Built for Texas operators

Commercial truck insurance,
explained in plain English.

Plain-English guides to what commercial trucking insurance actually covers, what Texas and the FMCSA require, and what to ask an agent before you buy.

  • Written for owner-operators, new authorities, and fleet managers
  • Every requirement cited to the FMCSA regulation or Texas statute behind it
  • Texas first, with federal rules that apply wherever you run
Pick your truck
Truck type
Coverage requirements, costs, and what to ask an agent.
Texas
Written for Texas operators first
49 CFR 387
Requirements cited to the regulation
$0
Free to read. No signup.
2026
Every requirement verified this year

Policies built around the truck.

The risk on a flatbed isn't the risk on a tanker. Every truck type gets its own breakdown of coverage, requirements, and what drives the premium.

White semi truck with a dry van trailer on an open Texas interstate

Semi Truck

Tractor plus trailer. The bread-and-butter of for-hire trucking.

Semi Truck coverage
Dump truck tipping aggregate at a Texas construction site

Dump Truck

Construction, aggregate, demo. Higher physical-damage risk profile.

Dump Truck coverage
Flatbed trailer loaded with chained steel beams at an industrial yard

Flatbed

Open-deck haulers. Cargo coverage matters most here.

Flatbed coverage
Box truck parked on a Texas suburban commercial street

Box Truck

Local delivery, moving, last-mile. Under-CDL options too.

Box Truck coverage
Flatbed rollback tow truck with its ramp lowered beneath a highway overpass

Tow Truck

On-hook and garage-keepers coverage layered with liability.

Tow Truck coverage
Stainless steel tanker trailer with a placard on a Texas highway

Hazmat / Tanker

Liquid, fuel, dry bulk. Pollution liability often required.

Hazmat / Tanker coverage
View all truck types

Know what you need before you buy.

Each coverage type protects a different part of your operation. Start with what's required, layer in what you actually need.

$750,000 minimum (49 CFR 387.9)

Commercial Auto Liability

Required by FMCSA. Covers bodily injury and property damage to others.

Learn more
$100,000 to $250,000 common

Cargo Insurance

Protects the freight you haul if it's damaged, lost, or stolen in transit.

Learn more
Covers collision + comprehensive

Physical Damage

Covers repairs or replacement of your own truck after a collision or incident.

Learn more
Required by most carriers

Bobtail Insurance

Covers your truck when you're driving without a trailer on business.

Learn more
Also called deadhead coverage

Non-Trucking Liability

Covers personal use of your truck when you're off dispatch.

Learn more
Typical policy: $1M per occurrence

General Liability

Covers non-driving business risks like slips, falls, and property damage.

Learn more
View all coverage types

Built for the Texas trucking market.

Texas is one of the largest commercial trucking markets in the country. Major freight corridors run through the state: I-10 along the Gulf Coast, I-35 from Laredo to Dallas, I-20 east-to-west. Texas operators face risks a generic national marketplace can't price right.

Texas trucking agents worth talking to understand TxDMV requirements, FMCSA filings, hurricane exposure on the Gulf, border-crossing complexity at Laredo and El Paso, and what brokers and shippers in the state actually demand on a Certificate of Insurance. They quote trucks every day. They don't treat your rig like a sedan.

Find an agent near you

Texas cities we cover.

Click your city to see local insurance requirements and what drives premiums there.

All Texas Houston Dallas San Antonio Fort Worth Austin El Paso Laredo

Three steps to buying it right.

STEP01

Know what you need

Start with your truck type. Each page covers the coverage stack, the legal minimums, and what your customers will require on top.

STEP02

Know what moves the price

Authority age, cargo, radius, limits, driving record. The cost guide covers the factors and the only published figures with a real methodology.

STEP03

Find the right agent

Vet a trucking specialist, verify the license with TDI, and compare 3 to 5 quotes. Our agent guide covers exactly what to ask.

Frequently asked.

How much does commercial truck insurance cost in Texas?
It depends on your truck type, cargo, fleet size, operating radius, and safety record, and owner-operators with their own authority pay considerably more than operators leased to a motor carrier. Insureon reports a median of $816 per month for commercial auto among its trucking customers (updated June 2025), and Progressive reports averages of $734 to $926 per month across the new for-hire policies it sold in 2025. Those describe different groups of operators, so treat them as reference points rather than a quote.
What are the minimum insurance requirements for commercial trucks in Texas?
Texas intrastate carriers need a minimum combined single limit of $500,000 for general freight under Texas Transportation Code Chapter 643. Interstate carriers must meet the federal financial responsibility minimums in 49 CFR 387.9: $750,000 for general freight over 10,001 lbs, $1,000,000 for oil transport, and $5,000,000 for hazardous materials. If you ever cross a state line, the federal minimums apply.
Can I get trucking insurance with a new FMCSA authority?
Yes. You must have insurance in place before your FMCSA authority can be activated. Your insurer will need to file a BMC-91 or BMC-91X on your behalf. New authority premiums are typically higher but decrease as you build a clean safety record.
What types of commercial truck insurance do I need?
At minimum, you need commercial auto liability (required by law) and cargo insurance (the FMCSA only mandates cargo coverage for household goods carriers, but brokers and shippers require it from nearly every for-hire operator). Most operators also need physical damage coverage (especially if your truck is financed), and depending on your situation, bobtail insurance, non-trucking liability, general liability, and workers compensation or occupational accident insurance.
What information do I need to get a trucking insurance quote?
Agents will ask for your USDOT and MC numbers (if you have them), truck year, make, model and VIN, driver CDL details and MVR, cargo types, operating radius, years in business, and your loss history. Having this ready before the first call makes the quoting process much faster and the quotes more accurate.
Is InsuredTruck.com an insurance company?
No. InsuredTruck.com is not an insurance company or agency. We publish plain-English guidance on commercial trucking insurance for Texas operators: what coverage does, what the FMCSA and Texas require, and how to find and vet a licensed agent who specializes in trucking.

Not sure what coverage you actually need?

Our guides break down what the FMCSA and Texas require, what each coverage does, and what to ask an agent before you sign anything.

Read the guides