Hot Shot Trucking Insurance FAQ

FMCSA requires a minimum of $750,000 in commercial auto liability for non-hazmat freight under 10,001 lbs GVWR. For hazmat loads, the minimum is $1,000,000–$5,000,000 depending on the commodity. Most brokers and major load boards (DAT, Truckstop.com) require $1,000,000 CSL (combined single limit) before awarding loads.

MCS-90 is a federal endorsement required for all for-hire motor carriers operating in interstate commerce. It's added to your commercial auto liability policy and serves as a guarantee that the public will be covered even if a policy exclusion would otherwise apply. If you hold an FMCSA authority (MC number) or are operating under a carrier's authority, MCS-90 is required and will be included in your commercial auto policy automatically — there's no separate application or fee.

You need insurance proof before FMCSA will activate your MC authority. After receiving your MC number, FMCSA requires your insurance carrier to file a Form BMC-91 or BMC-91X (liability filing) electronically. The authority goes active when the filing is accepted. We handle this filing on your behalf as part of the binding process — you don't need to manage it separately.

Hot shot insurance typically runs $350–$700/month for a single unit with $750K liability, cargo ($50K), and physical damage. Total cost depends on: driving record (accidents and violations), years in business (new ventures cost more), type of cargo, annual mileage, vehicle value, credit score, and state of domicile. Operators with 3+ years' history, clean records, and no new ventures typically land at the lower end.

Insurance carriers consider motor carriers with less than 2 years of operating history as "new ventures" and charge a significant surcharge — often 40–80% more than established operators. This is because loss data shows new ventures have higher accident frequency. The surcharge typically disappears after 2 years of consistent operation with a clean loss history. We work with carriers that are more favorable to new ventures to get you the best rate available.

The biggest rate drivers are: (1) MVR — any DUI, serious accidents, or multiple violations in the past 3–5 years will increase rates significantly or result in declinations; (2) time in business — new ventures pay more; (3) loss history — prior claims increase rates; (4) cargo type — hazmat and oversized loads cost more; (5) vehicle value — determines physical damage premium; (6) annual miles — more miles = more exposure = higher rate; (7) state — some states have higher rates due to litigation environment.

Yes. Fleet policies cover 2 or more units under a single policy with unified billing, certificate management, and often lower per-unit rates than individual policies. Fleet programs typically offer volume discounts starting at 3+ units. Fleet policies also simplify adding/removing trucks mid-term versus managing multiple individual policies.

Contact your agent with the VIN, year, make/model, and vehicle value of the new unit. We can typically add the vehicle same-day and issue a certificate immediately. The additional premium is pro-rated to your renewal date. For financed vehicles, we'll also need the lienholder info to add them as a loss payee.

Yes — all scheduled drivers should be listed on your policy. Carriers typically run MVRs on all listed drivers. Drivers with major violations may be excluded or may increase your rate. As a motor carrier, you're responsible for verifying driver qualifications under FMCSA Part 391 — insurance carrier requirements typically align with those federal standards.

It depends on how your policy is written. Some policies are "radius" based and cover all trucking-related use. Others specifically exclude personal use. If you're operating under a motor carrier's authority, their policy typically only covers you while dispatched — not during personal use. Non-trucking liability (bobtail insurance) fills that gap for personal and non-dispatch miles.

Standard cargo policies cover most general freight against fire, theft, collision, and overturn. Common exclusions include: live animals, contraband, money and negotiable instruments, refrigeration breakdown (usually an add-on), and certain hazmat commodities. We review your commodity list at quote to make sure your cargo is properly covered and no exclusions apply to what you actually haul.

Most qualified operators can have coverage bound within 24 hours of submitting a complete application. Certificates of insurance are typically issued same-day after binding. We maintain an online COI request portal for existing clients — available 24/7 for standard certificate requests. Rush situations (load on hold, waiting on a COI) — call us directly at 844-967-5247 and we'll handle it immediately.