Truckers General Liability
The liability coverage that follows you off the road.
Truckers General Liability (TGL) covers the non-auto liability exposures of a trucking operation — the things that happen off the highway, at your terminal, your loading docks, and on a shipper's or receiver's premises. Primary auto liability covers the truck on the road. TGL covers everything around it: a visitor slipping in your yard, damage to a customer's dock, a fuel spill at your fuel island, or a claim from operations you completed weeks ago.
What It Covers
Coverage That Fits Your Operation
Truckers General Liability (TGL) covers the non-auto liability exposures of a trucking operation — the things that happen off the highway, at your terminal, your loading docks, and on a shipper's or receiver's premises. Primary auto liability covers the truck on the road. TGL covers everything around it: a visitor slipping in your yard, damage to a customer's dock, a fuel spill at your fuel island, or a claim from operations you completed weeks ago.
This is the coverage most often confused with — or lumped into — auto liability. It isn't. TGL is a separate policy, and for motor carriers, terminals, and leased-on owner-operators, it's the layer that protects the business when a claim has nothing to do with a moving truck.
Premises & terminal liability
Bodily injury and property damage at your trucking terminal, yard, office, and maintenance shop.
Loading-dock operations
Liability from loading and unloading at your docks and at shipper/receiver facilities.
Shipper/receiver premises
Coverage when your crew is operating on a customer's property for pickup or delivery.
Completed operations
Claims arising after a job is finished — essential for logistics and brokerage operations.
Products liability
Coverage for harm from products or materials that pass through your operation.
Personal & advertising injury
Coverage for certain false arrest, wrongful eviction, and advertising-injury claims.
Why truckers GL is NOT the same as auto liability
Federal law requires primary auto liability to cover the truck on the road — that's the FMCSA filing, the MCS-90, and the per-unit coverage on the tractor. Truckers General Liability is a different policy for a different exposure: the business's liability when the truck isn't the cause. Many carriers and brokers either skip TGL or assume their auto policy covers it — and discover the gap only after a terminal slip-and-fall or a dock-damage claim. We place TGL as its own program, written for the operation you actually run.
How truckers GL is priced
TGL premium is typically rated on gross receipts, number of units, or a combination, plus your operations and claims history. A small motor carrier or owner-operator often pays $1,000–$3,500 per year for a $1M TGL policy; larger fleets and terminal operators scale up with revenue and premises exposure. The $1M per-occurrence limit is the most common floor, with umbrellas layered above for fleets.
Common Endorsements & Add-Ons
- Additional insured — shippers/receivers. Add the facilities you serve as additional insureds per contract.
- Care, custody or control (CCC). Extends coverage for property in your care — relevant to terminal and dock operations.
- Primary & non-contributory. Makes your TGL respond first where contractually required.
- Umbrella / excess liability. Layer $2M–$10M+ above the primary TGL for fleets and high-hazard operations.
Truckers GL FAQ
Truckers GL — Your Questions
No. Primary auto liability covers the truck while operating on the road (and is federally required). Truckers General Liability covers the non-auto exposures — your terminal, loading docks, shipper/receiver premises, completed operations, and products. They are separate policies that most motor carriers carry together.
Often yes. Leased-on owner-operators typically carry Non-Trucking Liability for off-duty time, and many motor carriers require owner-operators to carry or be covered under a Truckers GL policy for terminal and premises exposure. Lease agreements and broker contracts often specify the requirement and limits.
A small motor carrier or owner-operator commonly pays $1,000–$3,500 per year for a $1M TGL policy, rated on gross receipts or unit count plus claims history. Fleets and terminal operators scale higher with revenue and premises exposure. We shop A-rated carriers to keep it competitive.
Ready to Bind Truckers General Liability?
Get a specialized trucking liability quote. We shop A-rated carriers and structure the right limits — usually within one business day.