Insurance
Trailer interchange coverage for truckers: what it covers and who requires it
Updated
Trailer interchange coverage pays for physical damage to a trailer you don't own while you have it under a written interchange agreement. It's a separate line from your auto liability and cargo limits, which alone don't provide that protection. J.B. Hunt may require it when you pull trailers you don't own, and Bison Transport and Bridgeway put a dollar figure on it.
At a glance
- Federal requirement
- None
- Bison Transport
- $50,000 for power only, $75,000 for reefer
- Bridgeway
- $50,000 or the trailer's market value, whichever is greater
- Amazon Relay
- $50,000 trailer replacement inside auto liability
- Broker terms checked
- October 2026
Check a power only load before you book it. Enter the broker and the load to see whether it calls for trailer interchange and at what limit. What does this load need?
Who requires it
The requirement comes from brokers and load programs when you pull a trailer someone else owns, as you do in power only, since no federal rule requires it. This is what their own pages said in October 2026:
| Broker or program | What its own terms say |
|---|---|
| J.B. Hunt | May be required when you pull trailers your company doesn't own. Varies by company, and no USDOT rule requires it |
| Bison Transport | $50,000 in non-owned trailer interchange for power only. $75,000 for reefer |
| Bridgeway | $50,000 or the trailer's fair market value, whichever is greater, when you interchange |
| Amazon Relay | $1 million in auto liability per occurrence, including $50,000 of trailer replacement coverage |
| Uber Freight power only | Auto liability of at least $1 million per occurrence covering owned, non-owned and hired vehicles, third-party trailers included. The broker and shipper must be additional insureds, and the insurer rated A-VII or better |
Interchange, non-owned trailer and trailer replacement
The names differ from program to program, and they don't always mean the same coverage:
- Bison calls it non-owned trailer interchange.
- Amazon Relay calls its $50,000 requirement trailer replacement coverage and places it inside auto liability.
- Bridgeway names trailer interchange and ties the limit to the trailer's value.
Amazon's wording doesn't by itself prove you hold an interchange endorsement. Read the program's terms and the policy side by side. Ask your agent to show the coverage name, the limit and what it pays for, in the same words the program uses.
Set the limit to the trailers you pull
Bridgeway sets the floor at the trailer's fair market value when that's more than $50,000. Bison asks $75,000 for reefer against $50,000 for power only. Ask your agent for a limit that covers the value of the trailers you pull, and get the deductible in writing.
The full package at power only programs
Trailer coverage is one line. These are the insurance terms on each program's or broker's own pages as of October 2026:
| Program or broker | Auto liability | Cargo | Trailer terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Relay power only | $1 million per occurrence | $100,000 | $50,000 trailer replacement inside auto liability. Interstate authority active at least 180 days |
| Uber Freight power only | $1 million, covering owned, non-owned and hired vehicles | $100,000 per shipment, all-risk broad form | Runs on Uber's Powerloop trailers under a trailer rental agreement |
| J.B. Hunt 360box | Cites the $750,000 federal requirement. Some units and loads need more | Varies by freight | |
| Bison Transport | $2 million | $250,000 | $50,000 non-owned trailer interchange. $75,000 for reefer |
| Bridgeway | $1 million | $100,000 per shipment, all-risk broad form | $50,000 or the trailer's fair market value, whichever is greater |
Uber's power only terms also ask you to keep pre-trip and post-trip inspection records on its trailers for as long as the law requires, turn down unsafe or unroadworthy ones, report defects and put any exceptions to Powerloop in writing.
Check the interchange agreement
Trailer interchange applies under a written interchange agreement. Before your first power only load, read the agreement the broker or trailer owner sends and check that your policy matches what it asks for.
Your cargo coverage is a separate line. See motor truck cargo insurance for the cargo terms brokers check, and reefer breakdown if the trailer is refrigerated.
Where power only loads come from
The power only page covers the programs and their setup rules. Amazon Relay's full requirements are on the Amazon Relay page, including its 180-day authority rule.
Know what each load needs. "What does this load need?" reads the broker and the load and lists the trailer coverage, cargo limit and extras it calls for. What does this load need?
Frequently asked questions
What does trailer interchange insurance cover?
It pays for physical damage to a trailer you don't own while you have it under a written interchange agreement. Your auto liability and cargo limits alone don't provide that protection.
Do I need trailer interchange for power only?
No federal rule requires it, so it depends on the broker or program. Bison Transport asks for $50,000 on power only, and J.B. Hunt may require it when you pull trailers your company doesn't own.
Is trailer replacement the same as trailer interchange?
The names don't always mean the same coverage. Amazon Relay calls its $50,000 requirement trailer replacement and places it inside auto liability, and that wording doesn't by itself prove you hold an interchange endorsement.
How much trailer interchange coverage do brokers ask for?
Bison Transport asks for $50,000 on power only and $75,000 for reefer. Bridgeway asks for $50,000 or the trailer's fair market value, whichever is greater.