FMCSA Insurance Requirements: What New Trucking Companies Need to Know

If you are starting a for-hire trucking company that runs across state lines, the FMCSA sets the insurance you have to carry before you can legally haul a load. Meeting those requirements is what turns your operating authority on, and missing them is the most common reason a new authority stalls.

This guide breaks down the FMCSA insurance requirements for 2026: the minimum liability limits by operation, the forms your insurer files, and what you actually need to buy. You can also download the requirements as a one-page chart.

Need the registration steps too? Our guide to how to get your MC and DOT numbers covers MOTUS, the 21-day window, and the filings that activate your authority.

Who has to meet FMCSA insurance requirements

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets minimum insurance for interstate for-hire carriers, meaning anyone paid to haul regulated freight across state lines. If that is you, you have to file proof of insurance before your operating authority goes active.

One thing changed recently. As of October 1, 2025, the FMCSA stopped issuing new MC numbers and now ties new operating authority to your USDOT number. If you already hold an MC number, it stays valid and on file. The insurance you have to carry and file didn’t change, which is what the rest of this guide covers.

FMCSA minimum insurance requirements by operation

The FMCSA sets your minimum auto liability limit based on what you haul and how heavy your vehicle is. General freight carriers running vehicles over 10,001 pounds need $750,000. The limit goes up for cars, oil, and hazardous materials.

$750,000 is the federal floor, but most general-freight carriers file $1,000,000 anyway, because a lot of brokers and shippers won’t book you for less. Buying the higher limit doesn’t change the minimum the FMCSA shows, it just keeps more loads open to you.

Does the FMCSA require cargo insurance?

For most carriers, no. The FMCSA requires auto liability, not cargo, physical damage, or general liability. The one exception is household goods (HHG) movers, who must carry cargo insurance of $5,000 per vehicle and $10,000 per occurrence and file proof of it.

That said, most carriers still buy motor truck cargo coverage because brokers require it. More on that below.

The FMCSA insurance forms: BMC-91, BMC-91X, and MCS-90

You don’t file these yourself. Your insurance company submits them electronically once your policy is in force. Here is what each one does.

BMC-91 and BMC-91X

The BMC-91 is your proof of auto liability. Your insurer files it to confirm you carry at least the minimum limit for your operation. The BMC-91X does the same job when your required limit is split across more than one insurance company instead of carried on a single policy. Either way, your authority won’t go active until the filing posts.

MCS-90 endorsement

The MCS-90 is an endorsement added to your commercial truck insurance policy. It is a guarantee to the FMCSA and the public that your company will pay for bodily injury or property damage you are legally responsible for, even in a situation a standard policy might not cover. It’s proof of financial responsibility, not a policy on its own, and it doesn’t replace your auto liability. Because the insurer is on the hook under the MCS-90, policies that carry it require every truck you own or operate to be listed and insured.

Cargo filing for household goods movers

Household goods movers file proof of cargo insurance in addition to the BMC-91. This is the only cargo filing the FMCSA requires, and it is separate from the cargo coverage brokers ask for.

What coverage you actually need to buy

To satisfy the FMCSA, you need enough commercial truck insurance auto liability to meet your limit, with the BMC-91 and MCS-90 filed. For most trucking companies that means $750,000 in liability. The FMCSA doesn’t require physical damage, general liability, or cargo unless you move household goods.

In practice, your truck lender will require physical damage to protect the equipment they financed, and brokers will require cargo. So the policy you buy is usually more than the federal minimum, even though the filing only proves the liability piece.

Broker and shipper requirements

Brokers set their own insurance rules on top of the FMCSA’s, and they are usually higher. Most brokers won’t book a carrier without $1,000,000 in auto liability and $100,000 in cargo coverage. This is why so many carriers file the higher $1,000,000 limit even when the FMCSA minimum is $750,000. The federal rules get you legal; the broker rules get you loads.

How to meet the requirements and activate your authority

The steps run in order, and your authority does not turn on until each one is done.

1. Buy commercial truck insurance that meets your required limit. Match the limit to your operation from the chart above.
2. Have your insurer file the BMC-91 and add the MCS-90. Insurers usually issue the filing and endorsement within 24 to 48 hours of your down payment.
3. File your BOC-3. This designates a process agent in every state you operate in. It is a separate, required step.
4. Clear the FMCSA waiting period. Once the filing posts and the vetting window closes, your authority goes active, usually within a few business days.

For the full activation timeline and the liability limit by operation, see our guide on how much insurance you need to activate your MC number.

Common mistakes new carriers make

• Filing the wrong limit for the cargo. An auto hauler that files $750,000 won’t activate. Match the limit to what you haul.
• Assuming cargo insurance is federally required. It isn’t, unless you move household goods. You still want it because brokers require it, but it isn’t part of the FMCSA filing.
• Treating the MCS-90 as coverage. It’s a financial guarantee, not a policy. It doesn’t replace your auto liability, and it pulls in every truck you run.
• Letting the policy lapse. If your insurance cancels, the filing drops and the FMCSA can revoke your authority. Keep it active and paid.

FMCSA requirements and your insurance

The policy is what proves your financial responsibility, so the carrier you choose and the limit you file matter from day one. We place coverage that meets FMCSA requirements and files the BMC-91 and MCS-90 for you, whether you run one truck or a small fleet. Start with our commercial truck insurance or owner-operator insurance pages.

Frequently asked questions

What are the FMCSA minimum insurance requirements?

Most for-hire carriers need $750,000 in auto liability filed on a BMC-91 with an MCS-90 endorsement. Light vehicles under 10,001 pounds need $300,000, auto haulers need $1,000,000, and hazmat haulers need $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 depending on the material. The FMCSA does not require cargo insurance unless you move household goods.

Does the FMCSA require cargo insurance?

Not for most carriers. The FMCSA requires auto liability, not cargo. The exception is household goods movers, who must carry and file cargo insurance of $5,000 per vehicle and $10,000 per occurrence. Most other carriers still buy cargo coverage because brokers require it, not because the FMCSA does.

What is the difference between the BMC-91 and BMC-91X?

Both prove you carry the required auto liability. You file the BMC-91 when one insurance company covers your full required limit, and the BMC-91X when that limit is split across more than one insurer. Your insurance company files whichever one fits your policy.

Does the MCS-90 replace my auto liability insurance?

No. The MCS-90 is a financial guarantee to the FMCSA and the public that your company will pay for legal liability, even in situations a standard policy might not cover. It is proof of financial responsibility, not a policy on its own, so it does not replace the auto liability coverage you carry.

Why does my authority show $750,000 when I bought $1,000,000?

The BMC-91 filing only proves you meet the FMCSA minimum, so the public record shows the required limit, not the full amount you carry. The certificates of insurance you send brokers will reflect your actual $1,000,000 limit.

How long until my authority is active?

Plan on about three to four weeks. The FMCSA runs a vetting and waiting period of roughly 21 days, during which your BMC-91 filing and BOC-3 must post. Once the period closes, the FMCSA typically flips your authority to active within one to five business days.

Ready to meet your FMCSA requirements?

We handle the filings. Tell us what you haul and we’ll quote a policy that meets your FMCSA limit and files the BMC-91 and MCS-90 for you.

Get your free quote → or call 855-281-2924 to talk with a licensed agent today.

Written by Will Kremer, licensed P&C insurance agent. Reviewed June 2026. Minimum limits and filing rules are based on current FMCSA regulations (49 CFR Part 387) and the policies we place; they are for general guidance and can change. Confirm your exact requirements with your agent before you file.