Public Resource Page

Insurance Requirements

Starter page for insurance tracking and future company reminders.

What Is Financial Responsibility, and Why It's Required

Federal financial responsibility rules under 49 CFR Part 387 set the minimum public liability insurance a motor carrier must carry to operate under FMCSA authority — coverage for bodily injury, property damage, and environmental restoration caused by the operation of a commercial motor vehicle. The required minimum depends on what the carrier hauls (general freight vs. hazardous materials) and, for hazmat, how hazardous the specific commodity is. Carriers can't simply self-report coverage; their insurer must file proof of it directly with FMCSA, and authority can be revoked if that filing lapses.

Minimum Insurance by Operation Type

Operation / Commodity	Minimum Public Liability
For-hire, non-hazardous freight, GVWR 10,001 lbs or more	$750,000
Oil and other hazardous materials/substances listed in 49 CFR 172.101 (non-bulk or bulk, as applicable)	$1,000,000
Bulk hazardous materials: Class 1.1/1.2/1.3 explosives, Division 2.1/2.2 gases, Division 2.3 Zone A poison gas, Division 6.1 PG I Zone A poison, or highway-route-controlled quantities of Class 7 radioactive material	$5,000,000
For-hire passenger carriers, vehicles seating 16 or more (including driver)	$5,000,000
For-hire passenger carriers, vehicles seating 15 or fewer (including driver)	$1,500,000

These figures come from the schedule in 49 CFR 387.9 and 387.33. Household goods carriers also have a separate, much smaller cargo-liability requirement on top of public liability insurance, and vehicles under 10,001 lbs GVWR hauling only non-hazardous freight generally fall outside these federal minimums — though state financial responsibility laws and the specifics of a carrier's operation can still bring other insurance obligations into play. Because thresholds and dollar amounts are set by federal rule and can change, confirm the current schedule before relying on any single number.

Filing Proof of Insurance With FMCSA

Insurance minimums only matter if FMCSA has current proof of them on file. Carriers' insurers submit this electronically — typically a BMC-91 or BMC-91X for surety bonds and public liability, and a BMC-34 for cargo insurance where required — directly to FMCSA. If a policy is cancelled or lapses, the insurer is required to notify FMCSA, which can suspend the carrier's operating authority until replacement coverage is filed.

FMCSA Insurance Filing Requirements (fmcsa.dot.gov)

Frequently Asked

Does cargo insurance satisfy the federal public liability requirement?

No. Public liability insurance (bodily injury/property damage to others) and cargo insurance (damage to the freight being hauled) are separate coverages. Part 387's minimums are for public liability; cargo coverage is a different requirement that may be set by contract with shippers/brokers in addition to any regulatory minimum that applies to your operation.

Can a carrier use a bond instead of an insurance policy?

Yes, financial responsibility can be demonstrated through an insurance policy, a surety bond, or qualification as a self-insurer, as long as the coverage meets the applicable minimum and is properly filed with FMCSA on the correct form.

What happens if our insurance lapses?

FMCSA can revoke operating authority when required insurance is cancelled and not promptly replaced with a new filing. Operating without the required financial responsibility on file is a serious compliance failure that can shut down operations, not just trigger a fine.

Free Resources

Insurance Filing Requirements FMCSA
Explains minimum financial responsibility levels and which forms (BMC-91, BMC-91X, BMC-82) carriers must have on file.