What Is The Average Cost For Commercial Truck Insurance?

The average semi truck insurance cost is about $750 to $1,250 a month ($9,000 to $15,000 a year) for an established owner-operator under their own authority with a clean record. New authorities usually pay $1,000 to $1,500 a month ($12,000 to $18,000 a year), and owner-operators leased to a motor carrier typically pay just $170 to $330 a month ($2,000 to $4,000 a year).

The biggest factor in what you’ll pay isn’t the truck. It’s whether you run under your own authority or under a carrier’s, and how long you’ve been doing it. This page breaks down semi truck insurance cost per month by operating status, by coverage, and by the factors that move your quote.

Semi Truck Insurance Cost Per Month

Operating Status	Typical Monthly Cost	Typical Annual Cost
Leased to a motor carrier	$170–$330	$2,000–$4,000
Own authority, established with a clean record	$750–$1,250	$9,000–$15,000
Own authority, first year	$1,000–$1,500	$12,000–$18,000

Per truck, for general freight with a clean record. These are planning ranges based on published 2025–2026 owner-operator rate surveys. Some operators pay above or below them, especially in high-cost states or with specialized freight.

Why Leased Owner-Operators Pay So Much Less

When you’re leased on, the motor carrier provides the two most expensive coverages, primary liability and cargo. You usually only buy bobtail or non-trucking liability, physical damage on your own tractor, and occupational accident. Under your own authority, you buy the whole program yourself.

Why New Authorities Pay More

Insurers price from loss history, and a new MC number doesn’t have one. Fewer insurers write new authorities, so there’s less competition for your business. Rates usually start to ease after the first full policy term without a claim, and keep improving through about year three. See high risk truck insurance if you’ve been quoted well above these ranges.

Semi Truck Insurance Cost By Coverage

A semi truck policy is really a bundle of separate coverages. Here’s what each typically adds per year for an owner-operator:

Coverage	Typical Annual Cost	Who Needs It
Primary liability	$5,000–$12,000	Own authority
Physical damage	$1,000–$3,000	Anyone with a financed or valuable truck
Motor truck cargo	$400–$1,200	Own authority (brokers usually require $100,000)
Occupational accident	$1,600–$2,200	Leased owner-operators, often required by the carrier
Bobtail or non-trucking liability	$350–$600	Leased owner-operators
General liability	$500–$800	Own authority, often required by shippers
Umbrella	$500–$700	Carriers with contracts above $1,000,000
Uninsured/underinsured motorist	$50–$100	Required in some states

Primary liability is the largest line by far, which is why the leased-on and own-authority totals are so different. What you pay for physical damage depends on how the truck is valued; see semi truck physical damage insurance for actual cash value vs stated vs agreed value. For what cargo coverage costs by freight type, see cargo insurance rates.

What Affects Semi Truck Insurance Cost

• Years in business and claims history. A clean record over several years earns the best rates. A short history or recent claims push you up.
• Driver age and CDL experience. Many insurers want drivers who are at least 23 to 25 with two or more years of CDL experience.
• What you haul. Dry van general freight is the baseline. Reefer and flatbed typically run 15% to 25% higher, and hazmat can cost far more. See owner-operator insurance costs by truck type.
• Where you’re based. One 2026 rate report put average owner-operator premiums at about $296 a month in Mississippi and about $1,730 a month in New Jersey.
• Radius and routes. Long-haul, coast-to-coast operation costs more than a defined regional radius.
• The truck. Newer, more valuable trucks cost more to insure for physical damage.
• Payment plan and deductible. Paying more up front and taking a higher deductible both lower the cost.

Specialized freight changes both price and coverage. Hazmat carriers need $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 in liability; see hazmat truck insurance. Livestock haulers need cargo forms that cover live animals; see livestock hauling insurance. Waste haulers have their own requirements; see garbage truck insurance.

Why Semi Truck Insurance Keeps Going Up

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) found trucking liability premiums rose 18.6% per mile from 2021 to 2024, to about 10.2 cents a mile, even as truck crash rates fell slightly. The main driver is the size of jury verdicts in truck accident cases, which pushes liability rates up for every carrier, including those with spotless records. See why did my trucking insurance go up for more.

Example: First-Year Dry Van Authority

A new owner-operator running a dry van regionally from a mid-cost state, with $1,000,000 liability, $100,000 cargo, and physical damage on a financed tractor and trailer, should budget about $1,200 to $1,500 a month in year one. After a clean first year, the same operation can often renew 15% to 25% lower.

How To Save Money On Semi Truck Insurance

• Build a clean record. Your first two to three years matter most. Hire carefully if you have drivers.
• Pay annually if you can. Paying the full year up front can save up to 20% compared with monthly installments.
• Raise your physical damage deductible if you can cover it from savings.
• Set accurate stated values. Don’t pay premium on value you’d never collect.
• Ask about discounts. Dash cams, telematics and safety programs earn credits with many insurers.
• Shop every renewal. Compare carriers in our commercial truck insurance companies directory.

For a look at the full tractor trailer policy, including how the trailer is covered, see 18 wheeler insurance. For costs across all truck types, see the average cost of commercial truck insurance.

Insurance Costs Frequently Asked Questions