Written By: Caleb Jackson, Vice President of Transportation Insurance. Over the past 15+ years Caleb and his team have insured thousands of truckers throughout the United States. He is T.R.I.P certified. Last updated: September 7, 2026.

Semi Truck Insurance
A semi is the hardest-working asset most owner-operators will ever own — and one of the most expensive things on the road to insure wrong. I run the Transportation division at Barbee Jackson Insurance, and semis are the core of our trucking book: owner-operators, small fleets, and new authorities, quoted every single day. We’re independent and licensed in 30+ states, which means we shop your operation across the markets that actually want your truck — and most quotes come back in under a day.

Here’s how a real semi truck program comes together, what it costs, and what we need from you to price it accurately the first time.

What We Need to Quote Your Semi
This is the part that decides whether your quote is real or a teaser number that changes at binding. Have these ready and we can usually turn your quote around in less than a day:

•           Your DOT and MC numbers (or tell us you’re a new authority — we place those too)

•           VINs and values for tractors and trailers

•           What you haul — commodities drive cargo pricing and eligibility

•           Driver list with CDL experience and MVRs

•           Radius of operation and the lanes you actually run

•           Loss runs if you’ve been in business

The more accurate the information we receive coming in, the more accurate the quote will be going out. The cheap quote built on guesses is the one that blows up at renewal — or worse, at claim time.

The Coverage a Semi Actually Carries
Primary auto liability. The required piece. Interstate for-hire, the federal floor for most freight is $750,000 — but the working number in this business is $1,000,000, because that’s what shippers and brokers usually demand before they’ll load you. Run intrastate only, and your state sets its own minimums — our state pages below cover those, and we’ll confirm exactly what applies when we quote.

Physical damage. Collision plus comprehensive on the tractor and trailer, written on values that reflect what your equipment is actually worth. Financed or leased equipment will have lender requirements — send us the agreement and we’ll match the certificate to it.

Motor truck cargo. Covers the freight, at the limits your broker contracts require, rated for what’s actually on the trailer. Reefer operators: confirm whether refrigeration breakdown is covered before a Florida August answers the question for you.

Non-trucking liability / bobtail. If you’re leased to a motor carrier, this covers the truck when it moves without being under dispatch — the gap between the carrier’s policy and your weekend.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist. The coverage that answers when the private passenger vehicle that hit you carries a minimum policy — or none at all.

The filings. For-hire interstate authority activates when the proof is on file: the BMC-91X your insurer files with the FMCSA, the BOC-3 process agent, and the MCS-90 endorsement. We handle the insurance filings for our clients — typically within 24 hours of issuance — because a truck that can’t legally run doesn’t earn anything.

What Does Semi Truck Insurance Cost?
Most of our book runs from as low as $3,500 per unit up to $27,000 — and where you land in that range is your operation, not a mystery:

•           Driver experience and MVRs — most carriers want two or more years of CDL experience, and drivers under that threshold narrow the market (they don’t close it; ask us)

•           What you haul and how far — commodities and radius are pricing levers, not paperwork

•           Equipment values and age

•           Your inspection and loss history — underwriters read your CAB/SAFER profile before anything else

•           New authority vs. established operation — new ventures place every week, at new-venture rates for the first few years while the track record builds

•           Where your business is domiciled, including the proximity to large urban centers, can have an impact on pricing

Call us with how you actually run and we’ll give you real numbers back: (850) 389-2001.

Frequently Asked Questions
How much does semi truck insurance cost? In our book, roughly $3,500 per unit on the light end up to $27,000 for harder operations — driven by driver MVRs and experience, commodities, radius, equipment values, and loss history. New authorities price higher for the first few years. The only real answer is a quote on your actual operation.

Can I get insured with less than two years of CDL experience? It’s harder — most carriers want two or more years — but it’s a narrower market, not a closed one. Tell us the driver’s history and we’ll tell you which markets will look at it.

What do I need to get a quote? DOT/MC numbers, VINs and values, commodities, driver list with MVRs, radius, and loss runs if you have them. With that in hand, most quotes come back in under a day.

What filings do I need before I can run? For-hire interstate authority needs the BMC-91X insurance filing, BOC-3 process agent, and MCS-90 endorsement. We handle the insurance filings, typically within 24 hours of issuance.

Do you write new authorities? Every week. Expect new-venture rates for the first few years — that’s the market, not a sales tactic — and an honest conversation about which markets want new authorities and how to present yours.

Does my policy cover the trailer I’m pulling if it isn’t mine? Trailer interchange or non-owned trailer coverage handles equipment you pull under an interchange agreement — tell us how you run and we’ll confirm which applies.

Why Truckers Work With Barbee Jackson Insurance
Semis aren’t a sideline here — Transportation is one of our three core divisions, and we quote semi trucks every day. We’re independent, licensed in 30+ states, with 400+ five-star Google reviews, and because we’re not tied to one carrier, we shop your operation across the markets that actually want it — owner-operators, small fleets, and new authorities alike. And when the broker asks for a certificate: within five minutes during normal business hours unless a change is required.

Call (850) 389-2001 or request a quote below. Your Goals, Our Strategies.

Related pages: Transportation Insurance (hub) · Florida Trucking Insurance · Georgia Commercial Trucking · Log Truck Insurance · Cargo Insurance · Dash Cams: Working for You or Against You?