Inland Marine Insurance for Trucking & Equipment
Once your operation grows past the truck, you own things your trucking policy was never built to cover. The excavator a dump operator runs, the forklift at the dock, the tools in the service truck, the roll-off dumpsters a debris hauler drops at a jobsite. Your commercial auto covers the truck, and motor truck cargo covers the freight, but that owned equipment falls in a gap. Inland marine insurance fills it.
This is not trucking coverage, but it is coverage a lot of trucking companies need. We already insure your trucks, so we can schedule the rest of your equipment on one inland marine policy with the same agency. Here is what it covers, who needs it, and where it ends.
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The short answer Inland marine insurance covers movable business property and equipment that travels or sits away from a fixed location, like excavators, forklifts, tools, and dumpsters. For trucking operations it protects the equipment you own beyond the truck and its cargo. It is priced on the total value of the equipment you schedule, so an operation with more gear pays more. |
What inland marine insurance covers
Inland marine covers property that moves or is used away from your main location. For the operations we insure, that usually means:
- Heavy equipment and machinery. Excavators, loaders, skid steers, and other owned equipment, often called contractors equipment coverage.
- Tools and equipment. The tools and gear your crews carry and use at jobsites.
- Dumpsters and containers. Roll-off dumpsters and containers a hauler drops and picks up.
- Forklifts and dock equipment. The material-handling equipment at your yard or warehouse.
- Property in transit or stored off-site. Owned property that is on the move, at a jobsite, or held at a temporary location.
Trucking operations that need inland marine
The rule of thumb: once you own property beyond the truck and its load, you need inland marine. The operations we write it for most:
| Operation | Equipment it covers |
|---|---|
| Dump truck operators | Excavators, loaders, skid steers |
| Debris and junk removers | Roll-off dumpsters and containers |
| Larger fleets and yards | Forklifts and dock equipment |
| Any operation with off-truck property | Tools and equipment used at jobsites |
What inland marine does not cover
Inland marine fills a specific gap, so it does not double up on your other policies:
- Your truck. The tractor and trailer are covered by commercial auto and physical damage, not inland marine.
- Your freight. The load you haul for a customer is covered by motor truck cargo insurance.
- Buildings and fixed property. Your shop, office, or warehouse is covered by commercial property insurance.
How much does inland marine insurance cost?
There is no flat rate, because inland marine is priced on the total value of the equipment you schedule. A single skid steer costs far less to cover than a yard full of excavators and forklifts. Where the equipment is used, how often it moves, and your loss history all factor in. Relative to replacing a piece of heavy equipment out of pocket, it is usually an easy call. Get an exact rate based on your equipment list.
Frequently asked questions
What is inland marine insurance?
Inland marine insurance covers movable business property and equipment that travels or is used away from a fixed location. The name is historical, from coverage for goods moving over land rather than sea. For a trucking operation, it covers the equipment you own beyond the truck, like excavators, forklifts, tools, and dumpsters.
What does inland marine insurance cover?
It covers heavy equipment and machinery, tools and equipment, dumpsters and containers, forklifts, and other owned property in transit, at a jobsite, or stored off-site. You schedule the equipment you want covered, and the policy protects it against losses like theft, fire, and accidental damage.
Does a trucking company need inland marine insurance?
If your operation owns equipment beyond the truck and its cargo, yes. A dump operator with an excavator, a debris hauler with dumpsters, or a fleet with forklifts all have property that commercial auto and cargo do not cover. Once that equipment is worth protecting, inland marine is the policy that does it.
What’s the difference between inland marine and commercial property or cargo?
Commercial property covers buildings and contents at a fixed location. Motor truck cargo covers the freight you haul for customers. Inland marine covers your own movable equipment that travels or is used away from your premises. They cover different things, and many operations carry all three.
How much does inland marine insurance cost?
It depends on the total value of the equipment you schedule, how and where it is used, and your loss history. There is no single rate because a small tool floater and a fleet of heavy machinery are very different risks. Send us your equipment list and we will quote it.
Why choose Trucking Insurance Services
We already insure trucks for a living, so when your operation grows into excavators, forklifts, and dumpsters, you do not need a second agency. We schedule your equipment on an inland marine policy that sits alongside your commercial truck insurance and your dump truck coverage, so the whole operation is handled in one place. We aren’t in the insurance industry, we’re in trucking.
Get your free quote → or call 855-281-2924 to schedule your equipment.
Coverage depends on the equipment you schedule and your policy terms, and this page is general guidance only. Inland marine premiums are based on the value and use of your equipment. Get a quote for an exact number and confirm what your policy covers.