How much does insurance cost for a trucking company?
$734 to $926 a month per truck is Progressive's 2025 national average for new for-hire truck policies, about $8,800 to $11,100 a year per power unit, for liability and physical damage with no driver violations. Its tow truck figures are lower, a median of $355 and an average of $606 a month, and its box truck cost page prints no figure. Treat each as one carrier's clean-record benchmark, not a quote: Progressive names the truck, the cargo, the radius, the coverage required, the drivers' records and whose authority you run under as what moves its price.
Updated . Written by Andre Beukers, principal at Redoubt, a commercial insurance agency in Salt Lake City, not a government office.
How much do owner-operators pay for insurance per month?
Progressive publishes a per-truck figure: "The national average monthly commercial truck insurance cost with Progressive Commercial ranged from $734 for specialty truckers to $926 for transport truckers." Transport means general freight and autos; specialty means niches such as garbage, septic waste and logging. The footnote narrows it to 2025 new policies, per power unit, for liability and physical damage, with no driver violations. Cargo is not in that number, and neither is a driver with a ticket; Progressive says even a minor speeding ticket "can significantly increase your rate."
Whose authority you run under also matters. Progressive says "Leasing to a company is usually cheaper than working under your own authority," because the motor carrier typically covers primary liability while you are under dispatch, though you may still need non-trucking or bobtail coverage for the rest of the time. A brand-new authority is its own price question; the two new-authority quotes Redoubt delivered in 2026, one truck each, came to $19,486 a year for a reefer semi with cargo and $27,991 for a hotshot with $1 million of liability.
On paying monthly, Progressive says most customers "can save 10% or more when they pay their policy in full."
Which coverages make up a trucking company's insurance bill?
A trucking quote is a stack of separate coverages, and two quotes compare only when the stacks match. Liability is the part the law requires: 49 CFR 387.9 sets $750,000 for a for-hire carrier hauling nonhazardous property in interstate commerce in a truck of 10,001 lb GVWR or more. A broker writes its own number on top: TQL requires "Minimum $1 million auto liability insurance" and a "Minimum $100,000 cargo insurance policy" to haul for it.
Cargo is a contract term for general freight, not a federal one: FMCSA's filing chart lists $0 of cargo insurance for for-hire nonhazardous property carriers. On physical damage, Progressive says the coverage "is usually required for trucks with an outstanding loan or lease" and that raising the deductible can reduce your total cost; the amount that binds you is whatever your own loan or lease says.
| Coverage | Who asks for it | Where it says so |
|---|---|---|
| Primary auto liability | FMCSA ($750,000 on the four conditions above); brokers such as TQL ($1 million) | 49 CFR 387.9; TQL carrier FAQ |
| Motor truck cargo | Brokers such as TQL ($100,000); FMCSA lists $0 for general freight | TQL carrier FAQ; FMCSA filing chart |
| Physical damage | A lender or lessor, in its own contract; Progressive says it is usually required on a financed or leased truck | Progressive cost page; your loan or lease |
| Non-trucking or bobtail | Owner-operators leased to a motor carrier, for time off dispatch | Progressive cost page |
How much does semi truck insurance cost?
Progressive's semi truck page gives the same $734 to $926 monthly range. Per mile is the other way to see it. ATRI's May 2026 release on its carrier study reports that "liability insurance premium costs rose by 18.6 percent to 10.2 cents per mile" from 2021 to 2024. That is an average across the carriers ATRI studied, not a quote for one truck.
How much is insurance for a box truck?
Progressive's box truck cost page prints no figure. It says the monthly cost "will vary based on specific factors unique to your business" and lists truck size, the number of trucks, cargo, driving record, radius, limits and deductibles. On size, it says bigger trucks usually cost more because they are more expensive to replace, carry more valuable cargo and have increased liability.
Weight sets the legal floor. A box truck of 10,001 lb GVWR or more hauling general freight for hire across state lines falls under the same $750,000 federal schedule as a semi, and a broker floor such as TQL's $1 million applies to it too. One box-truck owner who called Redoubt on October 1, 2026 was paying about $2,700 a month for a single truck on a direct policy.
How much is tow truck insurance, and why is it so expensive?
Progressive says: "In 2025, the median monthly cost of tow truck insurance was $355 for new Progressive Commercial customers. The average premium was $606 per month." It adds that most customers pay closer to the median because expensive outliers pull the average up. Both figures are per power unit for liability and physical damage with no driver violations, and both sit below Progressive's for-hire freight average of $734 to $926.
No published figure explains why a given tow policy costs what it does. Progressive lists tow truck type and age, location, type of towing, driving record, claims history and coverage limits as its cost factors. In Utah, UDOT rule R909-19-5 sets the limits a tow carrier must carry: $750,000 per occurrence for emergency moves and $1,000,000 for non-emergency moves. The customer's car on the hook is another matter; Progressive says on-hook towing insurance "can be added to your liability policy to cover your customers' vehicles while you're towing them."
Does a trucking company pay less per truck as it adds trucks?
None of the Progressive pages we read prints a per-truck price by fleet size. Its averages are per power unit, and its box truck cost page counts the number of trucks both ways: "The more box trucks you have, the higher the risk of accidents, resulting in more insurance claims. On the flipside, you may get a discount on your premium by insuring multiple vehicles."
Its discount page says customers who enroll in Snapshot ProView "can automatically save 5% off their commercial auto policy," and that the program "gives businesses with three or more vehicles access to free fleet management tools." ATRI's May 2026 release reports a finding among its study's respondents, not a price any insurer offers: "Fleets with more retained risk in their primary coverage layer experienced lower combined liability losses and premium costs during this period, regardless of size."
When you add a truck, ask for the premium on that unit by itself as well as the new policy total; the per-unit number is the one to set against Progressive's per-power-unit figures.
Is truck insurance cheaper in California, Florida or Texas?
No published figure answers that. Progressive's California, Florida and New Jersey truck pages repeat the national $734 to $926 range, and its Texas and Utah pages print no price. Its cost page says only that "Commercial truck insurance rates vary by state" and that heavy traffic, roadwork and accidents can raise them. What each state does put in writing is a liability floor, and those floors are far apart.
A floor is what a truck may legally run with, not what a load requires. A 26,000 lb Florida box truck running only inside Florida meets 627.7415 at $50,000; to haul for TQL it still needs $1 million.
| State | Minimum liability | Where it says so |
|---|---|---|
| California | $750,000 combined single limit for every motor carrier of property; $300,000 for a carrier running only vehicles under 10,000 lb GVWR and hauling no bulk petroleum or hazardous material | Cal. Vehicle Code 34631.5(a) |
| Florida | For commercial vehicles on Florida roads: $50,000 from 26,000 lb, $100,000 from 35,000 lb, $300,000 from 44,000 lb; the federal amount for trucks under 49 CFR 387 | Fla. Stat. 627.7415 |
| Texas | $500,000 for private or for-hire carriers over 26,000 lb | TxDMV motor carrier insurance table |
| Utah | $750,000 for private intrastate carriers; the rule states no figure for for-hire general freight | Utah Admin. Code R909-1-4(2) |
| Any state, crossing state lines | $750,000 for for-hire nonhazardous property at 10,001 lb GVWR and up | 49 CFR 387.9 |
What do you need to get a commercial truck insurance quote?
Progressive's own quote steps start with three facts: "Collect relevant information, such as the vehicle's make and model, a list of drivers, and operating radius." Add what you haul, whose authority you run under and the limits your broker or lender wrote down, and the markets price the operation you actually run.
Redoubt's trucking page says: "We compare rates across our full carrier network to find the best coverage at the most competitive price." Send the packet below with the first message and that comparison starts from real facts.
What to send for a trucking insurance quote
- 1.Your USDOT and MC numbers, and the trucks already on your policy
- 2.The truck you are adding and the date you want it covered
- 3.Year, make, model, VIN and GVWR of every truck and trailer
- 4.Each driver's name, date of birth, license number and years driving commercially
- 5.What you haul, your longest regular run and the states you cross
- 6.The limits your broker, shipper or lender wrote down, such as $1 million liability or $100,000 cargo
- 7.The lender or lessor on each financed or leased unit
- 8.Your current declarations page and loss runs, if you are insured now
- 9.Whether you will run under your own authority or leased on to a motor carrier
Does a semi cost more to insure than a pickup?
For the same load, Progressive says yes: it generally costs more to cover a heavy semi truck than a lighter pickup truck carrying the same product, because the semi can cause more damage in an accident.
Does running local instead of regional lower the price?
Progressive says insurers look at whether you cross state lines or work in a single state, and that a semi truck driver who travels regionally will usually pay more than one whose routes are local.
Does a newer truck cost less to insure?
It can. Progressive says newer trucks with advanced safety features might cost less to insure because they reduce the likelihood of accidents and theft.
Where these answers come from
Each entry carries the exact words of the source so you can check it yourself. Forms, rules and carrier pages change; read the current version before acting.
- 1. Progressive Commercial, Commercial Truck Insurance Cost, national average
“The national average monthly commercial truck insurance cost with Progressive Commercial ranged from $734 for specialty truckers to $926 for transport truckers.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026. Read by curl with a browser user agent and in Chrome. A carrier's statement about its own customers' premiums. The page defines transport as truckers who haul goods such as general freight and autos, and specialty as niches such as garbage, septic waste or logging. - 2. Progressive Commercial, Commercial Truck Insurance Cost, footnote to the average
“2025 new policy premium per power unit for liability and physical damage coverage for policies with no driver violations.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026. The same footnote is attached to the tow truck figures and to the state pages' repeat of the national average. - 3. Progressive Commercial, Commercial Truck Insurance Cost, driving history
“Accidents and violations impact commercial truck insurance premiums more than typical auto policies because large, heavy vehicles can cause more damage. Even a minor speeding ticket on a trucker's driving history can significantly increase your rate.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 4. Progressive Commercial, Commercial Truck Insurance Cost, USDOT authority
“Leasing to a company is usually cheaper than working under your own authority because it can help with:”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 5. Progressive Commercial, Commercial Truck Insurance Cost, primary liability when leased
“When you're leased to a company, they typically cover primary liability while under dispatch. You may still need non-truck or bobtail coverage to fill the gaps, but your overall insurance costs are often lower.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 6. Progressive Commercial, Commercial Truck Insurance Cost, paid in full discount
“Most customers can save 10% or more when they pay their policy in full.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026. Progressive's statement about its own discount; its footnote says it is not available in all states and situations. - 7. Progressive Commercial, Commercial Truck Insurance Cost, adjusting coverages and limits
“For example, physical damage coverage is usually required for trucks with an outstanding loan or lease. To reduce your total cost, you could simply raise your deductible.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026. Progressive's description of lenders' practice; the lender's own contract is the requirement. - 8. Progressive Commercial, Commercial Truck Insurance Cost, location
“Commercial truck insurance rates vary by state. You can sometimes expect to pay more if you operate in locations with heavy traffic, roadwork, and accidents.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 9. Progressive Commercial, Commercial Truck Insurance Cost, truck type and age
“it generally costs more to cover a heavy semi truck than a lighter pickup truck carrying the same product because the semi truck can cause more damage in an accident.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 10. Progressive Commercial, Commercial Truck Insurance Cost, vehicle age
“Newer trucks with advanced safety features might cost less to insure because they reduce the likelihood of accidents and theft.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 11. Progressive Commercial, Commercial Truck Insurance Cost, operating radius
“Specifically, insurers consider whether you drive across state lines or work in a single state. For example, a semi truck driver who travels regionally will usually pay more for insurance than a driver whose routes are local.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 12. Progressive Commercial, Semi Truck and Trailer Insurance, cost
“from Progressive Commercial ranges from $734 to $926 per month, depending on whether you're a for-hire specialty or transport trucker.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026. The sentence opens "The average monthly cost of commercial truck insurance"; the page then lists location, coverage selections, insurance limits, annual mileage and industry-specific risks. - 13. Progressive Commercial, Semi Truck and Trailer Insurance, how to get insurance for a tractor trailer
“Collect relevant information, such as the vehicle's make and model, a list of drivers, and operating radius.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 14. Progressive Commercial, Box Truck Insurance Cost
“The average cost of box truck insurance per month will vary based on specific factors unique to your business.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026. The page prints no dollar figure. It lists truck type and size, number of trucks, cargo, driving record, operating distance and location, coverage limits and deductibles. - 15. Progressive Commercial, Box Truck Insurance Cost, truck type and size
“Bigger trucks usually come with higher insurance costs since they're typically more expensive to replace, carry more valuable cargo, and have increased liability.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026. The preceding sentence describes box trucks ranging from smaller straight trucks to 26-foot heavy-duty models. - 16. Progressive Commercial, Box Truck Insurance Cost, number of box trucks you own
“The more box trucks you have, the higher the risk of accidents, resulting in more insurance claims. On the flipside, you may get a discount on your premium by insuring multiple vehicles.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026. Read by curl with a browser user agent. Progressive's statement about its own pricing. - 17. Progressive Commercial, Commercial Auto Insurance Discounts, Snapshot ProView
“Customers can automatically save 5% off their commercial auto policy just for enrolling. It also gives businesses with three or more vehicles access to free fleet management tools”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026. Read by curl with a browser user agent. The box truck cost page lists Snapshot ProView among its box truck discounts; the discount page marks its discounts as available to qualified customers. - 18. Progressive Commercial, Tow Truck Insurance, how much is tow truck insurance
“In 2025, the median monthly cost of tow truck insurance was $355 for new Progressive Commercial customers. The average premium was $606 per month.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026. Same footnote as the truck average: 2025 new policy premium per power unit, liability and physical damage, no driver violations. - 19. Progressive Commercial, Tow Truck Insurance, median and average
“Most customers pay closer to the median rate because expensive outliers drive up the average cost.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 20. Progressive Commercial, Tow Truck Insurance, tow truck insurance cost factors
“Many factors influence your wrecker insurance cost, including: Tow truck type and age Your location Type of towing Driving record Claims history Coverage limits”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026. List items run together as the page prints them. - 21. Progressive Commercial, Tow Truck Insurance, on-hook towing insurance
“can be added to your liability policy to cover your customers' vehicles while you're towing them.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026. The sentence opens "On-hook towing insurance". - 22. Progressive Commercial, Florida Truck Insurance, cost
“for new commercial truck insurance with Progressive Commercial ranges from $734 to $926, depending on whether you're a specialty or transport trucker.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026. The sentence opens "In 2025, the national average monthly cost". The California and New Jersey pages print the same national range; the Texas and Utah truck pages print no price. - 23. American Transportation Research Institute, press release on motor carrier responses to rising insurance costs, May 19, 2026
“From 2021 to 2024, liability insurance premium costs rose by 18.6 percent to 10.2 cents per mile”
truckingresearch.org, accessed October 3, 2026. The release reports figures from ATRI's study respondents. The full report sits behind a download form and was not read. - 24. American Transportation Research Institute, press release on motor carrier responses to rising insurance costs, May 19, 2026, retained risk
“Fleets with more retained risk in their primary coverage layer experienced lower combined liability losses and premium costs during this period, regardless of size.”
truckingresearch.org, accessed October 3, 2026. The period is 2021 to 2024. A finding across ATRI's study respondents; the full report was not read. - 25. 49 CFR 387.9, schedule of limits, row 1, eCFR
“For-hire (In interstate or foreign commerce, with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 or more pounds) Property (nonhazardous) $750,000”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Pulled through the eCFR versioner API (2026-10-01 snapshot, the latest issue for title 49). Oil and most hazardous materials carry $1,000,000 and bulk explosives and similar loads $5,000,000. - 26. FMCSA, Insurance Filing Requirements, chart row for for-hire property carriers (non-hazardous), 10,001 pounds and up
“For-Hire Property Carriers (Non-Hazardous) GVWR ≥ 10,001 pounds $750,000 $0 $0 BMC-91, or BMC-91X, or BMC-82”
fmcsa.dot.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Cells of a table: entity, vehicle type, BIPD, cargo, surety bond or trust fund, applicable forms. Read in Chrome; fmcsa.dot.gov returns 403 to curl. Page last updated March 26, 2026. Household goods carriers are the row with a cargo figure ($5,000). - 27. TQL, Carrier FAQs, what do I need to start hauling for TQL
“To haul for TQL we require: Valid MC or US DOT number Minimum $1 million auto liability insurance Minimum $100,000 cargo insurance policy”
tql.com, accessed October 3, 2026. List items run together as the page prints them. The list continues with reefer breakdown, if applicable, and a completed carrier contract. - 28. Utah Admin. Code R909-19-5(1), UDOT tow truck rule, insurance
“Tow truck motor carriers performing emergency moves shall maintain liability insurance coverage of at least $750,000 per occurrence. Tow truck motor carriers performing non-emergency moves shall maintain liability insurance coverage of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence.”
adminrules.utah.gov, accessed October 3, 2026 - 29. Utah Admin. Code R909-1-4(2), UDOT, insurance for private intrastate carriers
“Each intrastate private motor carrier must have a minimum amount of $750,000 liability.”
adminrules.utah.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Paragraph (3) sets $1,000,000 for oil and hazmat carriers. The rule states no figure for intrastate for-hire carriers of general freight; that gap is open. - 30. California Vehicle Code 34631.5(a)(1), motor carriers of property, insurance
“shall provide and thereafter continue in effect adequate protection against liability imposed by law upon those carriers for the payment of damages in the amount of a combined single limit of not less than seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000)”
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Paragraph (a)(2) sets $300,000 for carriers that operate only vehicles under 10,000 pounds GVWR and haul no petroleum or hazmat; (a)(3) and (a)(4) set higher figures for those loads. - 31. Florida Statutes 627.7415, commercial motor vehicles, additional liability insurance coverage
“Fifty thousand dollars per occurrence for a commercial motor vehicle or qualified motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of 26,000 pounds or more, but less than 35,000 pounds.”
leg.state.fl.us, accessed October 3, 2026. Subsection (1). Subsections (2) and (3) set $100,000 from 35,000 pounds and $300,000 from 44,000 pounds; (4) requires the 49 CFR Part 387 amounts for vehicles subject to those regulations. Last amended by ch. 2026-39. - 32. Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, TxDMV number, insurance requirements table, all others
“Private or for-hire motor carriers with a gross weight, registered weight or gross weight rating in excess of 26,000 pounds $500,000”
txdmv.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Two cells of a table under "All Others". The rule behind it is 43 TAC 218.16; the Texas Secretary of State's code viewer has moved to a portal that could not be read, so the regulator's table is cited. - 33. Redoubt, Commercial Trucking Insurance page, We Shop the Market
“We compare rates across our full carrier network to find the best coverage at the most competitive price.”
www.redoubt.insure, accessed October 3, 2026 - 34. Redoubt text to a hotshot carrier with its MC pending, first quote ($1 million liability, federal filing, truck and trailer), September 2026 (internal record)
“Your quote came back and it's attached: $27,991 for the year if you pay in full, or $34,710 on a payment plan.”
Redoubt agency records, accessed September 29, 2026 - 35. Redoubt text to a new-authority reefer owner-operator with its quote, liability, physical damage and cargo, August 2026 (internal record)
“That includes liability (to activate your MC) + physical damage (cover your truck) + cargo with reefer breakdown (which dispatchers and brokers will require to give you loads)”
Redoubt agency records, accessed August 5, 2026. Record 8943cf02, a Redoubt text of 2026-08-05 to a new-authority reefer owner-operator. The $19,486.25 annual premium is the record's value field, not part of the quoted text. - 36. Redoubt call note, box truck owner shopping a renewal
“One box truck on Progressive direct (~$2,700/mo)”
Redoubt agency records, accessed October 1, 2026. What the owner told Redoubt he pays, not a figure Progressive publishes.
A dump truck or trailer is being added and the personal policy will not take it
Dump trucks, trailers and heavy pickups: what a trucking policy costs, who writes it, and what the weight changes.
Elsewhere on the site
Adding a truck or pricing your fleet?
Text Redoubt your USDOT number, the trucks, the drivers, what you haul and the limits your broker or lender wrote down. We will talk through which markets fit the operation and what each one needs to see first.
This is general insurance information, not legal advice or a coverage determination. The policy forms, the endorsements the carrier issues, and the requirement in writing from whoever is asking control.