Texas
Commercial truck insurance in Texas
Updated
Texas sets a $500,000 liability minimum for trucks over 26,000 pounds that run inside the state, for hire or private. Haul general freight for hire across state lines and the federal minimum is $750,000. Most brokers ask for more: $1 million in auto liability and $100,000 in cargo.
At a glance
- Texas in-state minimum, over 26,000 lb
- $500,000
- Federal interstate minimum, 10,001 lb or more
- $750,000
- What most brokers ask for
- $1 million liability and $100,000 cargo
- TxDMV Form E filing fee
- $100
Which limit you need depends on where you run and who you haul for. The state and federal numbers are the legal floor. The broker number decides how much freight you can book.
Texas and federal liability minimums
| How you run | Minimum liability | Proof filed by your insurer | Filed with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside Texas, vehicle over 26,000 lb, general freight | $500,000 | Form E | TxDMV |
| Inside Texas, oil or listed hazardous materials | $1 million | Form E | TxDMV |
| Inside Texas, bulk or high-hazard hazardous materials | $5 million | Form E | TxDMV |
| Across state lines, general freight, any vehicle at 10,001 lb or more | $750,000 | BMC-91X | FMCSA |
| Across state lines, every vehicle under 10,001 lb | $300,000 | BMC-91X | FMCSA |
The Texas minimum applies whether you haul for hire or haul your own goods. Form E, filed by your insurer, is how TxDMV sees that coverage.
BMC-91X does the same job with FMCSA for interstate authority. If you run both kinds of loads, you need both filings.
For ordinary auto policies, the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) lists the state's liability floor as $30,000 per injured person, $60,000 per accident and $25,000 for property damage. That's the general auto baseline and no substitute for the carrier minimums in the table.
The $100,000 cargo figure comes from brokers. Texas sets a cargo minimum only for household goods movers, and the federal rules set none for general freight.
What brokers ask for
On their own carrier pages, 20 of the 21 brokers that publish a liability minimum ask for $1 million or more, as of October 2026. Of the 22 that publish a cargo minimum, 21 ask for at least $100,000. A Texas carrier filed at $500,000 or $750,000 can run legally and still fall short at most of those brokers.
Some brokers also read the cargo policy itself. Spot's carrier page, for example, rejects cargo coverage that excludes unattended or unattached vehicles, mechanical refrigeration, spoilage or electric equipment. It also caps the cargo deductible at $10,000 unless a higher one is approved.
The broker list shows each broker's published rules and the date each was checked.
Price only the coverage you're missing. The load-ready check reads your DOT or MC number, shows which brokers your current limits clear and what coverage would open the rest. Load-ready check
What Texas owners report paying
These are posts from Texas owners on trucking forums. The posts give no limits or equipment, and two don't say what period the figure covers, so read each as one owner's number.
| What the owner reported | Detail |
|---|---|
| $56,000 | For three trucks |
| $6,000 down, then $3,000 a month for 11 months | Down payment and monthly payments, as posted in 2024 |
| $33,000 and $42,000 | Two quotes from two insurers |
For more owner reports by equipment, see truck insurance cost.
How to compare quotes
Sometimes the lowest quote leaves out something a broker will ask for, so line the quotes up before you pick one.
- Same limits on every quote. If liability, cargo, physical damage and deductibles don't match, the prices don't compare.
- Exclusions in writing. Ask for the cargo exclusions list. A policy that excludes unattended vehicles or reefer breakdown can fail a broker's setup.
- The filings. Find out whether the agent will file Form E with TxDMV, BMC-91X with FMCSA or both, and get confirmation once they're filed.
- The Form E fee. TxDMV charges $100 for the Form E filing, separate from your premium. It's charged with your original application and when you keep a revoked certificate number, and it isn't charged every time a new insurer files. Check whether your insurer's bill already includes it.
- Your rights as a policyholder. Claim handling and the rules for cancellation and nonrenewal are on TDI's page on commercial auto policyholder rights. The same page explains turning down PIP and uninsured motorist coverage.
Keep the filing from lapsing
TxDMV can revoke your certificate if your Form E doesn't stay active. Your insurance company is the only one that can file or cancel it, and a copy of your policy won't stand in for it.
The filing has to stay active even while you take a break from running. Cancel a certificate you aren't using before you cancel the coverage, and use TxDMV's Truck Stop lookup (opens in a new tab), which shows filing status, to confirm a new Form E posted.
On the federal side, your insurer cancels with a BMC-35 notice. The cancellation ordinarily takes effect 30 days after FMCSA receives it. That's notice ahead of cancellation, so there's no grace period once coverage ends.
Asking FMCSA to reinstate revoked authority costs $80, and you can't haul until the authority shows active again.
Check your filing. Look yourself up in the status check to see the insurance filing FMCSA has for you and whether a cancellation is on file. Check your status
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum truck insurance in Texas?
Inside Texas, a truck over 26,000 pounds needs $500,000 in liability, for hire or private. Oil and listed hazardous materials raise that to $1 million, and bulk or high-hazard hazardous materials to $5 million.
How much insurance do brokers want from Texas carriers?
Of the 21 brokers that publish a liability minimum on their own carrier pages, 20 ask for $1 million or more. Of the 22 that publish a cargo minimum, 21 ask for at least $100,000.
What is a Form E in Texas?
It's your insurer's filing with TxDMV that shows your liability coverage. Only the insurance company can file or cancel it, and TxDMV charges $100 for it with your original application.
Does Texas require cargo insurance?
For general freight, no. Texas sets a cargo minimum only for household goods movers, and the $100,000 you'll see in carrier packets is a broker requirement.