Freight coverage
Motor truck cargo insurance for the freight you haul.
A clear cargo policy helps protect your business from pickup through delivery. We shop multiple carriers for owner-operators, box truck businesses and small trucking fleets.
What freight coverage is built to protect
Freight coverage, commonly called motor truck cargo insurance, is designed for a carrier transporting property for another party. It can cover your legal responsibility for a shipper’s goods while those goods are in your truck, trailer or other care, custody and control. For an owner-operator, that means considering the actual freight you haul—not just the value of your tractor.
Covered causes of loss can include a truck accident, theft, fire and certain weather-related damage. The policy limit, deductible, commodity restrictions and exclusions all matter. A shipper or broker may require a certificate showing a specific cargo limit before you can take a load, and many contracts ask for at least $100,000. High-value electronics, refrigerated products, household goods and specialized freight may call for different limits or endorsements.
Freight coverage generally does not pay for normal wear and tear, mechanical breakdown, inherent vice, poor packaging or damage caused by improper loading. Some commodities may be excluded entirely or require special underwriting. That is why a commercial trucking insurance quote should start with your operating authority, lanes, cargo classes, radius and contracts.
How it fits with your required trucking insurance
Cargo is only one part of an insurance program. For-hire motor carriers also need commercial auto liability, and the federal DOT minimum for many for-hire carriers transporting property interstate is $750,000. Some freight contracts require $1 million or more. Physical damage coverage can protect your truck itself, while general liability, trailer interchange or non-trucking liability may be relevant depending on how you operate.
We help you separate required coverage from optional protection and explain the exclusions before you bind. Kaufman Insurance Group is an independent agency based in Twinsburg, Ohio. We shop across multiple carriers, including markets that may write owner-operators, small fleets, long-haul and specialized freight, with availability subject to underwriting.
What affects the cost of cargo insurance?
Premium is influenced by cargo type, annual revenue, territory, radius, loss history, limit, deductible, equipment and the controls you use to prevent theft or spoilage. A complete application produces a more useful quote than a generic online estimate.
Questions, answered
Trucking insurance FAQs
What does motor truck cargo insurance cover?
Motor truck cargo coverage is designed to protect freight you are legally responsible for while it is in your care, custody or control. A policy may respond to covered loss or damage from a collision, theft, fire or certain weather events, subject to the policy wording, deductible and exclusions.
How much cargo coverage does a trucking company need?
The right limit depends on the cargo, shipper contracts, lane and carrier requirements. Many carriers ask for at least $100,000, but high-value, temperature-controlled or specialized freight can require more. We review the contract requirements before recommending a limit.
Does cargo insurance cover poor loading or mechanical breakdown?
Usually not. Normal wear and tear, mechanical breakdown and loss caused by improper loading or poor packaging are common exclusions. Your agent can explain the exclusions that apply to your cargo class and help identify operational controls that support better coverage.