Best Commercial Truck Insurance

Progressive offers the best overall commercial truck insurance

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There are approximately 3.49 million truck drivers in the United States, according to the latest numbers from the American Trucking Associations. With that many trucks traveling on our roads, it’s no wonder that there is a need to find the best commercial truck insurance possible.

Like personal auto insurance, commercial truck coverage can provide a blend of liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage. Unlike personal auto coverage, though, commercial truck insurance needs higher coverage limits to account for heavier and more valuable vehicles, as well as the cargo they haul.

To help you find the best commercial truck insurance in the United States, we shopped around with 10 different carriers. Specifically, we considered price, availability, consumer satisfaction, the availability of general and specific types of coverage, types of discounts offered and financial strength. Read on to see which commercial truck insurers received our top picks.

Our Top Pick

Best Commercial Truck Insurance Providers of 2023

For a free no-obligation custom quote, contact our partner Gallagher Small Business to speak with a small business expert who understands your needs: 833.810.5726.

Best Overall : Progressive


Progressive

 Progressive

Why We Chose It

With the largest market share among U.S. commercial insurance carriers, plus a variety of trucks covered and multiple discounts available, Progressive is an easy choice for the best overall commercial truck insurance carrier.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Top commercial vehicle insurer in the U.S.

  • Available in all 50 states

  • Offers free state and federal insurance filings

  • Variety of discounts

  • Covers wide range of truck types

Cons
  • History of consumer complaints

  • Will need to work with an agent

  • Allowable fleet size is limited

  • Travel radius may apply

Overview

According to the Insurance Information Institute, Progressive is the largest commercial auto insurer in the United States, providing coverage to more than 16% of the overall market. They offer commercial truck policies in all 50 states with coverage available to a variety of vehicles, including box trucks, tow trucks, tractor-trailers, dump trucks, cement trucks, garbage trucks, delivery trucks, and even ice cream trucks. 

Progressive snags our top spot for the best commercial truck insurance thanks to the range of coverage and features offered. Not only does this carrier provide online quotes and flexible coverage and payment options, but it also provides expert support for commercial truck customers. Progressive provides a specialized heavy truck claims service and offers both state and federal insurance filings for free (usually issued within 48 hours).

Truck insurance through Progressive includes general liability (bodily injury and personal property), comprehensive, collision, uninsured/underinsured motorist, medical payments, and personal injury protection (PIP). Additional coverages include motor truck cargo, trailer interchange, rental reimbursement (with downtime), non-trucking liability, and fire and theft options. 

Progressive provides discounts for things like business experience, drivers with CDL certification, electronic logging devices (ELDs), paying in full, signing up for EFT/autopay, bundling coverage with personal vehicle insurance, or building a package. Online quotes are offered, but you’ll need to work with an agent to buy the right policy for your company. Claims can be filed over the phone anytime, with agents available 24/7.

Progressive was founded in 1937 and currently holds an A+ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best. According to data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Progressive received a higher-than-average number of consumer complaints in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

To learn more information about this carrier, check out our full Progressive Car Insurance Review.

Best for Single Trucks : Sentry


Sentry

Sentry

Why We Chose It

Though many carriers offer coverage for large businesses and trucking fleets, Sentry is a carrier that focuses heavily on single-truck customers. Their level of personal service and industry expertise earn it our nod for owner-operators and businesses with just one truck.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Flexible coverage options

  • Available in all 50 states

  • Specializes in coverage for owner-operators and personal use liability

Cons
  • Limited online information

  • Need to work with a local agent

  • Smaller company

Overview

Sentry has been providing trusted commercial insurance coverage since 1904. Though this carrier is on the smaller side of commercial truck insurance, they offer coverage in all 50 states through their network of 65 agencies, all of which specialize in trucking.

Sentry believes in customizing the insurance experience, tailoring their commercial truck coverage to build exactly the policy you need, even if you’re a single owner-operator. They have a knowledgeable claims staff who understand trucking (and the challenges or needs involved) and offer certified safety directors who boast more than 20 years of industry experience. This level of expertise and specialization, especially for non-fleet business owners, makes Sentry our top pick for the best for single trucks.

Policies are available to owner-operators, large fleets, and everything in-between. Sentry currently insures more than 37,000 truckers, offering a range of liability, physical damage, collision, comprehensive, motor truck cargo, and non-trucking liability (personal use) coverage. There are no online quotes available, so you’ll need to call or find a local agent to get more information.

Sentry boasts an A+ AM Best rating in 2021 and had a lower-than-average number of consumer complaints in 2022, according to the NAIC. Claims can easily be filed over the phone, and the status can be checked online once filed. Sentry doesn’t outsource their claims handling, either; instead, they staff their own claims adjusters who specialize in trucking risks.

Best for Fleets : The Hartford


The Hartford

 The Hartford

Why We Chose It

With special programs and discounts tailored to multi-vehicle businesses, The Hartford is an easy choice for the best commercial truck insurance for fleets.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Fleet-specific programs, devices, and discounts

  • Available in all 50 states

  • Many complimentary coverages

  • Special Risk Engineering services for fleets

Cons
  • No online quotes

  • Limited options for single-vehicle customers

Overview

Our top pick for the best fleet coverage is The Hartford, a carrier that has been around since 1810. The Hartford offers commercial insurance protection in all 50 states to single vehicles and fleets alike, but really shines when it comes to mitigating risk for commercial fleets.

Through The Hartford, you can purchase general liability, property, workers comp, umbrella, and excess liability coverage for your commercial trucks. Vehicles covered include:

  • Dry freight and refrigerated trailers
  • Refuse trucks
  • Ambulances
  • Dump trucks
  • Fire trucks
  • Snowplow attachments
  • Trailer manufacturers

There are limited coverage options for single-vehicle policies—and The Hartford readily admits that they “prefer to write Commercial Auto as part of a multi-line account”—but is probably better suited for businesses with multiple vehicles on the road. 

The FleetAhead management program helps to integrate risk management with technology, allowing you to reduce loss and ensure safety while also improving driver performance. They offer a number of different telematics products, and customers may qualify for additional discounts just for purchasing and using these programs. There are no online quotes available, so you’ll need to call and speak with an agent to get more info or pricing.

With your commercial truck insurance through The Hartford, you’ll also enjoy additional free coverages. These include glass repair deductible waiver, one-deductible-for-two coverage, coverage for leased and loaned vehicles, and waiver of subrogation, to name a few.

To learn more information about this carrier, check out our full The Hartford Auto Insurance Review.

Best Value : CoverWallet


CoverWallet

 CoverWallet

Why We Chose It

Though CoverWallet is actually an aggregator (not an individual insurance carrier), this platform can help commercial truck drivers purchase insurance for their vehicles in just minutes online, with basic coverage starting at just $125 a month.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Instant online quotes available

  • Buy a policy online in minutes

  • Many coverage options for a wide range of trucks

  • Coverage available for bad credit/bad driving record

Cons
  • Aggregator platform, not an individual carrier

  • Pricing may take longer, in some cases

Overview

If you’re looking around for affordable commercial truck insurance, shopping through an aggregator platform like CoverWallet might be a good place to start. This company earns our nod for the best value by offering customers the ability to get instant quotes from multiple carriers, for a wide range of trucks and coverage options.

Founded in 2015, CoverWallet aims to make the insurance-buying process easier for commercial customers with the help of AI. They provide quotes in seconds, even from your phone, for general liability, physical damage, non-trucking liability, bobtail, cargo, trailer interchange, hired, and non-owned auto coverage. 

Drivers with bad credit and/or bad driving records can still find and buy a policy through CoverWallet (though, you should expect to pay more in premiums). Trucks allowed include:

  • Hot shotters
  • Food trucks
  • Dump trucks
  • Box trucks
  • Car carriers 
  • Log trucks

Basic truck coverage starts around $125 per month, though this will vary based on the truck type, mileage/travel radius, location, coverage limits, and other personal factors.

Most quotes are offered instantly, and policies can be purchased in just a few minutes online (with immediate proof of insurance available via email). However, more information may be needed from some drivers in order to provide a quote, and the process can take up to two business days.

CoverWallet currently holds a customer satisfaction rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars through eKomi, with more than 645 reviews.

Best Customer Service : State Farm


State Farm

 State Farm

Why We Chose It

With top satisfaction ratings and below-average consumer complaints in two out of the past three years, State Farm snags our pick for the best customer service among commercial truck insurance companies.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • High consumer satisfaction ratings

  • Coverage for individual or fleet vehicles

  • Available in all 50 states

Cons
  • Limited information online

  • No online quotes

  • Need to work with agent

Overview

Whether you’re looking to insure a single commercial truck or an entire fleet, State Farm is our recommendation if you’re looking for the best customer service experience. They earned the second spot for overall customer satisfaction in the 2022 J.D. Power U.S. Small Commercial Insurance Study and received fewer consumer complaints than expected for its market share in 2022, according to the NAIC.

Through State Farm, customers can purchase commercial truck insurance for single or fleet pickup trucks, box trucks, tractor-trailers, and more. The company offers liability, collision, comprehensive, personal injury protection (PIP), medical payments, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

Commercial truck insurance is available in all 50 states. Limited information is offered on State Farm’s website, and there are no online quotes; instead, you’ll need to work with a local agent to get additional info to build and buy your policy.

State Farm currently boasts an A++ (Superior) financial strength rating through AM Best, the highest possible.

To learn more information about this carrier, check out our full State Farm Auto Insurance Review.

Final Verdict

Finding the best commercial truck insurance depends on you and your specific business. Whether you have a single food truck, a fleet of tractor-trailers, or something in between, there are many trusted and highly rated carriers offering secure commercial truck coverage to meet your needs.

If you’re looking for the best all-around commercial truck insurance, Progressive is worth a look. This carrier offers coverage for many different types of trucks and industries across the U.S., with various discounts available. However, if you are looking for specific policy features, another carrier may best suit your needs.

Compare the Best Commercial Truck Insurance Providers

Picked For Key Benefit
Best Overall Top insurer for a range of truck types; many discounts, 24/7 claims, available in all 50 states; free state and federal insurance filings
Best for Single Trucks Personalized service and customized policies for individual owner-operators
Best for Fleets Specialized technology and products designed for fleet management and risk reduction; fleet discounts
Best Value Aggregator offering instant quotes starting at $125, and policies in minutes
Best Customer Service #2 in customer satisfaction, and the highest-possible financial strength rating

Frequently Asked Questions

How Does Commercial Truck Insurance Work?

Similar to other forms of auto coverage, commercial truck insurance protects others in the form of bodily injury and property damage liability coverage if a truck driver is found responsible for an accident. 

Commercial truck insurance can also offer other coverages, such as comprehensive and collision protection, cargo coverage, personal injury protection (PIP), and uninsured/underinsured motorist protection. The driver will report the claim to the insurance carrier who pays the covered benefits when an incident happens.

How Much Is Commercial Truck Insurance?

As with all insurance products, the cost of commercial truck insurance will vary according to individual factors. These include the vehicle(s) being insured, coverage limits chosen, location, travel radius, type of cargo, business experience, and even the driver’s own age and record.

The national average monthly cost for commercial truck insurance in 2020 ranged from $640 to $982 per month, according to Progressive.

What Is Fleet Insurance?

Fleet insurance covers businesses that operate more than one vehicle. The vehicles receive the same coverage options and get a discounted price when in a fleet. While a fleet is typically considered five or more company vehicles, some insurance companies will consider offering a commercial fleet policy if you operate just two or more vehicles for your business.

How Much Commercial Truck Coverage Do I Need?

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, commercial trucks are required to carry minimum insurance coverage amounts depending on the vehicle and cargo being driven. The more dangerous the cargo and heavier the truck, the more coverage drivers are required to have.

Minimum commercial truck insurance limits are currently:

  • $300,000 for non-hazardous cargo in trucks under 10,001 pounds
  • $750,000 for non-hazardous cargo in trucks 10,001 pounds and over
  • $1 million for oil being transported by for-hire/private carriers
  • $5 million for other hazardous materials or explosives being transported by for-hire/private carriers
  • Additional cargo coverage for household goods being transported, $5,000 per vehicle/$10,000 per occurrence

Keep in mind that these are federal minimums; additional minimums may be required by certain states, companies, or when hauling specific cargo.

Methodology

To help you find the best commercial truck insurance, we compared the products offered by 10 different carriers, including Progressive, The Hartford, Sentry, State Farm, GEICO, Berkshire, NITIC, Travelers, OOIDA, and Owner Operator Direct. We looked at factors like the types of trucks covered, coverage options, availability, and consumer satisfaction feedback.

We also looked at whether these companies specialized in a specific type of commercial truck insurance coverage, the types of discounts offered, and how they held up in terms of financial strength ratings.

Commercial Truck Insurance
Article Sources
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