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. The best semi-truck insurance companies provide a positive experience when filing insurance with the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). They also offer support services when you have a claim to help you get back on the road quickly and provide easy access to your policy.
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
- CoverWallet: Best for comparing semi-truck insurance quotes
- Nationwide: Best for small fleets
- The Hartford: Best for specialized truck equipment
- 1st Guard: Best for owner-operators
Best Semi-truck Insurance Companies Compared
Quote Process | Policy Purchase Process | Accessibility | Financial Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Online or via an agent | Through an agent | 24/7 call center | A+ (Superior) |
 | Compare quotes online | Over the phone or online | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET | A- to A+ (Excellent to Superior) |
 | Through an agent | Through an agent | 24/7 call center | A+ (Superior) |
 | Request contact from an agent online | Through an agent | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET | A (Excellent) |
 | Through an agent | Through an agent | 24/7 call center | A+ (Superior) |
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 quoting process with agent
- May need to use another carrier if you seek additional coverages like a business owner’s policy (BOP)
Standout Features
- 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 possible premium savings of hundreds of dollars
- Roadside assistance 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. It is a top insurer of commercial auto in the US for any type of commercial vehicle.
You can start a quote online but will likely need to finish it with an agent.
Progressive stated that in 2022, its policyholders paid an average monthly premium of $736 for truckers and $1,125 for transportation truckers.
You can purchase standard auto coverages from Progressive: collision, comprehensive, and uninsured motorists. Specialty coverage—like motor cargo, nontrucking liability, and trailer interchange—is also available. In addition, the provider offers rental reimbursement with downtime, so if your vehicle is disabled in a loss, then you can still receive some form of business assistance.
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.
Eligible customers can utilize the free Snapshot Proview® feature, a commercial fleet management tool that tracks whether each vehicle in your fleet is being driven safely.
CoverWallet: Best for Comparing Semi Truck Insurance Quotes
Pros
- Available in all 50 states
- Works with multiple top providers
- Dedicated agent to help you after purchasing a policy
Cons
- Unavailable 24/7
- Does not handle claims directly
- Limited information available on support services from providers
Standout Features
- Offers resources for trucking businesses, including ebooks to help with starting a trucking business
- Get matches for your business insurance needs and find the right coverage in less than 10 minutes
- Workers’ comp, general liability, property, and cargo insurance available
- Make changes to your policy directly through the brokerage
Financial stability: As a broker, CoverWallet works with multiple providers of trucking insurance such as Lancer, and Lancer’s AM Best rating is A- (Excellent).
Commercial truck insurance can be expensive and depending on the type and size of your business, you will need multiple coverages. This is where an online brokerage is a great option for comparing semi-truck insurance quotes.
CoverWallet can provide semi-truck insurance quotes from top carriers across multiple types of insurance, including for cargo and workers’ compensation. Comparing quotes can help you discover who has the cheapest commercial truck insurance.
Usually, CoverWallet will generate several semi-truck insurance quotes for you to compare and choose the right coverage from. Sometimes, you can purchase the policy online, though you might need to call an agent to finish the process.
Per costs listed on its website, CoverWallet insurance costs can range from:
- $22 to $29 per month for bobtail insurance
- $231 to $946 per month for 26-foot truck insurance
- $45 a month for hot shot nontrucking liability insurance
- $40 a month for hot shot nontrucking liability insurance for owner-operators
CoverWallet specializes in finding coverage for commercial trucking businesses and also has begun to build out a resource database for truckers.
Customers are happy with their experience with CoverWallet. The broker has 5 out of 5 stars on the independent reviewer site eKomi[1] from nearly 800 reviews. Reviewers frequently compliment the customer service and the ease of use in purchasing insurance.
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: Nationwide is an established carrier. AM Best assigned Nationwide a solid financial rating of A+ (Superior).
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.
While Nationwide provides online quotes for other types of commercial insurance, you have to contact an agent for its semi-truck and fleet offerings.
It 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 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.
Nationwide can install a high-definition (HD), forward-facing dash cam in your trucks and, in exchange, it will give you two years of monthly service for free. 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
- Single deductible for truck and trailer
- 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
- Doesn’t require down payments and offers monthly billing
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. Working with a provider usually translates into lower costs, but 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.
Complaints against 1st Guard monitored by the NAIC are lower than the national average.
The Hartford: Best for Specialized Truck Equipment
Pros
- 24/7 claims center
- Financial strength
- Online policy management
Cons
- Coverage limited to specialty trucks
- No quotes available online
- Unavailable in Alaska, Hawaii, and Louisiana
Standout Features
- Coverage for heavy vehicles: dump, freight, box, semi- and tow trucks
- Offers a wide range of insurance for any type of business
- Add custom coverages to fit your business needs
- Coverage for specialty truck equipment, such as refrigerated trailers, dump trucks, or dry freight haulers
Financial stability: The Hartford has more than 200 years of operation. AM Best rated The Hartford as 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. If you need workers’ comp, general liability, or a BOP, you can get these coverages from 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.
What’s more, the company offers other optional coverages depending on your business needs—like dealer plates coverage, property in transit coverage, and coverage for customer vehicles in your care, custody, or control.
The Hartford has convenient online policy management, including the ability to create an instant COI.
In our evaluation, the provider took some hits in customer satisfaction—primarily because it has higher-than-expected complaints for commercial auto. However, for other commercial lines, complaints monitored by the NAIC are all lower than you’d expect.
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.
Whereas 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.
User review reference:
[1]eKomi | CoverWallet
