Class Insurance Agency, an affiliated office of AIC Insurance
Insurance for trucking companies with their own authority
Whether you run one truck under your own MC number or twenty, the federal minimums stay the same. What changes as you grow is everything around them: driver files, Clearinghouse queries, CSA scores, UCR fees and how your policy handles new trucks. Here is what matters, with the rules behind it.
Call 360-450-2211 or start a quote online. We work in English, Russian, Ukrainian and Romanian.
Federal minimums and filings
| For-hire operation | Federal minimum liability |
|---|---|
| General freight, 10,001 lb and over | $750,000[1] |
| Oil and listed hazardous materials | $1,000,000[1] |
| Certain high-hazard materials | $5,000,000[1] |
| Vehicles under 10,001 lb | $300,000[2] |
These minimums don’t change with fleet size, and most brokers expect $1,000,000 in auto liability anyway.[3][4]
- BMC-91 or BMC-91X. Your insurer files proof of coverage with FMCSA. A BMC-91X is used when your limit is stacked in layers, such as primary plus excess. A filing can’t be cancelled until 30 days after notice to FMCSA.[5]
- MCS-90 endorsement. It guarantees the public gets paid up to the federal minimum, even for a truck that isn’t listed on your policy, and you must pay the insurer back. It doesn’t cover cargo or your own employees.[6] Keep proof at your main place of business; cancelling requires 35 days’ notice.[7]
UCR fees by fleet size
Unified Carrier Registration counts power units, not trailers. It applies to interstate carriers (including private and exempt carriers), brokers, freight forwarders and leasing companies, but not to trucking that stays inside one state.[8]
| Power units | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2 | $46 | $55 |
| 3–5 | $138 | $167 |
| 6–20 | $276 | $333 |
| 21–100 | $963 | $1,163 |
| 101–1,000 | $4,592 | $5,548 |
2026 fees from the UCR Plan[9]; 2027 fees from the final rule published September 1, 2026.[10]
When you start hiring drivers
- Clearinghouse. Run a full pre-employment query with the driver’s consent, query every driver at least once a year, and keep the records for 3 years.[11] Report violations by the end of the third business day.[12] Owner-operators must name a consortium or third-party administrator to report on themselves.[13] States now downgrade the CDL of any driver in prohibited status within 60 days.[14]
- Driver files. Interstate drivers must be at least 21.[15] Within 30 days of hiring, get 3 years of driving records and check 3 years of prior-employer safety history.[16] Review every driver’s record at least once a year.[17]
- Insurer standards. Insurers set their own driver rules on age, experience and violations, often stricter than the federal floor. Ask before you hire, not after.
CSA scores, brokers and your premium
FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System uses two years of inspection and crash data and ranks you against similar carriers by percentile.[18] For general freight carriers, intervention thresholds are 65% for Unsafe Driving, Crash Indicator and Hours of Service, and 80% for the other categories.[19] Property carriers’ percentiles are hidden from the public, but inspections and crashes are visible to anyone, including underwriters and brokers.[20]
Brokers are checking more closely. In May 2026 the Supreme Court held in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II that federal law doesn’t block negligent-selection claims against freight brokers.[21] Expect more brokers to screen carriers on safety data, as C.H. Robinson now does.[4]
Policy choices that matter as you grow
- Scheduled or any auto. With scheduled autos (symbol 67), a newly bought truck is covered only if it replaces a listed one or the insurer covers all your trucks, and you must report it within 30 days.[22] Intermodal work under the UIIA doesn’t accept “scheduled only.”[23]
- Deductible or self-insured retention. With a deductible, the insurer pays the claim and bills you back. With a self-insured retention, you pay defense and damages until the retention is used up.[24]
- Excess and umbrella. These add limits above your primary policy, and stacked layers are filed with FMCSA on BMC-91X forms.[25][5]
- Cameras and telematics. Underwriters compare ELD and GPS data with your application, so radius, unit counts and install dates should match.[26]
Registration is moving to Motus
FMCSA is moving registration to its new Motus system, and carriers claim their USDOT number through Login.gov.[27] MC numbers aren’t going away yet; that would take a future rule.[28]
What to have ready for a fleet quote
- USDOT and MC numbers, and your authority date
- A list of power units and trailers with year, make, VIN and value
- A driver list with dates of birth, CDL numbers and years of experience
- Radius, states you run in and what you haul
- Current policy, loss runs and your inspection history
- Your safety program: cameras, ELD, hiring standards and training
Frequently asked questions
How much liability insurance does FMCSA require?
$750,000 for for-hire general freight in vehicles of 10,001 lb and over, and $1,000,000 or $5,000,000 for hazardous materials.[1]
What is the MCS-90 endorsement?
A guarantee that the public gets paid up to the federal minimum after a covered accident, even for an unlisted truck. The carrier must reimburse the insurer.[6]
What is the difference between a BMC-91 and a BMC-91X?
A BMC-91X is used when your coverage is stacked in layers, such as primary plus excess. Either way, the filing can’t be cancelled until 30 days after notice to FMCSA.[5]
How much is UCR for a small fleet?
$46 for 0–2 power units and $138 for 3–5 in 2026, rising to $55 and $167 in 2027.[9][10]
Are MC numbers going away?
Not yet. FMCSA is moving registration to Motus, but eliminating MC numbers would take a future rule.[28]
Get a motor carrier insurance quote
Call 360-450-2211 or start your quote. We quote trucking operations in the 48 contiguous states from our office in Vancouver, Washington, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific.
Related coverage
Sources
- [1] 49 CFR 387.9: financial responsibility minimums
- [2] 49 CFR 387.303: for-hire minimums, including vehicles under 10,001 lb
- [3] TQL: Carrier FAQs (insurance requirements)
- [4] C.H. Robinson: New carrier safety measures (2026)
- [5] 49 CFR 387.313: insurance filings (BMC-91 and BMC-91X)
- [6] FMCSA: Form MCS-90 endorsement
- [7] 49 CFR 387.7: proof of financial responsibility
- [8] Pennsylvania PUC: Who must register for UCR
- [9] UCR Plan: Fee brackets
- [10] Federal Register: UCR fees for 2027 (final rule, Sept 1, 2026)
- [11] 49 CFR 382.701: Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse queries
- [12] 49 CFR 382.705: Clearinghouse reporting
- [13] FMCSA Clearinghouse: Owner-operators
- [14] 49 CFR 383.73: CDL downgrades for prohibited drivers
- [15] 49 CFR 391.11: driver qualifications
- [16] 49 CFR 391.23: investigation and inquiries at hire
- [17] 49 CFR 391.25: annual driving record review
- [18] FMCSA CSA: How SMS measures safety
- [19] FMCSA: SMS methodology (June 2026)
- [20] FMCSA: Safety Measurement System
- [21] U.S. Supreme Court: Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II (2026)
- [22] ISO covered auto symbols (summary, RNC)
- [23] IANA: UIIA insurance requirements
- [24] IRMI: Self-insured retention
- [25] IRMI: Umbrella liability policy
- [26] Jencap: When the telematics data speaks (2026)
- [27] FMCSA: Move to Motus
- [28] FMCSA: What's coming in registration
General information only, checked September 2026. Rules change; confirm with the agency that issues your permits. Coverage availability, terms and filings depend on underwriting and the policy issued; a quote request does not bind insurance.