Motor Truck Cargo Insurance
Protect the freight you're trusted to move.
Motor Truck Cargo insurance covers the freight a for-hire carrier hauls against loss or damage while in transit. It's not liability for the truck or the driver — it's coverage for the goods themselves. When a load is damaged in a crash, a reefer fails, or cargo is stolen, motor truck cargo is what makes the shipper whole and protects the carrier.
What It Covers
Coverage That Fits Your Operation
Motor Truck Cargo insurance covers the freight a for-hire carrier hauls against loss or damage while in transit. It's not liability for the truck or the driver — it's coverage for the goods themselves. When a load is damaged in a crash, a reefer fails, or cargo is stolen, motor truck cargo is what makes the shipper whole and protects the carrier.
For for-hire carriers, motor truck cargo is near-universal — shippers and brokers require it, usually at $100,000 or more, before they'll tender a load. The coverage limit, the commodity, and the endorsements determine whether a claim is paid or denied.
Freight loss or damage in transit
Coverage for cargo damaged or destroyed while being hauled.
Theft and hijacking
Coverage for stolen cargo and high-value freight losses.
Reefer breakdown / spoilage
Coverage for temperature-sensitive cargo spoiled by refrigeration failure.
Earned freight & debris removal
Options to cover earned freight and the cost of removing cargo debris.
Loading & unloading coverage
Coverage that extends to the loading and unloading process.
General, refrigerated & high-value
Programs for general freight, produce/meat, and high-value commodities.
Why cargo limits and endorsements decide the claim
Cargo claims live and die on the limit and the endorsements. A standard cargo policy may exclude high-value commodities, refrigeration spoilage, or theft unless endorsed. Carrying a $100,000 limit on a $250,000 load, or hauling an excluded commodity, turns a covered loss into a denied one. We match the limit and endorsements to the freight you actually move.
How motor truck cargo is priced
Cargo premium is rated on the commodity hauled (general freight is lowest; produce, electronics, and high-value goods are higher), the limit carried, your radius and tonnage, and claims history. A common $100,000 general-freight cargo policy might run $800–$2,500 per year per unit; refrigerated and high-value cargo scales higher. Shippers and brokers typically require minimum limits in the broker-carrier agreement.
Common Endorsements & Add-Ons
- Reefer / spoilage endorsement. Covers temperature-sensitive cargo spoiled by refrigeration breakdown.
- Broadened/comprehensive form. Wider causes of loss than the basic cargo form.
- High-value commodities. Endorses electronics, pharmaceuticals, and other high-target freight.
- Earned freight & debris removal. Covers earned freight and cargo-debris cleanup after a loss.
Motor Truck Cargo FAQ
Motor Truck Cargo — Your Questions
It covers the freight you haul against loss or damage in transit — crash damage, theft, and (with the right endorsement) refrigeration spoilage. It covers the goods themselves, not the truck or third-party liability. Shippers and brokers typically require it before tendering loads.
Most broker-carrier agreements require at least $100,000 in cargo coverage; higher-value freight and certain shippers require more. The limit should match the maximum value of a typical load. We align the limit and endorsements to the commodities you actually haul.
Only with the right endorsement. A standard cargo policy may exclude spoilage from refrigeration failure. We add the reefer/spoilage endorsement for temperature-controlled carriers so produce, meat, and pharmaceutical loads are covered when a reefer fails.
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