Insurance
How much truck insurance costs: what owners report paying
Updated
Owners who posted a monthly payment on trucking forums reported $1,200 to $2,500 a month in the middle half of 43 reports, with a median of $1,800. Across all 60 reports with a usable figure, the middle half came to $12,000 to $25,200 a year, with a median of about $17,700.
At a glance
- Reports with a usable figure
- 60
- Middle half, yearly
- $12,000 to $25,200
- Median, yearly
- About $17,700
- Middle half, monthly (43 reports)
- $1,200 to $2,500
- Median, monthly
- $1,800
- Down payments (7 reports)
- $2,000 to $6,000
What moves the number in these reports
Similar coverage can still land far apart. Two Florida hotshot owners both reported $1 million in liability:
- The lower one, about $1,200 a month, included $1 million in general liability and $100,000 in cargo.
- The higher one, $2,700 a month, carried $150,000 in cargo.
Switching insurers moved it for one owner. A Florida car hauler reported starting at $2,700 a month and switching to another insurer at $1,351 a month three months in.
Some of the smallest figures leave out coverage brokers ask for:
- An owner eight months into authority paid $1,000 a month for liability only, with no cargo.
- A North Dakota owner paid $4,244 a year without cargo, with physical damage included.
Leaving cargo off can bring a quote down and still keep you off most broker freight, where 21 of the 22 brokers that publish a cargo minimum ask for $100,000 or more. Compare quotes at the same limits, using the quote comparison guide.
What owners report by equipment
The counts by equipment are small, since most forum reports don't name the equipment. The table shows a range only for hotshots and lists single reports for the rest, with monthly payments counted times 12 for the yearly figures.
| Equipment | Reports with a figure | What owners reported |
|---|---|---|
| Hotshot | 8 | $4,200 to $32,400 a year. The middle half paid $14,400 to $21,600 |
| Box truck | 4 | $17,000 a year for one box truck. About $6,400 a year. About $600 a month. $2,400 a month as the lowest quote one Arizona owner got |
| Car hauler | 3 | $14,000 a year. $1,351 a month in Florida after switching from $2,700. $2,500 a month in New Jersey with general liability, physical damage and cargo |
| Flatbed | 3 | About $13,000 the first year, liability only. $22,000 a year. A $36,000 a year quote |
| Tanker | 1 | About $1,900 a month quoted in California in 2024, at $1 million liability |
| Cargo van | 1 | About $750 a month for general liability and auto |
| Equipment unspecified | 40 | Median $19,080 a year |
One owner reported $1,200 a month for one semi truck. The semi truck page collects the rest.
Hold your quote up to these reports. The cost estimator puts your quote next to owner reports for your equipment and shows what the coverage brokers ask for adds. Cost estimator
Down payments
Seven owners reported a down payment, and they ran from $2,000 to $6,000:
- A Virginia owner reported $2,000 down and $900 a month at $1 million in liability.
- Another reported $4,500 down and $1,950 a month.
- A Texas owner reported $6,000 down and $3,000 a month for 11 months in 2024.
Ask every agent for the down payment, the monthly payment and the number of payments, so you can add up the term on each quote.
How to read these numbers
Every figure here is one owner's report from a public forum thread, matched to the post it came from. Monthly payments are counted times 12 for the yearly range, and down payments aren't added in.
A few reports cover fleets or leased-on trucks, and most don't give a year. Treat them as a range for checking whether a quote is in line with what other owners pay.
For the limits behind the price, the requirements page shows what FMCSA and brokers ask for. New carriers can start with new authority insurance.
See what your setup costs in total. The cost estimator fills its insurance line from these owner reports and adds it to your other startup costs. Cost estimator
Frequently asked questions
How much is truck insurance per month?
Owners who posted a monthly payment on trucking forums reported $1,200 to $2,500 a month in the middle half of 43 reports. The median was $1,800.
How much is truck insurance per year?
The middle half of 60 owner reports with a usable figure paid $12,000 to $25,200 a year, and the median was about $17,700. Monthly payments are counted times 12.
How much is the down payment on truck insurance?
The seven owners who reported a down payment put down $2,000 to $6,000.
How much is hotshot insurance?
Eight hotshot owners reported $4,200 to $32,400 a year, and the middle half paid $14,400 to $21,600.
Why are some owner reports so low?
Some of the smallest figures leave out coverage brokers ask for, such as cargo, and 21 of the 22 brokers that publish a cargo minimum on their own pages ask for $100,000 or more.