FMCSA minimum insurance finder
Find the federal minimum liability a motor carrier must carry by operation, cargo and vehicle weight: $750,000, $1 million, $5 million and more, per 49 CFR 387.
Federal minimum liability (BIPD)
Household goods carriers must also carry cargo insurance of at least $5,000 per vehicle and $10,000 per occurrence (49 CFR 387.303(c)).
An estimate for planning, not a quote, legal advice or an FMCSA determination. Trucking Leads is not affiliated with FMCSA. Check anything that matters against FMCSA or the regulation itself.
The federal minimums at a glance
FMCSA sets floors for public liability insurance, the coverage that pays for injuries and damage a truck or bus causes to others. The figures below come from the schedules in 49 CFR Part 387.
| Operation | Minimum | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| For-hire, non-hazardous property, 10,001 lb or more | $750,000 | 387.9 |
| For-hire, non-hazardous property, under 10,001 lb | $300,000 | 387.303 |
| Hazardous materials, oil, hazardous waste (for-hire or private), 10,001 lb or more | $1,000,000 | 387.9 |
| Listed bulk hazardous materials and route-controlled radioactive, any weight | $5,000,000 | 387.9 |
| Passengers, 16 or more seats | $5,000,000 | 387.33 |
| Passengers, 15 or fewer seats | $1,500,000 | 387.33 |
| Household goods cargo | $5,000 per vehicle / $10,000 per occurrence | 387.303(c) |
For-hire carriers with operating authority must have their insurer file proof of this coverage with FMCSA, usually on Form BMC-91 or BMC-91X. The finder simplifies the regulation's wording; the hazardous-materials categories in particular are defined precisely in 49 CFR 387.9 and the hazardous materials table at 49 CFR 172.101.
For the full picture by operation type, read FMCSA insurance requirements by operation type.
Questions
What is the FMCSA minimum insurance for a semi truck hauling general freight?
$750,000 in public liability (bodily injury and property damage) for a for-hire carrier hauling non-hazardous property across state lines in vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more, under 49 CFR 387.9.
When is $1 million or $5 million required?
Hazardous materials raise the floor. Most hazardous materials, oil and hazardous waste require $1,000,000. Certain bulk hazardous materials, bulk explosives in Divisions 1.1 to 1.3, some bulk poison gases and highway route controlled quantities of radioactive material require $5,000,000. The full list is in the table at 49 CFR 387.9.
What do passenger carriers need?
Under 49 CFR 387.33, for-hire passenger carriers need $5,000,000 for vehicles seating 16 or more including the driver, and $1,500,000 for vehicles seating 15 or fewer.
Are these the amounts agents should sell?
They are legal floors, not recommendations. Brokers, shippers and contracts often ask for more than the federal minimum. This tool does not recommend coverage.
Do intrastate carriers have to meet these minimums?
The federal minimums apply to interstate operations, plus intrastate bulk hazardous materials. Carriers that stay inside one state follow that state's insurance rules, which vary.
More free tools
- MCS-150 due date calculatorEnter a USDOT number to find when its MCS-150 biennial update is due, using the federal schedule in 49 CFR 390.19. Free, instant, no sign-up.
- Trucking insurance x-date estimatorEstimate a truck liability policy's next renewal (x-date) from its effective date, plus the 120-to-30-day window to quote it. A free estimate for agents.
- New trucking authority timelineEnter a carrier's USDOT registration date to see the typical window when it applies for an MC number and needs insurance on file. Free planner for agents.
- Trucking insurance lead ROI calculatorWork out what a list of trucking insurance leads is worth to your agency: contacts, policies, premium written, commission earned and break-even, from your own numbers.