$750,000 vs $1,000,000: The Trucking Liability Limit Brokers Actually Require
Federal rules say most for-hire trucks hauling general freight across state lines need at least $750,000 in liability coverage. Brokers go higher. In our experience almost every freight broker requires $1,000,000, so for a carrier who books loads through brokers, $1,000,000 is the real starting point. This guide covers what the federal rule says, why the broker number is higher, and what to check on your own policy.
The legal floor is $750,000 for for-hire carriers of nonhazardous property in interstate commerce with vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more (49 CFR 387.9). Almost every broker asks for $1,000,000 in auto liability before it will book a load with you, so if you plan to haul brokered freight, quote $1,000,000. FMCSA's 2026 report to Congress on the minimum has not changed the rule.
What the rule says
The federal minimums are in a table in 49 CFR 387.9. The schedule of limits there carries a column dated January 1, 1985. We read the current version of the section on October 18, 2026. The public liability rows are:
| Who | Vehicle weight | What is hauled | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| For-hire, interstate or foreign commerce | 10,001 lb or more | Nonhazardous property | $750,000 |
| For-hire and private | 10,001 lb or more | Oil, hazardous waste and other listed hazardous materials | $1,000,000 |
| For-hire and private | 10,001 lb or more | Certain hazardous substances in bulk, bulk explosives and certain bulk gases | $5,000,000 |
| For-hire and private | Under 10,001 lb | Certain bulk explosives, poison gas and radioactive loads | $5,000,000 |
The table is a summary. The regulation has the full wording of each row, including which materials fall in which tier. If you haul anything that might be hazardous, read the section or ask your agent before you assume the $750,000 row applies to you.
Why brokers ask for $1,000,000
Brokers set their own carrier requirements, and $1,000,000 in auto liability is the figure almost every broker we see writes into its carrier packet. A broker checks your certificate of insurance before it books you. A policy at $750,000 meets the federal rule and still gets you turned down for most brokered loads.
Brokers have their own reason to want the higher limit. Courts have been more willing to hold brokers responsible for the carriers they hire, and a carrier with more coverage gives the broker more protection if a load goes wrong. Our guide to trucking broker liability in 2026 covers that trend.
Shippers can set requirements too, and some ask for more than $1,000,000. Read each carrier agreement before you sign it, because you have to carry what you agreed to.
The 2026 report to Congress
FMCSA reviewed the financial responsibility and security requirements for motor carriers and reported to Congress in 2026. The agency's page on it is titled "Examining the Appropriateness of Current Financial Responsibility and Security Requirements" and sits on the FMCSA policy page. We could not open the report itself when we wrote this, so we are not quoting its figures or conclusions.
A report does not amend the rule. The $750,000 figure would move only through an FMCSA rulemaking or an act of Congress, and the current text of 49 CFR 387.9 shows no change. If someone tells you the minimum is going up, ask where it was published.
How the minimum shows up on a policy
The limit on your policy, whether $750,000 or $1,000,000, is a liability limit, which is the most the insurer will pay for injury and property damage you cause to other people in one accident. It is a different number from your cargo limit, your physical damage coverage and any limit that protects your own truck. A policy can show $1,000,000 for liability and still have a small cargo limit, so read each line on the declarations page separately.
The federal table applies to carriers in interstate commerce, and the first row is for-hire nonhazardous freight. Carriers that stay inside one state answer to that state's requirements, and some states set their own minimums. If you cross a state line even occasionally, ask your agent which side of that line your operation falls on.
Vehicle weight matters too. The table's main rows start at 10,001 pounds, so a light truck may sit outside the $750,000 row. Do not assume that a small truck means no requirement, because a broker, a shipper or a state can still require coverage of its own.
What this means for a small carrier
The federal minimum keeps your operating authority active. The limit you actually need depends on who you haul for. If you book through brokers, plan on $1,000,000. Hazmat has its own federal tiers of $1,000,000 or $5,000,000 depending on the load, as the table shows. A serious crash can also produce a claim larger than any limit, and the amount above it is between the injured party and your business, which puts the business's own assets at risk.
If you only haul under direct contracts that accept $750,000, the minimum may be enough. Check every agreement first, and tell your agent about any broker you expect to work with before the policy is quoted.
How the proof of insurance reaches FMCSA
Operating authority depends on the insurance company filing proof of coverage with FMCSA. The insurance company that writes your policy sends FMCSA the filing, such as a BMC-91X, and the MCS-90 endorsement attaches to the policy. Our guide to the MCS-90 endorsement explains what that endorsement does and why a carrier cannot just skip it.
If your limit changes, the filing can change with it. Certificates and endorsements come from the team that services your policy, so ask your agent which team that is and how to reach it.
What to ask your agent
- Is my liability limit $1,000,000, and does it meet every broker and shipper agreement I haul under?
- Does my cargo fall in the $750,000 row or in a hazardous materials tier?
- Which filings has my insurer made for me, and are they showing as active?
- If a claim ran past my limit, what would that look like for the business?
An agent who has reviewed your file before quoting can answer those from the record. When a carrier sends us a file, the DOT record, the operation and the contracts come first, and the quote comes after. Our guide on owner-operator insurance requirements lists the coverages most owner-operators have to put in place.