Whether you are an owner-operator or own a small trucking fleet, it is important to have the right coverage for your truck, trailer, and cargo. Your business depends on being available to haul cargo quickly. That is why the best semi-truck insurance companies offer a simple experience when filing insurance with the United States Department of Transportation (DOT).
They also have support services when you have to file a claim to help you get back on the road quickly and provide easy access to your policy. Ideally, the carrier will have heavy truck claim specialists and body shops nationwide to make the turnaround time on your claim as quick as possible.
Using our in-house rubric, we evaluated 18 companies to find the five best commercial truck insurance providers for your business.
- Progressive: Best overall for semi-truck insurance
- The Hartford: Best for tow trucks
- Tivly: Best marketplace for finding commercial truck insurance
- Nationwide: Best for small fleets
- 1st Guard: Best for owner-operators
Best Insurance Companies for Semi Trucks
Quote Process | Policy Purchase Process | Accessibility | Financial Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Online or via an agent | Through an agent | 24/7 call center | A+ (Superior) |
 | Through an agent | Through an agent | 24/7 call center | A+ (Superior) |
 | Begin online or over the phone | Through the carrier | 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday | A (Excellent) to A+ (Superior) |
 | Through an agent | Through an agent | 24/7 call center | A (Excellent) |
 | Request contact from an agent online | Through an agent | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET | A (Excellent) |
Progressive: Overall Best Commercial Truck Insurance Company
Pros
- Nationwide availability for coverage
- 24/7 claims support
- Broad appetite for nearly every type of vehicle, including semi-trucks
Cons
- May need to finish the quoting process with an agent
- May need to use another carrier if you seek additional coverages like a business owner’s policy (BOP)
Standout Features
- Progressive stands out by having a dedicated team of heavy truck specialists to handle your claim
- Nationwide network of shops for your vehicle to help you quickly get back on the road
- Smart Haul® monitors driving for an average premium savings of almost a thousand dollars
- Roadside assistance, including towing if necessary, is available for semi-trucks
Financial Stability: Progressive has a strong financial position to handle claims. AM Best’s rating of Progressive is A+ (Superior).
When considering the options for the best semi-truck insurance companies, Progressive Commercial distinguishes itself based on its nationwide availability, appetite for nearly any type of heavy truck, and great services, which help you repair your truck and get back on the road as quickly as possible. It is the only provider in our roundup that lets you get a quote online.
Customers vote with their money, and more commercial auto business owners have chosen Progressive over any other carrier. Progressive has 15% of the market for commercial auto insurance. Not only does this make it the top insurer of commercial auto in the US for any type of commercial vehicle, but the second largest company has 5% of the market.
Unlike the other options on this list, you can start a quote online. However, you will likely need to finish it with an agent.
You can purchase standard auto coverages from Progressive: collision, comprehensive, and uninsured motorists. Specialty coverage—like motor cargo, nontrucking liability, are also available but if you need additional coverages like a BOP, you’ll need to either go to another carrier or use Progressive’s broker services.
In addition, rental reimbursement with downtime is available, so if your vehicle is disabled in a loss, then you can still receive some form of business assistance.
Progressive stated that in 2023, its policyholders paid an average monthly premium of $767 for truckers and $1,041 for transportation truckers. This is a very minimal increase over 2022.
After filing a claim, you will have one point of contact throughout the entire process, plus access to Progressive’s network of repair shops, where your vehicle will have priority status. The company also offers online services where you can easily manage your policy and premium payments.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) monitors complaints filed at the state level against insurance companies. Complaints filed against Progressive for commercial auto are slightly higher than the national average. However, based on the data over the past three years, there has been a downward trend in complaints filed against Progressive for commercial trucking insurance.
Eligible customers can use the free Snapshot Proview® feature, a commercial fleet management tool that tracks whether each vehicle in your fleet is being driven safely.
The Hartford: Best for Tow Trucks
Pros
- 24/7 claims center
- Coverage for the entire business
- Online policy management
Cons
- Coverage limited to specialty trucks
- No quotes available online
- Unavailable in AK, HI, and LA
Standout Features
- The Hartford offers commercial trucking insurance for heavy vehicles: dump, freight, box, semi-, and tow trucks
- Offers a wide range of insurance for any type of business, making it ideal for body shops or salvage yards that own tow trucks
- Coverage for specialty truck equipment like refrigerated trailers, dump trucks, or dry freight haulers
Financial Stability: The Hartford has over 200 years of operation. AM Best rated The Hartford an A+ (Superior).
Small business provider The Hartford consistently appears in our roundup of the best small business insurance companies. Not only does it offer semi truck insurance, but it also has a wide range of different business insurance policies. It stands out for commercial truck insurance by having an appetite not only for tow trucks but also for auto body shops, salvage companies, and roadside service businesses.
What’s more, the company offers other optional coverages depending on your business needs—like dealer plate coverage, property in transit coverage, and coverage for customer vehicles in your care, custody, or control. If you are an owner-operator of a tow truck or salvage business, you can insure your tow truck, and get all of the other necessary coverages through The Hartford.
To get a quote, you will need to reach out to an agent in your area. If you need help finding one, The Hartford has an option to locate agents or brokers near you on its commercial truck insurance page.
The Hartford has convenient online policy management, including the ability to create an instant COI.
While The Hartford has higher-than-expected complaints for commercial auto, the amount of complaints is decreasing. And the only area of any concern is commercial auto: for all other lines of small business insurance, The Hartford has high marks in customer satisfaction.
Tivly: Best Marketplace for Finding Commercial Truck Insurance
Pros
- Coverage is available nationwide
- Commercial trucking insurance and business insurance are offered
- You can initiate a quote online quickly
Cons
- You cannot complete an online quote
- As a marketplace, Tivly doesn’t handle claims or any policy management
- Account maintenance and services depend on the provider
Standout Features
- Tivly is a dedicated small business insurance marketplace, working with over 200 different insurance companies and agencies
- Through Tivly, you can be connected to a carrier that is the right match for your trucking business
- The quote process is simple: you fill out a request form online, and a representative will contact you very quickly, or you can just call directly
- A benefit of working with Tivly is that it carries multiple types of coverage because it doesn’t focus on the industry but rather on helping customers get matched to the right insurance company
Financial Stability: As a marketplace, Tivly does not have its own financial rating. Instead, it works with top-rated carriers. One carrier is Liberty Mutual which has a rating of A (Excellent).
Tivly is a commercial marketplace dedicated to offering small business insurance. Finding commercial trucking insurance can be a challenge: commercial rates for auto are high and rising, and if you have had any type of loss in the past few years, it will only cost more. That is why being able to work with a marketplace that can help match your specific business needs to a provider is a helpful way to find commercial trucking insurance.
For certain industries, Tivly does publish some average costs. However, for commercial truck insurance, there is no information.
In terms of coverage, Tivly has coverage available for semi trucks, dump trucks, tow trucks, and box trucks. The typical coverages you need are offered, including cargo insurance, nontrucking liability, and bobtail insurance.
Because it specializes in small business insurance, other coverages like workers’ comp, general liability, and commercial property can be acquired through its services.
Tivly’s hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Its process is straightforward and makes purchasing commercial trucking insurance simple: fill out a request for a quote or call it. The turnaround time is very quick: in just minutes, you can get matched up with a top provider for insurance and get a quote.
The service it offers is free, so you are under no obligation when working with them, and the quote is free.
Nationwide: Best for Small Fleets
Pros
- 24/7 accessibility
- Nationwide availability
- Stop-gap coverage for leased trucks
Standout Features
- Combined deductible for physical damage and trailer
- Blanket coverage for vehicle liability and fleet insurance for nonhauling vehicles
- Expanded towing coverage option that can cover jumping your vehicle and making minor roadside repairs
- Can select a single deductible for combined physical damage and cargo loss
Financial Stability: While Nationwide is an established carrier, AM Best recently downgraded its financial rating to A (Excellent).
Nationwide Insurance is an established commercial provider that offers commercial auto, commercial truck, and small fleet insurance. The company stands out for its customer support services and its appetite to insure small fleets―one to 10 power units. It insures short, intermediate, and long-haul trucks. So if you are just getting your business started or you’ve grown your fleet to several trucks, this is a great option for you.
To get a semi truck insurance quote, you will need to contact an agent who works with Nationwide. The company provides commercial auto through its excess line. There are many coverages to choose from, including auto, general, cargo, and bobtail liability. The coverage is highly customizable to your specific needs.
What’s more, Nationwide covers livestock and specialty truck movers, such as hazardous materials, including LPG, and mobile home movers.
You can manage your policy online. For filing a claim, you can go online or call the 24/7 call center. There is minimal information on proof of insurance or federal filings.
Nationwide can install a high-definition (HD), forward-facing dash cam in your trucks, and in exchange, you will receive two years of free monthly service. Forward-facing dash cams can make a big difference when investigating a claim.
The provider also offers a telematics program to help promote safe driving, which includes an app where you can find data on your drivers’ safety and awareness.
1st Guard: Best for Owner-operators
Pros
- In-house claims services
- Customer complaints below national average
- More than 80 years of experience insuring semi-trucks
Cons
- Customer service is not available 24/7
- App is not available on Android
- Coverage is limited specifically to semi-truck damage and liability
Standout Features
- 1st Guard is the only provider in this guide that only insures commercial trucks. As a dedicated semi-truck insurance company, it has created a system that caters to the niche needs of truck owners: whether it is a single truck or a fleet
- Some features it has developed include a single deductible for trucks and trailers; it doesn’t require down payments and offers monthly billing
- App for iOS functions like a 24/7 call center that lets you manage coverage, pay the premium, and interact with your claims adjuster
- Covers the total cost of a tow to the nearest repair facility
Financial Stability: 1st Guard’s AM Best rating is A (Excellent).
1st Guard Insurance is a dedicated commercial truck provider focusing on owner-operators. It is a direct writer for truck insurance, meaning it is a provider that works directly with customers instead of going through agents. By working directly with a provider, business owners usually gain lower costs. The downside is that you will be unable to work with a local agency. However, with nearly 100 years of experience in selling insurance to owner-operators, 1st Guard is a great option for small business owners.
To get a quote, you’ll need to fill out a contact request form online, and an agent will contact you.
Owner-operators typically need less coverage for their trucks because the trucking companies they drive for already have coverage. 1st Guard offers three types of coverage—auto physical damage, nontrucking liability insurance, and occupational accident insurance—and each has options to expand coverage. It does not provide liability for hauling.
1st Guard has a mobile app for policyholders where you can review your policy and account status, schedule payments, and contact your claims adjuster. It will also provide location-specific notifications for weather events that could impact your route. However, the app is only available for iOS.
Complaints against 1st Guard monitored by the NAIC are lower than the national average.
How We Evaluated the Best Commercial Truck Insurance Companies
We determined the best trucking insurance companies using our in-house proprietary evaluation rubric. We reviewed 18 insurers and presented the five with the highest scores. In evaluating them, we focused on the customer’s needs and paid particular attention to convenience, financial ratings (AM Best), customer service, types of policies offered, and the overall experience as a policyholder for a specific provider.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Commercial truck insurance, or semi truck insurance, refers to many policies for owner-operator or truck company fleets. Primarily, it relates to auto physical damage, general liability, nontrucking liability, auto liability, and motor cargo.
According to the FMCSA, a Federal DOT division, “you must have specific insurance” documents on file if you apply to be a motor carrier. Some insurers will file the forms online on your behalf once you purchase the policy.
Bobtail liability insurance is for when you are driving your truck without a trailer for business or personal use; nontrucking liability insurance is limited liability protection for operating a truck only for noneconomic and personal use. Both coverages involve a truck that isn’t pulling a trailer.
Commercial trucking insurance refers to larger trucking operations, while business auto is insurance for standard-size vehicles. An owner-operator with an 18-wheel Freightliner needs commercial trucking insurance, while someone driving for Uber needs a business auto policy.
Bottom Line
To help you get on the road quickly, we’ve taken the time to find the best semi truck insurance companies. As the top insurer of commercial auto in the US, Progressive is our overall best commercial truck insurance company. No matter what type of business and vehicle you have, it has a policy for you.
