Dry van trucking insurance: what a general freight carrier needs
A for-hire dry van carrier hauling general freight across state lines needs at least $750,000 in public liability on file with FMCSA for trucks rated 10,001 pounds or more. Federal rules do not require cargo coverage for general freight, so cargo limits come from your broker and shipper contracts. If you pull trailers you do not own, check trailer interchange or non-owned trailer coverage.
- The federal minimum
- Cargo: set by contracts
- Trailers you do not own
- What contracts often add
- What underwriters review
- A checklist
- FAQ
Dry van general freight is the largest part of trucking. The insurance rules for it are simple at the floor and get specific in your contracts. Here is each layer, with the source.
The federal minimum
- For-hire carriers of general freight across state lines must carry at least $750,000 in public liability for vehicles rated 10,001 pounds or more (49 CFR 387.303T). The duty to carry it is in 49 CFR 387.7.
- Your insurer files proof with FMCSA on a BMC-91 or BMC-91X. See what a BMC-91X filing is and FMCSA's filing chart.
- Liability pays for injury and damage to other people. It does not pay for your truck, your trailer or the freight.
Cargo: set by contracts
- Federal rules require cargo coverage only for household goods carriers. For dry van freight, the limit you carry comes from your broker and shipper agreements.
- Read the cargo section of each contract for the limit, the deductible, and any exclusions it says your policy may not have, such as unattended vehicle or theft limits. See motor truck cargo insurance and broker insurance requirements.
Trailers you do not own
- Drop and hook and power-only work often means pulling a shipper's or another carrier's trailer.
- Trailer interchange coverage applies under a written interchange agreement. Non-owned trailer coverage applies without one. See trailer interchange vs non-owned trailer.
What contracts often add
- Higher liability limits, often met with an excess or umbrella policy. See excess vs umbrella.
- Additional insured status, waiver of subrogation and primary and noncontributory wording. See insurance terms in dedicated contract carriage.
- A written contract can waive some rights, but never the registration, insurance or safety fitness rules (49 USC 14101(b)).
What underwriters review
- Driver records, loss runs, FMCSA safety data, radius, equipment age and freight type. See what underwriters look at and trucking loss runs.
- Cargo securement counts inside a van too. Drivers must check cargo and securement before a trip and during it (49 CFR 392.9).
A checklist
- Confirm your liability meets $750,000 and is on file with FMCSA.
- List the cargo limit each broker and shipper requires, and carry the highest one you need.
- Check whether you pull trailers you do not own, and how.
- Keep certificates of insurance current for every contract holder.
- Request loss runs each year so you know what an underwriter will see.
Hauling temperature-controlled freight? See the FSMA sanitary transportation rule for reefer carriers. Flatbed work: flatbed cargo securement and steel coils.
All freight types: fleet trucking insurance.
State notes: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana.
Also: dry van cargo theft prevention for small fleets and shipper contract insurance clauses for dry van carriers.
FAQ
How much liability does a dry van carrier need?
For for-hire general freight across state lines, at least $750,000 for vehicles rated 10,001 pounds or more (49 CFR 387.303T). That is the legal floor. Many broker and shipper contracts ask for more, often $1 million, so read each contract.
Is cargo insurance required for dry van freight?
Federal rules require cargo coverage only for household goods carriers. Brokers and shippers usually require cargo coverage in their contracts and set the limit, so the amount you carry is driven by the freight you take.
What is trailer interchange coverage?
It covers physical damage to a trailer you do not own while it is in your care under a written interchange agreement. Non-owned trailer coverage is the alternative when there is no such agreement. See our trailer interchange guide for the difference.
Does a dry van carrier need a cargo securement plan?
Yes. The cargo securement rules apply to all cargo, including freight inside a van, and drivers must check that cargo is secured before and during a trip (49 CFR 392.9). Load bars, straps and blocking keep freight from shifting.
Can a shipper contract waive the insurance rules?
No. Federal law lets a carrier and shipper waive some rights in a written contract, but they may not waive the rules on registration, insurance or safety fitness (49 USC 14101(b)).
What do underwriters look at on a dry van fleet?
Driver records and experience, loss runs, FMCSA safety data, the radius and lanes you run, the age of your equipment and the type of freight. We cover each one in our underwriter guide.
This guide is general information, not advice on any policy.
From the Wire: CSA climbs to trucking's No. 3 concern, its highest rank since 2015; Every state now runs FMCSA's three-step DataQs review, with deadlines.
Sources
- 49 CFR 387.303T: Security for the protection of the public, minimum limits (last amended Sep 30, 2019)
- 49 CFR 387.7: Financial responsibility required (last amended Jun 18, 2018)
- FMCSA: Insurance Filing Requirements (last updated Mar 26, 2026)
- 49 CFR 392.9: Inspection of cargo and securement (last amended Dec 12, 2016)
- 49 USC 14101: Providing transportation and service (accessed Oct 29, 2026)