Commercial Auto · Trucking
Trucking Insurance — Where Flatland Started, and Still Goes Deepest
Trucking is where we built our reputation: owner-operators getting their first authority, fleets scaling from 2 trucks to 50, reefer haulers who can't afford a cargo gap. Flatland writes the full stack — primary liability, motor truck cargo, physical damage, non-trucking/bobtail, trailer interchange, and occupational accident — across Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, and Iowa.
Trucking is the deepest part of what we do — and the foundation for every other kind of commercial auto we now write. The same care that protects a reefer load protects a contractor's work truck or an investor's crew. It is our most established practice, the place where Flatland started, sitting under the broader commercial auto umbrella.
Who this is for
Who this is for
- Owner-operators — including new motor carriers getting their first authority
- Fleets scaling from a couple trucks to fifty
- Reefer, flatbed, tanker, and hazmat haulers
- Auto haulers, intermodal, dump, and hotshot operations
- Cross-border carriers running Laredo and El Paso lanes
Coverage
What's typically in a trucking policy
| Coverage | Tier | What it protects |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Liability | ● core | Injury and damage you cause to others — the filing carriers and brokers require. |
| Motor Truck Cargo | ● core | The freight you're hauling, protected against loss or damage in transit. |
| Physical Damage | ● core | Your tractor and trailer — collision and comprehensive. |
| Inland Marine / Equipment | ○ situational | Tools, chains, straps, and equipment that ride with the rig. |
| Bobtail / Non-Trucking | ○ situational | Driving without a load or off-dispatch, when the primary policy doesn't apply. |
| Trailer Interchange | ○ situational | Trailers in your possession under an interchange agreement. |
| Occupational Accident | ○ situational | Injury coverage for owner-operators outside of workers' comp. |
Legend: ● core/almost always · ○ common/situational. See the motor truck cargo vs. general liability guide for the distinction brokers care about.
New authority
New authority? We insure it fast.
Getting your own authority is the biggest step an owner-operator takes — and the insurance filings can stall the whole thing. We insure new motor carriers quickly, get the FMCSA filings in, and get you legal to run. We'll tell you exactly what coverage your new MC needs and in what order.
Read: What insurance do you need to get your own authority? →Industries
Industries we serve
Cross-border
Cross-border and bilingual
Texas is our biggest market and our cross-border edge — Laredo and El Paso lanes, with bilingual producers who speak the trade in Spanish and English. If your operation runs freight across the border, we know the coverage and the conversation.
Bonds
Freight broker and carrier bonds
Need a BMC-84 freight broker bond ($75,000) or a BMC-91 carrier liability filing? We write those too. See Construction Bonds — the same hub handles your trucking bonds.
Why Flatland
Why Flatland for trucking coverage?
Trucking is our most established practice — where Flatland started and still goes deepest. We know authority filings, cargo requirements, and what it takes to keep a truck legal across six states. Licensed across MO, KS, OK, TX, CO, IA. An independent agency working with a wide variety of carriers and markets to fit each client's needs. Real claims people. Bilingual capability — strongest in Texas.
By Zachary J. Kramer, licensed insurance agent, 20+ years' experience, NPN 7570201, Baylor University BBA. Flatland Expeditions LLC, founded in 2022 — an independent agency/broker working with a wide variety of carriers and markets to fit each client's needs.
FAQ
Trucking insurance FAQs
- What insurance do I need to get my own authority?
- New motor carriers need primary liability that meets FMCSA filing requirements, plus cargo coverage most brokers require before they'll load you. We insure new authority fast and walk you through the filings. See our guide on insurance to get your own authority.
- What's the difference between motor truck cargo and general liability?
- Motor truck cargo covers the freight you're hauling; general liability covers premises and operations exposures off the truck. Brokers require cargo because GL won't pay for a damaged load.
- Do I need bobtail or non-trucking liability?
- If you operate under someone else's authority, you likely need non-trucking/bobtail coverage for the times you're driving without a dispatched load — when the primary policy doesn't respond.
- How much does trucking insurance cost?
- It depends on your equipment, radius, commodities, driving records, and the coverages you need. The fastest path to a real number is a quote.