which matters for power only.
- General liability covers non-driving claims, such as damage at a customer's dock.
- Workers' compensation or occupational accident covers injuries to you or your drivers.
What moves your quote
Insurers don't publish their rating formulas, so treat these as directions, not percentages:
- Time in business. New authorities usually pay more; the first clean renewal often helps.
- Driver records and experience. Violations, accidents and young or new drivers raise rates.
- Equipment and value. A newer, more expensive truck costs more to cover for physical damage.
- Cargo. Hazmat, high-value freight and vehicles need higher limits or special coverage.
- Where you run and garage the truck. Dense urban areas and some states cost more.
- Radius and miles. Long-haul and high-mileage operations carry more exposure.
- Safety record. Inspection results and out-of-service rates follow you.
Box truck vs semi insurance
A 26 ft box truck running for-hire interstate at 10,001 lb GVWR or more has the same $750,000 federal liability floor as a semi, and brokers usually ask box trucks for the same $1,000,000 and cargo coverage. Where the cost often differs is physical damage (a lower-value truck) and miles (local and regional runs). We couldn't find a reliable published average premium for box trucks alone, so we don't quote one; get two or three real quotes. If you run a 26 ft box truck, our box truck dispatch page shows how we find freight for it.
Getting quotes
- Use an agent who writes trucking and works with several insurers. One-carrier agents give you one price.
- Have the facts ready: USDOT and MC, drivers' license details and records, truck and trailer VINs and values, cargo types, operating radius and states.
- Ask for the exact limits brokers require, not just the federal minimum.
- Read the cargo exclusions for your freight: unattended vehicles, reefer breakdown, specific commodities.
- Compare like for like: limits, deductibles and exclusions, not just the premium.
- Ask how payments work. A missed payment can cancel the filing and put your authority at risk.
Lowering the cost without cutting corners
- Keep inspections clean. Fix defects before a roadside inspector finds them.
- Hire carefully. Driver records drive premiums.
- Raise deductibles only to a level you can actually pay.
- Consider safety technology some insurers credit, such as cameras or telematics. Ask what yours recognizes.
- Shop at renewal once you have a clean year of history.
Never cut liability below what your brokers require to save money; you'll save on premium and lose the freight. Put your insurance cost into your real cost per mile so every rate you accept covers it.