Trucking Insurance Cost by Freight Category (Insurance Costs by FMCSA Freight Category)
All interstate for-hire truckers must carry at least $1 million Combined Single Limit (CSL) auto liability—a non-negotiable minimum to satisfy brokers and shippers, even above FMCSA’s baseline of $750K. With that in mind, here’s how insurance premiums typically compare across FMCSA freight categories:
High Premium (Most Expensive)
1. Liquids/Gases / Hazardous Materials / Chemicals / Oilfield Equipment
- Why so costly: Extremely high liability limits ($1–5 million), environmental risks, regulatory compliance, specialized driver training.
- Estimated rating: 9–10/10
2. Intermodal Containers
- High cargo value and complexity; still requires $1 million liability plus cargo coverage.
3. Motor Vehicles (Auto Hauler / Drive/Tow Away)
- Frequent claims from loading/unloading incidents and vehicle damage—specialty premiums often match hazmat.
- Rating: 8–10/10
High-Mid Premium
4. Building Materials / Construction / Metal: sheets, coils, rolls
- Risk of load shifts, frequent stops, potential load damage; liability stays at $1 million.
- Rating: 7–8/10
5. Machinery, Large Objects / Mobile Homes / Oilfield Equipment
- Oversized loads, high replacement values, increased accident and securement risk.
- Rating: 7–8/10
Mid Premium
6. Flat Value General Freight (Paper Products, Beverages, Refrigerated Food, Dry Bulk Commodities, Refrigerated Food)
- Routine hauls with moderate equipment and spoilage risk.
- Historically stable claims profile; liability stays at $1 million.
- Rating: 6–7/10
7. Fresh Produce / Refrigerated Goods
- Medium risk due to spoilage and temperature control issues.
- Rating: 6–7/10
Lower Premium
8. Logs, Poles, Beams, Lumber
- Heavy loads but fewer cargo damage claims; fewer broker restrictions.
- Many carriers report these as among the cheaper class codes .
- Rating: 5–6/10
9. Household Goods
- Higher chance of damage/theft, but still moderate overall risk.
- Rating: 6–7/10
10. Grain / Feed / Hay / Coal / US Mail / Garbage / Livestock
- Bulk non-hazardous or minimal-liability goods; considered lower risk.
- Rating: 5–6/10
Cogo’s comparison table
| Freight Category | Liability Req. | Relative Risk | Est. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquids/Gases, HazMat, Chemicals | $1–5 M | Very High | 9–10/10 |
| Intermodal Containers, Vehicles | $1 M | High | 8–10/10 |
| Building Materials, Heavy Machinery | $1 M | Mid-to-High | 7–8/10 |
| General Freight, Produce, Refrigerated Hauls | $1 M | Moderate | 6–7/10 |
| Logs, Bulk Commodities, Livestock, Mail | $1 M | Lower | 5–6/10 |
Real-World Numbers
- Nationwide averages: $9K–16K/year for owner-operators; $5K–12K for leased or small-fleet carriers.
- Specialty vs. Transport: Specialty niches (e.g., logging, refuse, hazmat) average ~$767/month ($9.2K/year), transport average ~$1,041/month ($12.5K/year) .
- Log-specific: Generally $8K–15K/year with $750K–1M liability.
Why Costs Vary
- Cargo Risk – Hazmat and vehicle hauls have more exposure and severe loss possibilities.
- Value at Risk – High-value or oversized cargo demands more expensive insurance.
- Regulatory Burden – Liability limits for hazmat and certain commodities drive premiums.
- Claims History & Cargo Losses – Some cargo (cars, auto parts, perishable goods) see higher claim rates.
- Route & Geography – Urban vs rural, state-specific trends (higher rates in FL, NY, CA vs MS, NE, SD).
- Operational Controls – Safety programs, telematics, clean driving records can lower premiums by 10–20%
Key Insights
- Cheapest Loads: Logs/forest products and bulk non-hazardous freight (grain, mail, refuse)
- Mid-Tier: General freight, refrigerated loads, household goods
- Costliest: Vehicle hauling, chemicals, hazmat, large machinery, building materials
