Car Hauler Insurance: Cost & Quotes

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Updated: March 27, 2025 . 8 min read

Written by Ofir Sahar

CEO & Founder

Ofir Sahar

CEO & Founder

Some of the products on this page come from partners who may compensate us when you click on their links or take specific actions. This helps us keep our content free. That said, our opinions are our own and based on independent analysis.

 

A car hauling company transports valuable vehicles that require high level protection. It’s critical to purchase the right car hauler insurance to ensure you’re financially covered in the event of cargo damage, theft, and vandalism. 

Depending on the size of your business, you might need $100,000 to $500,000 in coverage to even bid for a job. Partnering with the right auto hauler insurance company provides access to tailored, low-cost car hauler insurance policies.

 

Car Hauler Trailer Insurance

Whether you’re transporting new cars to a dealership or the CES at Las Vegas Convention Center, you might need extra trailers to haul the cargo. You can insure these trailers with car hauler trailer insurance. Policies included are:

  • Liability insurance – This can be general liability or public liability insurance with a $1 million policy limit. Covers costs of compensation and legal fees if third parties file a property damage or personal injury claim after a car hauler trailer caused an accident.
  • Physical damage insurance for car hauling business – Covers repair and replacement costs if ever the car hauler trailer got damaged because of a collision, arson, theft, and vandalism. The policy limit is $1 million.

 

Hot Shot Car Hauler Insurance

Hot shot trucking involves the haulage of relatively smaller, time-sensitive cargo within a specific timeline, usually to a single customer. Hauling cars, heavy equipment, machinery, boats, etc., are examples of hot shot trucking.

With hot shot hauler insurance for car hauling,  you’ll get protection from claims if ever the hot shot truck and car hauler got involved in an accident. 

Protection begins with a general liability insurance policy having a $2 million policy limit, which covers costs if a hotshot car hauling operation caused an accident and dealt injuries or property damage to third parties

 

Cargo Insurance for Car Haulers

Cargo coverage is an integral policy in a car hauler insurance package. Usually, open-air trailers are used in car haulage. This in turn could result in damage such as scratches and dents.

Cargo insurance for auto haulers is very important. The policy takes care of compensating the client for the total value of their cargo in the event of damage or loss as caused by theft, vandalism, collision, fire, and other named perils.

 

Car Hauler Insurance Requirements

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) specifies the basic car hauling business insurance requirements.

In brief, there are three auto transport insurance requirements. There must be a  minimum of $1,000,000 in liability coverage. 

You’ll also need to meet the minimum of $750,000 to cover specialized operations, Furthermore, you’ll need $100,000-$500,000 cargo insurance to cover costs of cargo damage or loss resulting from theft or vandalism.

Even when you transport economy to mid-range vehicles, you can expect each car to be worth at least $20,000 and $25,000.

The amount you pay for cargo coverage depends on various factors. They include:

  • The type of hauling business you run
  • What types of cars do you haul? Do you transport new, pre-used, or salvaged vehicles?
  • The average distance you cover when delivering cargo
  • The number of car hauling companies you manage
  • Your drivers’ profile and reputation
  • Your company’s total accident rate and traffic tickets

 

Car Hauler Insurance Cost

A major concern for any customer purchasing car hauler insurance is the monthly premiums. Car haulage is a risky job with high liability concerns, contributing to pricey car hauling insurance rates.

So how much is insurance for a car hauler? The most accurate way to determine the cost is to look at the insurance premiums for a company using a 1 car hauler, 2 car hauler, 3 car hauler and so on.

1 Car Hauler Insurance Cost

The cost of 1 car hauler insurance is $810 a month or $9,720 a year for a $1 million liability policy.

 

2 Car Hauler Insurance Cost

2 car hauler insurance premium is $952 a month or $11,424 a year for a $1 million liability coverage.

 

3 Car Hauler Insurance Cost

The cost of 3 car hauler insurance having $1 million liability coverage is $989 a month or $11,868 a year.

 

4 Car Hauler Insurance Cost

Policyholders of 4 car hauler insurance pay $1,113 a month or $13,356 a year for a $1 million liability coverage.

 

5 Car Hauler Insurance Cost

The cost of a 5 car hauler insurance offering $1 million liability coverage is $1,156 a month or $13,872 a year.

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How Much Does A Car Hauler Make?

So how much do car carriers make? The average annual income for a car hauler business is $80,052. We can also determine how much car haulers make based on hourly or monthly income, which is $38.49 and $6,671, respectively.

 Still, how much car hauler make varies greatly, with some earning over $119,000 and others making as low as $42,000, depending on the type or value of the cargo

 All in all, there are no absolute figures that determine how much do auto transporters make. The figures we provided are just estimates according to different factors. 

 

How Much Does A Car Hauler Cost?

Here’s a table showing the pricing for 1 car hauler, 2 car hauler, and others:

Price
1 Car Hauler $3,500
2 Car Hauler $5,613
3 Car Hauler $9,000
4 Car Hauler $12,452
5 Car Hauler $15,000

 

What is A Car Hauler?

A car hauler is a special trailer designed to transport vehicles. Car dealerships and snowbird hauling businesses are the biggest users of car haulers. 

Car hauler can also be a term pertaining to a company or someone who transports cars from one location to the next to earn money.

 

Types Of Car Haulers

Car haulers are available in different types. An auto hauling business must choose the right trailer for the specific kind of cars they haul, not forgetting auto transport trailer insurance. The following are types of car haulers:

  • Open car carriers
  • Luxury car hauler
  • Single car haulers
  • Enclosed commercial car trailer
  • Enclosed multi-leveled carriers

Covered vs Open-Air Car Haulers

A major concern when purchasing car carrier trailers is choosing covered or uncovered haulers. We always recommend that you invest in covered carriers for maximum cargo protection. 

However, if you own an open commercial car trailer, you can invest in car hauler cover – not to be mistaken for lid haulers. Car hauler covers enable you to cover your hauling trailer, protecting the cargo from damage.

 

 

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Best Car Hauler Insurance Companies

 

Coverwallet Car Hauler Insurance

 Coverwallet is not a typical insurer. It is a commercial insurance aggregator, which means it partners with insurance companies and sells their quotes.

 If you’re looking for a car hauler insurance company that offers value, think of Coverwallet. It operates a website where old and new car haulers can effortlessly get quotes and purchase insurance online. With online solutions, customers only take minutes to complete their purchases. 

Average cost: $750 per month

Our Rating: 10/10

Pros

  • A suitable car hauler insurance company for customers looking for value
  • Provides online insurance quotes; customers can also purchase insurance online
  • Wide-ranging insurance options for new car hauler and established car hauler businesses
  • Flexible haulers insurance payment

Cons

  • Not an insurer but an insurance broker; you’ll purchase insurance from a third-party

Progressive

 

Progressive provides tailored insurance plans with flexible coverage and payment gateways. Also, customers can get discounted car hauler insurance quotes online.

 It backs its insurance services with specialized customer support, as well as free federal and state filings. Besides, if you have an insurance claim, Progressive processes the settlement amount within 48 hours.

 

Average cost: $640 per month

Our rating: 8/10

Pros

  • Availability of online car hauler insurance estimates
  • Free state and federal filing
  • Quick reimbursement of insurance claims – 48 hours
  • Progressive insurance products are available countrywide

Cons

  • You have to purchase insurance from an agent
  • History of customer complaints

 

The Hartford

 The Hartford is one of the best insurance carriers for a car hauler business with several trucks and trailers. 

You can buy auto haulers insurance plans throughout the US at highly competitive prices. Expect to deal with an insurance agent since the company doesn’t provide auto transporters insurance quotes online.

Average cost : $825 per month

Our Rating : 8/10

Pros

  • Quality and discounted car hauler insurance coverage backed by a strong history in the industry
  • A suitable insurance carrier for an auto hauler operating a fleet
  • Insurance products available countrywide
  • Provides complimentary coverage

Cons

  • Auto hauling insurance quotes are unavailable online

 

Compare Cheap Car Hauler Insurance Quotes Online

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Sentry

 Sentry specializes in providing one of the cheapest car hauler insurance. It offers customers a high level of personalized service and insurance customizations.

Although the company centers its business on single-truck owners, it also provides car carrier insurance coverage for large fleets. The only downside is that it doesn’t offer online quotes, and customers have to work with a Sentry insurance agent.

 

Average cost: $943 per month

Our Rating:   8/10

Pros

  • Best car hauler insurance provider for single car haulers
  • Highly personalized insurance plans and purchasing experience
  • Affordable car trailer insurance from an experienced provider

Cons

  • The company doesn’t provide online auto hauler insurance quotes
  • Customers have to purchase cargo insurance from a broker

 

State Farm

  State Farm offers car haulers insurance policies for small and large auto trucking companies. You can purchase State Farm cargo insurance in any state, although you’ll need to find an agent.

 Average cost: $971 per month

Our Rating: 8/10

Pros

  • Excellent car carrier insurance in terms of customer satisfaction
  • Car hauler insurance coverage available across the US

Cons

  • State Farm’s coverage is limited by mileage

 

 

About the author

Ofir Sahar

Ofir is the founder and CEO of Insuranks. He established Insuranks in 2019 from scratch and has been running educational insurance websites since 2009 on a mission to help businesses...See full bio.

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