How much is commercial trucking insurance in 2026?

Average commercial trucking insurance costs

The most-quoted averages measure different things, which is why they seem to disagree. Progressive Commercial’s figures come from its 2025 new for-hire truck policies. MoneyGeek’s 2026 figures assume $1 million in liability and include businesses outside trucking, such as contractors and farms, which pulls its overall average down.

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) measures insurance as a cost per mile. Geotab, citing ATRI’s 2025 operational cost report, says premiums reached a record $0.102 per mile in 2024. As an illustration only, a truck running 100,000 miles a year at that rate would carry about $10,200 in insurance.

Cost by type of truck

Heavier trucks and riskier cargo cost more. MoneyGeek’s averages for $1 million in liability run from $388 a month for a box truck to $1,240 for a tanker hauling hazmat.

Full packages for for-hire work run higher than these liability-focused averages. FreightWaves estimates $5,000 to $12,000 a year for a local box truck, $12,000 to $25,000 or more for a semi under its own authority and $15,000 to $35,000 or more for reefer, flatbed, car hauler and hazmat operations.

Own authority, leased on or a small fleet

Who holds the authority changes the bill more than almost anything else. Progressive Commercial notes that a carrier you lease onto typically covers primary liability while you are under dispatch, so you usually buy only non-trucking (bobtail) liability and physical damage. Geotab puts leased owner-operators at roughly $250 to $500 a month; FreightWaves estimates $300 to $700.

With your own authority you carry primary liability, cargo and every other line yourself. Geotab estimates $10,800 to $21,600 a year for an owner-operator with authority, and FreightWaves estimates $1,000 to $2,000 or more a month per tractor for a full package.

New authorities pay the most. Geotab notes that carriers with fewer than two years of operating history often pay significantly more, and FreightWaves says new authority pushes costs toward the high end of its ranges.

What each coverage adds to the bill

Primary liability is the largest piece and the one the law requires. FreightWaves notes that 49 CFR Part 387 requires $750,000 to $5,000,000 depending on commodity, and Progressive Commercial says truckers who need a federal filing usually must carry $750,000 or $1 million. Cargo and physical damage are usually required by brokers, shippers and lenders rather than by law.

FreightWaves publishes these typical annual costs per truck:

• Auto liability: $7,500 to $15,000 or more.
• Physical damage: 3% to 6% of the truck’s stated value, or $3,600 to $7,200 on a $120,000 tractor.
• Motor truck cargo: $500 to $2,500 or more, often at a $100,000 limit.
• Non-trucking liability for leased drivers: $300 to $1,200.
• General liability: $500 to $2,000 or more.
• Trailer interchange: $150 to $1,000.

Cost by state

Where your truck is garaged matters. MoneyGeek found rates differ by as much as 242% between states for the same $1 million liability, with New York the most expensive and Maine the least. FreightWaves also points to California, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Louisiana as high-cost states and the Upper Midwest and Great Plains as cheaper. For-hire semis cost more than these averages in every state.

What moves your price most

Progressive Commercial and FreightWaves list largely the same rating factors. The first three usually matter most.

• Driving records and experience: Progressive notes even a minor speeding ticket can raise a trucker’s rate significantly.
• Authority and years in business: new ventures have no loss history for underwriters to rely on.
• Cargo: high-value, theft-prone or hazardous loads raise both liability and cargo pricing.
• Truck type, age and value, which set physical damage premiums.
• Radius: interstate and long-haul routes usually cost more than local work.
• Garaging location and lanes, including urban corridors and high-theft areas.
• Limits and add-ons required by brokers, shippers or lenders.

How to lower commercial trucking insurance costs

Some savings come from billing choices; the rest come from looking like a safer risk at renewal.

• Pay in full if you can. Progressive says most customers save 10% or more by paying their policy in full.
• Share ELD or telematics data. Progressive reports truck customers in its Smart Haul program save an average of $1,261, and FreightWaves says many insurers give 5% to 10% credits for telematics and dash cams with coaching.
• Raise physical damage deductibles if you can absorb the loss. FreightWaves estimates moving from $1,000 to $2,500 or $5,000 can save 8% to 20%.
• Match cargo limits to your real loads and contract minimums instead of buying more than brokers ask for.
• Consider leasing onto a carrier for your first year or two while you build a clean record.
• Compare quotes with matching limits, deductibles, commodities and radius, and send loss runs up front. A broker such as Florin can compare quotes from several insurers.