Motor Truck Cargo Insurance

What Motor Truck Cargo Insurance Covers

Motor truck cargo insurance covers physical loss or damage to the freight you're hauling for others, while it's in your care, custody, and control. If a trailer rolls, freight shifts and is damaged, a reefer unit fails and spoils a load, or cargo is stolen off a lot overnight, this is the policy that responds — not your liability coverage.

Most shippers and brokers won't tender freight to a carrier without proof of cargo coverage, and many set their own minimum limit as a condition of the load, separate from what's legally required.

Typical Limits and Exclusions

$100,000 is a common standard cargo limit for general freight haulers, though many brokers now ask for higher limits depending on commodity value. Carriers hauling household goods for individual shippers typically need the BMC-34 or BMC-83 filing in addition to the underlying policy.

Cargo policies are commodity-specific. Reefer freight, high-value electronics, and certain hazardous commodities often carry sub-limits or require named-commodity endorsements — we walk through what you actually haul before quoting so there's no coverage gap discovered after a claim.

Filing a Cargo Claim

Document damage or shortage immediately with photos and a signed delivery receipt noting the exception
Notify us the same day — cargo claims have tight reporting windows
We coordinate directly with the carrier's claims desk so you're not the one chasing the adjuster

BMC-34 and BMC-83 filing requirements apply to carriers transporting household goods under FMCSA regulation; general freight carriers are not subject to these specific filings.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Does cargo insurance cover freight I don't own?

Yes — that's the point of the coverage. It protects the freight owner's interest in cargo while it's under your care as the carrier, not your own property.

Do I need a separate reefer breakdown endorsement?

If you run temperature-controlled freight, yes. Standard cargo policies often exclude spoilage from mechanical breakdown of a reefer unit unless that endorsement is added.

What commodities are commonly excluded or sub-limited?

Currency, jewelry, fine art, livestock, and certain hazardous materials are commonly excluded or capped at lower sub-limits on standard cargo forms. Tell us what you haul and we'll confirm it's actually covered.