Car hauler insurance: what you must carry, what you will be asked for, and what it costs.

What the law requires

• Liability on file with FMCSA: at least $750,000 for vehicles rated 10,001 lb and up, which covers every stinger and nearly every pickup-and-trailer setup. $300,000 applies only to a fleet made up entirely of lighter vehicles.
• Cargo: FMCSA does not require cargo insurance for car haulers. The market does.

What auctions, brokers and shippers ask for

• ACV Transportation asks carriers for $1 million liability and $100,000 cargo.
• Ready Logistics (Cox Automotive) asks for at least $1 million auto liability, with cargo depending on how many cars the trailer carries.
• Agencies that write car hauler policies describe $250,000 cargo as what most carriers and owner-operators carry, and a common range of $100,000 to $500,000.

In practice, plan on $1 million liability and enough cargo to cover the most valuable full load your trailer will carry. Enclosed haulers moving high-value cars raise the cargo limit, or add it per load, when a load is worth more than the policy.

The legal minimum gets you authority. The $1 million policy gets you loads.

The coverages around it

• Primary auto liability: the FMCSA filing above.
• Motor truck cargo: the cars you carry. Check whether unattended vehicles and over-height damage are covered: agencies sell them as separate coverages.
• Physical damage: your own truck and trailer. A lender will require it.
• Trailer interchange, when you pull a trailer you do not own under an agreement.
• Non-trucking liability (bobtail), if you are leased on to another carrier's authority.
• General liability, which some shippers and auctions ask for on top of auto liability.

What it costs

Published figures, as of 2026:

• Progressive Commercial: for-hire trucks hauling goods "such as general freight and autos" averaged $954 a month, median $869, on new policies sold in 2024.
• LogRock (February 2026): about $700 to $1,500 a month per truck for car haulers; $1,500 to $3,000+ for 8- to 9-car open rigs; $2,000 to $4,500+ for enclosed.
• Trucking Insurance Services (July 2026): $1,000 to $2,500 a month for an established single-truck car hauler.
• FreightWaves (September 2026): specialty operations including car haulers should plan for $15,000 to $35,000 or more a year.

New authorities usually pay more: insurers add a surcharge in the first year or two, and it comes down as you build a clean record.

Published averages and ranges, not quotes. Your price depends on the factors below.

What drives the price

• How long you have had your authority, and the driver's commercial driving experience.
• Driving records: one speeding ticket can move the premium noticeably.
• Cargo limit and equipment: a nine-car stinger or an enclosed trailer costs more to insure than a two-car wedge.
• Radius and where you run: long-haul and high-cost states price higher.
• Your own authority or leased on to someone else's.

Keeping the premium down

• Clean claims history. Cargo claims are decided on the condition recorded at pickup: an inspection with photos and a signed BOL settles who caused a scratch. How to write the BOL.
• Clean drivers. Hire on motor vehicle records, not just availability.
• Match the cargo limit to the trailer, and add cover per load for high-value cars instead of over-insuring every load.

On loadez, the driver's inspection photos at pickup and delivery carry GPS and time stamps, and the BOL and receiver's signature reach the broker the same minute, which is the record a cargo claim is decided on. It is included in every plan, including the free one. Insurance is part of starting a car hauling business; the hotshot guide covers the pickup-and-trailer setup.

Common questions

How much is car hauler insurance?

Published 2026 figures put car hauler insurance at roughly $700 to $1,500 a month per truck for many operations, $1,000 to $2,500 for an established single-truck car hauler, and $1,500 to $3,000 or more for 8- to 9-car open rigs, with enclosed higher still. Progressive reported an average of $954 a month for for-hire trucks hauling goods such as autos. New authorities usually pay more in the first year or two.

What insurance do you need to haul cars?

FMCSA requires at least $750,000 of liability for vehicles rated 10,001 lb and up and does not require cargo insurance. Auctions and brokers ask for more: ACV asks for $1 million liability and $100,000 cargo, Ready Logistics for at least $1 million liability. Most car haulers also carry physical damage on their own truck and trailer.

How much cargo insurance does a car hauler need?

Enough to cover the most valuable full load the trailer carries, and at least what the boards and auctions you work with require, commonly $100,000. Agencies describe $250,000 as what most car haulers carry and $100,000 to $500,000 as the usual range; enclosed haulers moving high-value cars go higher or add cover per load.