Insurance for fleets, brokers, warehouses and last-mile delivery
Trucking and logistics carry some of the most expensive liability in commercial insurance. Aiden pairs an AI risk engine with licensed brokers to place auto liability, cargo, warehouse and broker coverage that meets federal rules and your contracts.
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Quick answer: For-hire motor carriers must carry at least $750,000 in public liability for nonhazardous freight in trucks of 10,001 pounds or more, and up to $5 million for some hazardous materials, under 49 CFR 387.9 (opens in a new tab). Around that core, fleets need motor truck cargo, physical damage, workers' comp and an umbrella, warehouses need warehouse legal liability, and freight brokers need contingent auto and cargo liability. Price is driven by crash and inspection history, driver quality, radius, commodities and fleet size, and it is rising: truck liability premiums climbed 18.6% to 10.2 cents per mile from 2021 to 2024, per ATRI (opens in a new tab). Programs usually go wrong when limits sit at the federal minimum while verdicts run far higher, when cargo exclusions do not match what you haul, and when brokers assume the carrier's policy protects them.
Transportation & Logistics businesses we insure
Aiden works with transportation and logistics businesses across these segments, each with a different core exposure.
For-hire trucking fleets
Federal minimum liability, cargo and physical damage are the base, and crash history and driver quality decide what everything costs.
Freight brokers
Brokers do not own the trucks, but they can be sued over the carriers they choose, so contingent auto and contingent cargo matter more than ever.
Last-mile delivery
Dense urban routes, high stop counts and a mix of employees and contractors make auto liability and workers' comp the main pressure points.
Warehousing and 3PL
You hold other people's goods, so warehouse legal liability and the terms of your storage agreements carry the most weight.
Couriers
Smaller vehicles and independent contractor drivers raise questions about hired and non-owned auto, cargo values and who carries workers' comp.
Why transportation & logistics is hard to insure
Trucking litigation has grown far faster than inflation. ATRI found that verdicts over $1 million rose from 26 cases in the first five years of its 2006 to 2019 dataset to nearly 300 in the last five, and that verdict size grew 51.7% a year from 2010 to 2018, per its 2020 study (opens in a new tab). Those awards flow straight into premiums for every fleet, broker and delivery company.
A serious crash and a nuclear verdict
A truck rear-ends a car on the interstate and a jury awards far more than the policy limit. ATRI's 2025 research (opens in a new tab) found the largest half of trucking awards rose 5.7% a year, and that improper hiring or onboarding was among the factors linked to higher awards.
Premiums rising even with fewer crashes
From 2021 to 2024, truck liability premiums rose 18.6% to 10.2 cents per mile while heavy truck crash rates fell 2.6%, and the $10 to 15 million excess layer rose 45%, per ATRI (opens in a new tab).
A broker sued for the carrier it chose
In May 2026 the Supreme Court unanimously held in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II that a state negligent-selection claim against a freight broker falls within the FAAAA's safety exception and can proceed, per Faegre Drinker (opens in a new tab). Brokers now face crash claims tied to carriers they booked.
Freight lost, stolen or spoiled
Under the Carmack Amendment, carriers are liable for the actual loss or injury to property they carry, unless liability is limited by written agreement with the shipper, per 49 U.S.C. 14706 (opens in a new tab). A stolen trailer of electronics or a reefer failure on a produce load lands on your cargo policy.
Customer goods damaged in the warehouse
A warehouse is liable for loss or damage to stored goods caused by its failure to exercise reasonable care, per UCC 7-204 (opens in a new tab). A roof leak, forklift strike or fire in a 3PL facility puts customer inventory, not just your own property, at risk.
Driver and dock injuries
Transportation and warehousing recorded 4.4 nonfatal injury and illness cases per 100 full-time workers in 2024, against 3.0 in retail trade and 2.7 in manufacturing, per the BLS (opens in a new tab).
The coverage transportation and logistics companies actually need
Commercial auto (primary liability)
Federal law requires it before a motor carrier operates, at $750,000 or more depending on cargo and vehicle weight, per 49 CFR 387.9 (opens in a new tab). It pays injury and damage claims from crashes and is the line most exposed to large verdicts.
Watch for: The federal minimum is a floor, not a recommendation, and many shippers and brokers ask for more. Check scheduled versus any-auto wording, coverage for owner-operators under your authority, and the MCS-90 endorsement, which serves as proof of financial responsibility under 49 CFR 387.7 (opens in a new tab).
Motor truck cargo
Covers your legal liability for freight while it is under contract, in transit and in temporary storage during transit, per The Hartford (opens in a new tab).
Watch for: Check commodity exclusions, unattended vehicle and theft conditions, reefer breakdown coverage for temperature-controlled loads, and whether the per-load limit covers your highest value shipment.
Physical damage
Covers your own tractors, trailers and vans for collision, theft, fire and weather, and is usually required by equipment lenders and lessors.
Watch for: Confirm stated values match current equipment values, and check coverage for non-owned trailers you pull under trailer interchange agreements.
Warehouse legal liability
Covers your liability for customers' goods in your care when loss results from your failure to exercise reasonable care, the standard set by UCC 7-204 (opens in a new tab). The Hartford (opens in a new tab) lists it among its warehouse and logistics coverages.
Watch for: Your warehouse receipts and storage agreements can limit your liability per UCC 7-204, so match the policy to those terms, and check for mysterious disappearance and temperature control exclusions.
Contingent auto and broker liability
For freight brokers, it responds when a crash involving a booked carrier leads to a claim against the broker, which the Supreme Court's Montgomery decision (opens in a new tab) has made more likely. Contingent cargo covers freight losses when the carrier's cargo policy does not pay.
Watch for: Contingent policies often require a documented carrier selection process, and may only respond after the carrier's insurance fails. Read the conditions before relying on the limit. The $75,000 broker surety bond or trust fund is a separate federal requirement, not liability insurance.
Workers' compensation and occupational accident
Drivers, dock workers and warehouse staff face frequent injuries, and transportation and warehousing posted 4.4 cases per 100 workers in 2024, per the BLS (opens in a new tab). Fleets that use independent contractor drivers often add occupational accident and contingent liability, which Chubb (opens in a new tab) describes as covering defense and settlements when a contractor driver pursues workers' comp.
Watch for: Contractor classification is decided by state law, not your contract, so check whether occupational accident is backed by contingent liability. See our mid-market workers' comp guide.
Umbrella and excess liability
Sits over auto liability to raise total limits above what primary carriers will write. ATRI reports that the $5 to 10 million layer rose 34% to 1.58 cents per mile from 2021 to 2024, per its insurance cost study (opens in a new tab).
Watch for: Check that each layer follows the primary auto form, has no gap between layers, and that the underlying limits match what the umbrella requires. See how follow-form umbrellas work.
What transportation & logistics insurance costs
There is no single price for transportation and logistics companies. These are the factors carriers weigh most when they quote one.
Crash, inspection and safety record
Underwriters review crash history, roadside inspection results and safety ratings, and a single serious loss can move renewal pricing for years. See how claims history affects rates.
Driver hiring and retention
Driver experience, motor vehicle records, turnover and onboarding standards matter, and ATRI links improper hiring or onboarding to higher awards in its 2025 research (opens in a new tab).
Radius, routes and states
Long-haul versus local work, urban density, and the litigation climate of the states you run through all shape auto liability pricing.
What you haul
Hazardous materials raise federal minimums to $1 million or $5 million under 49 CFR 387.9 (opens in a new tab), and high-theft or temperature-sensitive freight raises cargo pricing.
Fleet size, miles and equipment values
Auto liability is often rated per unit or per mile, and physical damage tracks equipment values.
Telematics and safety technology
Cameras, ELD data and collision mitigation systems give underwriters evidence of safe operation and can help defend a crash claim.
Retention and limits structure
ATRI found that fleets retaining more risk in their primary layer had lower combined liability losses and premiums, per its 2026 study (opens in a new tab). See self-insured retentions versus deductibles.
Published cost benchmarks
Figures published by the sources shown, for context. They are not quotes: your premium depends on the factors above.
- 10.2 cents per mileTruck liability insurance premium per mile (2024, up 18.6% since 2021)Source: ATRI (opens in a new tab)
- 1.58 cents per milePremium for the $5 to 10 million excess layer (2024)Source: ATRI (opens in a new tab)
- 1.05 cents per milePremium for the $10 to 15 million excess layer (2024)Source: ATRI (opens in a new tab)
What clients, contracts and regulators will ask for
Federal regulators set the minimums, and shippers, brokers, lenders and warehouse customers set the rest.
- FMCSA minimum liability: for-hire carriers in interstate commerce with vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more need $750,000 for nonhazardous property, $1,000,000 for oil and many hazardous materials, and $5,000,000 for certain bulk hazardous materials, per 49 CFR 387.9 (opens in a new tab).
- Proof of financial responsibility: an MCS-90 endorsement, an MCS-82 surety bond or FMCSA self-insurance authorization, kept at your principal place of business, with 35 days' notice required to cancel, per 49 CFR 387.7 (opens in a new tab).
- Freight broker security: brokers must keep a $75,000 surety bond (Form BMC-84) or trust fund (Form BMC-85) in effect to hold registration, per 49 CFR 387.307 (opens in a new tab). It is a separate product from liability insurance, and Aiden does not place surety bonds.
- Broker-carrier and shipper agreements: auto liability limits above the federal minimum, cargo limits, additional insured status and certificate requirements are often specified in the contract.
- Cargo liability terms: carriers can limit Carmack liability for most freight only through a written or electronic declaration or agreement with the shipper, per 49 U.S.C. 14706 (opens in a new tab).
- Warehouse receipts: a warehouse can limit damages through a term in the receipt or storage agreement, per UCC 7-204 (opens in a new tab), and customer contracts often specify the warehouse legal liability limit.
- Equipment lenders and lessors: physical damage coverage with the lender named as loss payee is often specified in the finance or lease agreement.
How Aiden Risk solves each of these problems
An AI risk engine built for commercial insurance, a licensed broker on every account, and 100+ carriers, including admitted and surplus lines markets, so one partner handles the whole program.
| The problem | How Aiden Risk solves it |
|---|---|
| We carry the federal minimum and I don't know if it's enough. | A licensed broker reviews your shipper and broker contracts with you, advises on limits above the $750,000 floor, and structures umbrella and excess layers that follow the primary auto form. |
| Our auto liability renewal jumped again. | Aiden shops 100+ carriers, including surplus lines, negotiates with carriers using your safety record and controls, and advises on whether a higher retention fits your fleet. |
| As a broker, I'm worried about being sued over a carrier's crash. | We review your contingent auto and contingent cargo conditions, including any carrier selection requirements, and place broker liability cover that fits how you book loads. |
| A cargo claim got denied over an exclusion we didn't know about. | Aiden runs a coverage gap analysis before binding, matching cargo exclusions, theft conditions and reefer coverage to the freight you actually haul. |
| Our warehouse contracts promise more than our policy covers. | A licensed broker reviews your storage agreements and warehouse receipts alongside your warehouse legal liability policy and advises where limits or terms need to change. |
| We use owner-operators and I'm not sure who covers their injuries. | We review how drivers are engaged and advise on workers' comp, occupational accident and contingent liability so the gaps are visible before a claim. |
| Shippers keep asking for certificates with specific wording. | A licensed broker reviews each contract's insurance clause, arranges additional insured endorsements with the carrier, and issues certificates that match. |
| Our fleet changes every month and our insurance lags behind. | The AI monitors your risk year-round, and a licensed broker acts on every change it flags, such as new units, new lanes or new commodities. |
Aiden Risk charges no fee to work with it, with no platform fee or subscription; it is paid through standard carrier commissions. Licensed in 16 states, listed on our licenses page.
Transportation & Logistics insurance questions, answered
What is the minimum insurance required for a trucking company?
For-hire carriers hauling nonhazardous property in interstate commerce with vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more must carry at least $750,000 in public liability, per 49 CFR 387.9 (opens in a new tab). Oil and many hazardous materials require $1,000,000, and certain bulk hazardous materials require $5,000,000. Shippers and brokers often require more than the federal minimum.
Is cargo insurance required for trucking companies?
Federal public liability rules cover injury and damage to the public, not the freight. Cargo coverage is usually required by the shippers and brokers you haul for, with limits often specified in the contract. Under the Carmack Amendment, carriers are liable for actual loss or injury to the property they carry, per 49 U.S.C. 14706 (opens in a new tab).
What insurance does a freight broker need?
Brokers need a $75,000 surety bond or trust fund to keep FMCSA registration, per 49 CFR 387.307 (opens in a new tab), which is a separate product from insurance. For liability, brokers commonly carry contingent auto liability, contingent cargo and general liability. After the Supreme Court's 2026 Montgomery decision, negligent-selection claims against brokers can proceed under state law.
What is a BMC-84 bond?
It is the form used to file a freight broker's $75,000 surety bond with FMCSA, and a BMC-85 is the trust fund alternative, per 49 CFR 387.307 (opens in a new tab). The bond pays shippers or carriers if the broker fails to meet its contracts. Aiden does not place surety bonds, so you would obtain it separately.
Why is trucking insurance so expensive?
Large verdicts and rising claim costs drive it. ATRI found truck liability premiums rose 18.6% to 10.2 cents per mile from 2021 to 2024 even as crash rates fell, per its 2026 study (opens in a new tab), and its earlier research found verdict sizes grew far faster than inflation.
What is warehouse legal liability insurance?
It covers a warehouse's liability for customers' goods in its care when they are lost or damaged because the warehouse failed to exercise reasonable care, the standard in UCC 7-204 (opens in a new tab). Your own property policy covers your building and equipment, not your customers' goods.
Do delivery drivers who are independent contractors need workers' comp?
That depends on how state law classifies them, not on the contract alone. Many companies that use contractor drivers carry occupational accident coverage for the drivers and contingent liability for the company, as Chubb (opens in a new tab) describes.
Guides for transportation and logistics companies
- Your Commercial Umbrella Follows the Form - Which Means It Inherits Every Gap in Your Underlying Policy
- Self-Insured Retention vs. Deductible: The Difference That Changes Who Controls Your Defense
- Inland Marine Insurance: What It Is, What It Covers, and Why the Name Is Misleading
- Workers' Compensation Insurance: What Mid-Market Employers Need to Know in 2026
- How Claims History Affects Your Business Insurance Rates: Loss Runs, EMR, and What Actually Moves Your Premium
Ready to see your options?
A licensed broker reviews your current policies and contracts, compares 100+ carriers and comes back with real options for transportation and logistics companies.
Prefer to talk? Call (650) 292-2812