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Tractor Trailer Insurance: Cost, Companies & Quotes from $15

Tractor trailers are quite the investment just as enclosed trailers, flatbed trailers, tractors, utility trailers, dump trailers, and other commercial trailers. A simple accident could jeopardize the livelihoods of those that rely on their tractor trailers for financial freedom.

Tractor trailer insurance is a specialized commercial truck insurance product that provides a shield against the costs resulting from liability claims, business property damage, chemical spills, and other exposures. 

Note that tractor trailer truck insurance consists of different types of business insurance policies. Let’s take a look at each in the following sections. 


Commercial Auto Insurance For Tractor Trailers


NEXTGEICOProgressive
Auto liability bodily injury coverage aggregate limit (minimum)$25,000 per injury$50,000 per accident$100,000/$300,000 CSL$25,000 per injury$50,000 per accident
Auto liability property damage aggregate limit (minimum)$15,000$50,000$15,000
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage limit$25,000 per injury$50,000 per accident$100,000/$300,000
$25,000 per injury$50,000 per accident
Rental reimbursement coverage aggregate limit$1,500$900$1,500
Trailers can be added to commercial auto insurance?YesYesYes
Roadside assistance coverage includedYesNoYes
Safe driving discounts included?YesYesYes


Your tractor-trailer constantly travels from one place to the next to deliver products, materials, and goods just like box trucks, car haulers, commercial vans, and cargo vans. Because of this, it’s important to purchase commercial auto insurance.

Commercial auto insurance protects your tractor-trailer against unfortunate events while it’s running on the road.

Different types of coverage comprise commercial auto insurance. The following are the most common inclusions in this commercial tractor trailer insurance.


Auto Liability Coverage

The auto liability coverage of commercial auto insurance covers the medical treatment of injured third parties if your tractor trailer causes an accident. It will also provide compensation for any resulting property damage.

Your tractor trailer must carry the minimum auto liability coverage. The specific amount varies, depending on which state you’re located. Here’s a quick reference.


Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, just like auto liability coverage, is always included in commercial auto insurance. If your tractor-trailer gets involved in an accident caused by a car with no insurance or isn’t adequately insured, this will cover the medical treatment of the driver and the passengers.


Physical Damage Coverage

Physical damage coverage can be optionally included in your commercial auto insurance. Get this if you want to save money on repair or replacement expenses if an accident happens.

There are two types of physical damage coverage-collision and comprehensive. Collision physical damage coverage only covers repair or replacement expenses if your tractor-trailer got damaged after crashing into a car or object.

On the other hand, comprehensive physical damage coverage takes care of damage caused by fire, theft, vandalism, weather, and other covered perils.


Emergency Roadside Assistance

Another optional inclusion to commercial auto insurance is emergency roadside assistance. Emergency roadside assistance coverage kicks in if your tractor-trailer experiences issues while running on the road. This coverage will cover or reimburse the cost of gasoline delivery, tire delivery and replacement, battery jumpstart, towing, and other services.



Truckers General Liability Insurance


CoverWalletNEXT (Best)Hiscox
Per occurrence limit$1,000,000$1,000,000$300,000/$2,000,000
Aggregate limit$2,000,000$1,000,000/$2,000,000$300,000/$2,000,000
Products and completed operations aggregate limit
$2,000,000
$1,000,000$1,000,000
Advertising injury coverage aggregate limit$1,000,000$1,000,000$1,000,000
Tenant’s legal liability coverage limit
$1,000,000
$100,000$100,000
Waiver of subrogation included?YesNoExcluded
Hired/non-owned auto liability coverage included?YesNoExcluded
Equipment breakdown floater included?NoYesExcluded
Can you get a certificate of insurance online?YesYesYes
Name additional insureds?YesYes
Yes
Deductible$0$0$0


It’s smart to get general liability insurance if you don’t only operate a tractor-trailer but also a registered trucking business with a physical space.

Think of this type of tractor trailer insurance coverage as the foundation of your trucking business insurance coverage that protects you from bodily injury liability, property damage liability, and advertising or personal injury liability.

General liability insurance can help if an independent mechanic or any other third party sustains an injury or property damage because of an accident that happened while in the premises of your business. This insurance will cover the following costs:

  • Medical treatment

  • Compensation for the damaged property

  • Legal defense expenses

  • Court judgments


Commercial Property Insurance For Tractor Trailers


CoverWalletNEXT (Best)
Building coverage limit (minimum)$50,000$110,000
Contents coverage limit (minimum)$50,000$15,000
Outdoor signsExcluded$2,500
Accounts receivableExcludedExcluded
Money and securitiesExcluded$2,500
Lock and keysExcluded$2,500
Business interruption floaterExcludedIncluded
Equipment breakdown floaterExcludedIncluded
Inland marine insurance floaterExcludedExcluded
Employee dishonesty floaterExcluded$5,000


Get commercial property insurance if you use a warehouse, office, or any other building to operate a trucking business that uses tractor trailers. Use the table above to compare the quotes of commercial property insurance.

This insurance will grant reimbursement if the building is hit by fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered perils. The coverage of commercial property insurance also applies if furniture, and other valuables inside got damaged.


Business Owner’s Policy For Tractor Trailer Owner-Operators


NEXT (Best)CoverWallet
General liability aggregate limit$2,000,000$2,000,000
Commercial property insurance limit$110,000$50,000
Optional policies can be added?YesYes
Name additional insureds for free?YesYes
BOP discount?YesYes


A business owner’s policy is a combination of general liability insurance and commercial property insurance. It grants protection against legal liabilities and business property damage or loss.

Depending on where you get it, a business owner’s policy might showcase other insurance products such as commercial auto insurance, pollution liability insurance, and more. Take a look at the table above to compare the quotes of companies we recommend for a business owner’s policy.



Pollution Liability Insurance

Get pollution liability insurance if your tractor trailer transports gasoline, wastes, chemicals, and other hazardous substances or materials.

With pollution liability insurance, you can cover legal fees, compensation for injuries and property damage, as well as environmental restitution if your tractor trailer gets involved in an accident and causes a spill.

Depending on which insurance company you approach, pollution liability insurance might be offered as an optional policy to general liability insurance.


MCS90 Endorsement For Tractor Trailers

You might be required by state authorities to attach an MCS-90 endorsement to your commercial auto insurance.

An MCS-90 endorsement acts as proof that you can provide the adequate amount of coverage in case your tractor trailer causes an accident that results in property damage or bodily injuries to the members of the public.

Even if your commercial auto insurance doesn’t basically grant the adequate funds, the MCS90 endorsement sees to it that the insurance company will be compelled to cover the necessary costs on your behalf.

However, note that an insurance company can compel you to return or reimburse any payment it made through an MCS90 endorsement.

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Bobtail Insurance

As agreed upon by the client, you might end up leaving behind the trailer at a designated destination. If an accident were to happen while driving without the trailer being attached, you will not be covered by your commercial auto insurance.

What provides coverage instead is bobtail insurance. This type of commercial insurance for tractor trailers will cover medical expenses or refund the value of damaged properties if you caused an accident while driving a tractor without a trailer (bobtailing or deadheading). But note that for coverage to apply, the accident must have happened while you’re deadheading to get another load. In other words, this tractor and trailer insurance can’t help if you’re using the truck for personal purposes. 


Non Trucking Liability Insurance

You or an employee will use the tractor-trailer to go to a nearby retail store, visit relatives, etc.  And if the tractor-trailer causes an accident while being used for such purposes, know that bobtail insurance and auto liability insurance can’t help. 

Since it’s inevitable not to use a tractor trailer for personal activities sometimes,  insurance companies underwrite non trucking liability insurance

This commercial insurance for tractor trailers covers the medical expenses or property damage of third parties who got involved in an accident you caused while driving a trailer for personal purposes. Coverage kicks in regardless if the tractor is attached to a trailer or not.


Unladen Insurance

Do you plan to get bobtail insurance and non trucking liability insurance? Instead of doing that we recommend you get unladen insurance. Doing so saves time and money. Policy management is also easier. 

Unladen insurance is an inclusion in commercial tractor trailer insurance that has the function of bobtail and non trucking liability  insurance. In other words, it will:

  • Cover medical expenses or refund the value of damaged properties of third parties resulting from an accident you caused while driving a semi truck for personal purposes, which was attached with a trailer or not attached with a trailer

  • Cover medical expenses or refund the value of damaged properties if your tractor trailer causes an accident while deadheading or bobtailing to get another load 


Trailer Interchange Insurance

Tractor and trailer insurance can be added with a trailer interchange insurance policy. Use this if you constantly borrow or hire trailers for your business’s operations. 

When you borrow or hire trailers under a trailer interchange agreement, you become liable to grant compensation or cover repairs in case the trailers get damaged or lost while under your custody. 

The job of trailer interchange insurance is to ensure that you don’t use your own money when doing so. It provides $20,000-$30,000 you can use to cover repairs of damaged hired/borrowed trailers or reimburse the losses of the owner. 


Cargo Insurance For Tractor Trailers

Cargo insurance allows you to cover the load of your tractor-trailer. By having this, you can recover the value of cargo that got damaged because of fire, theft, vandalism, etc., and reimburse the losses of your clients. 

Many clients will ask you to get cargo insurance, especially if the product, materials, and goods they want you to transport are very valuable. The cost of cargo insurance is determined based on a fixed percentage multiplied by the value of the cargo you’re about to transport. And so, it’s hard to determine a fixed cost. 


Workers Compensation Insurance

Cover the operators of your tractor-trailer (if there are any) with workers compensation insurance. Workers compensation insurance can be used if your tractor-trailer operator gets involved in an accident while driving and sustains injury .This will cover the following costs:

  • Medical treatments

  • Hospitalization

  • Medication

  • Rehabilitation and retraining

  • Lost wages

  • Death benefits in case of death



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Tractor Trailer Insurance Cost


Cost per MonthCost per YearDeductible
Cargo insuranceDepends on the value of the cargoDepends on the value of the cargo$1,000
Truckers general liability insurance$50$600$0-$500
Commercial property insurance$54$648$500-$1,000
Commercial auto insurance$83$996$1,000
Business owner’s policy$100$1,200$1,000
Pollution liability insurance$208$2,496$1,000


The average tractor trailer insurance cost is $50 per month or $600 per year for a $1 million trucker’s general liability policy. Tractor trailer insurance rates will vary greatly depending on a number of factors. 

The insurance company will often insist on examining a couple of details before they can determine the premiums of a customer. Some of the factors they will look at include:

  • Your driver, including their driving history

  • Your trucks, specifically the make, model, and year

  • The kind of business you are involved in

  • Insurance records, including the number of accidents and claims filed before

  • The location of your business and the radius of your operation


While usually expensive, you can find cheap tractor trailer insurance quotes by:

  • Having high deductibles

  • Removing useless add-ons from general liability insurance

  • Availing safe driving discounts, CDL discounts, and other initiatives that reduce premiums 


Further below is a breakdown of insurance cost for tractor trailer based on how much the recommended companies charge for a $1 million trucker’s general liability insurance:


Cost per MonthCost per YearBest for
NEXT$30$360Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance
CoverWallet$33$396Tractor trailer insurance online quotes comparison 
Tivly$37$444Comparing tractor trailer insurance quotes over the phone
Hiscox$40$480Tractor trailer insurance with automatic policy renewal
GEICO$45$540Tractor trailer insurance with additional coverage for installed after-market parts
Progressive$49$588Tractor trailer insurance discounts


By the way, in case you’re asking“ how to get tractor trailer insurance near me?”, we suggest you use our online quotes comparison tool. Click the “Get Quotes” button to start. 



Compare Cheap Tractor-Trailer Insurance Quotes Online

Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!

Best Tractor Trailer Insurance Companies 

Finding the best tractor trailer insurance companies depends largely on you and the specific needs that your tractor trailer business has. If you are looking for the best semi tractor trailer insurance companies, here are some to consider. Read some of the reviews below to know their pros, cons, and rate for a $1 million general liability coverage.


NEXT Tractor Trailer Insurance

Pros

  • Best overall

  • Get an online proof of insurance and send as a text message, email, or social media post

  • Fastest general liability insurance

  • Great customer service and reputation

  • Issues an online proof of insurance instantly

  • Outstanding value for money

  • Bundle two or more insurance policies and get a 10% discount

Cons

  • Couldn’t find any 

NEXT sells commercial auto insurance for small businesses that use tractor trailers for their daily operations. However, the coverage isn’t underwritten by NEXT but by its partner, Progressive. Nonetheless, other business insurance policies available, such as general liability and commercial property insurance, are underwritten in-house. 

Best for: Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance

Average cost: $30 per month

Our rating: 10/10


CoverWallet Tractor Trailer Insurance

Pros

  • Instant quotes available online

  • You can purchase a policy and get a certificate of insurance in just a few minutes 

  • For drivers with bad or poor driving records, it's still possible to purchase tractor trailer insurance even though it might be for pricier premiums 

Cons

  • CoverWallet is not an independent carrier but instead an aggregator platform

Granted, CoverWallet is not an independent insurance carrier. Still, even as an aggregator, it provides a suitable platform through which tractor trailer businesses can purchase basic insurance coverage. 

A visit to their official website will yield an instant quote. You can purchase the policy from their website and proceed to get the proof of insurance which will be shared to your email.

Best for: Tractor-trailer insurance quotes comparison online  

Average cost: $33 per month 

Our rating: 10/10 


Tivly Tractor Trailer Insurance

Pros

  • Compare tractor-trailer insurance quotes over the phone

  • Get covered online

  • Work closely with an agent to come up with the most comprehensive cover as a motor carrier or tractor trailer owner-operator 

Cons

  • Specialized tractor-trailer insurance policies come from Progressive

Tivly (formerly CommercialInsurance.NET) provides specialized coverage for tractor-trailers in partnership with Progressive commercial. Policies you can include in your tractor trailer insurance plan are trucker’s general liability, bobtail, and non-trucking liability insurance. Note that you can also buy policies Tivly sells on its own such as general liability, workers compensation, umbrella liability, and commercial property insurance.  

Note that you can also buy the business insurance for tractor trailers from this company through its partners.  Call Tivly now to compare quotes over the phone. 

Best for: Comparing tractor trailer insurance quotes over the phone

Average cost: $37 per month 

Our rating: 10/10


Hiscox Tractor Trailer Insurance

Pros

  • Automatic policy renewal

  • Policy bundle discounts

  • 14-day money-back guarantee

Cons

  • Poor customer reviews 

Hiscox sells commercial auto insurance for tractor trailers in partnership with CyberPolicy. As for other policies such as general liability, business owner’s policy, and cyber liability insurance, Hiscox underwrites these itself. Though you can get covered online, note that some policies might only be available if you speak with an agent. 

Best for: Tractor-trailer insurance with automatic policy renewal

Average cost: $40 per month

Our rating: 9/10



Progressive Tractor Trailer Insurance  

Pros

  • Progressive is a top commercial vehicle insurer in the United States

  • Tractor-trailer insurance is offered to businesses throughout the 50 states, including Washington, DC

  • State and federal insurance filing is free and done within 24 hours 

  • A number of discounts are offered, including a 10% discount for businesses that bundle together several policies 

Cons

  • There's a limit to the travel radius covered within the tractor trailer insurance

Progressive is among the largest US commercial insurance carriers. It offers a variety of commercial tractor trailer insurance with multiple discounts. 

Arguably, Progressive is one of the best when it comes to the tractor trailer insurance coverage due to the sheer range of coverage and features it offers. It offers flexible coverage and payment options. Further, you will enjoy both state and federal insurance filing, which is done within 24 hours and at no cost. 

Some of the discounts that you might enjoy include those designed for businesses that hire drivers with CDL certificates, those given to businesses that invest in electronic logging devices (ELDs), and discounts for bundling together different policies. 

Best for: Tractor trailer insurance discounts

Average cost: $49 per month 

Our rating: 9/10


GEICO Tractor Trailer Insurance

Pros

  • Get a discount if you’re a past GEICO customer

  • Numerous discounts on tractor trailer insurance

  • Allows you to cover after-market attachments to the tractor trailer 

Cons

  • Online quotation available but you might need to talk with an agent to get covered

GEICO is a great option if you’re looking for another carrier that provides a lot of discounts on tractor-trailer insurance. This company reduces its usual rate if you’re a previous customer who wants to buy a business insurance policy for his or her tractor trailer. Other discounts that GEICO offers are CDL discounts, safe driving discounts, and more. 

Best for: Tractor trailer insurance with additional coverage for installed after-market parts

Average cost: $45 per month

Our rating: 9/10


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