ServicesMotor Truck Cargo Insurance
Motor Truck Cargo Insurance in Denton
If a load is damaged or stolen while it's in your care, cargo coverage is what pays the shipper. We match your policy to the freight you haul and the limits your brokers ask for. If your current policy only needs a fix, we'll tell you.
What Cargo Insurance Does for Your Operation
Motor truck cargo insurance protects the freight you're hauling, not your tractor or trailer. If a load is stolen, lost or damaged in a covered event like an accident, a fire or a storm, the policy pays the freight's owner up to your limit. Brokers and shippers almost always want to see that protection on paper before they'll book you.
Here's where truckers get caught off guard: no two cargo policies read the same. One pays for reefer breakdown and the next one doesn't. Another quietly excludes electronics or loads left in an unattended truck. We sit down with you and go through that fine print so your coverage lines up with the freight you really haul.
Our first step is always the policy you already carry. A gap can often be closed with an endorsement or a higher limit, without starting over. When your current policy just isn't built for your freight, we say so, explain the reason and lay out what a replacement would include. We've spent 5 years helping truckers sort this out.
What We Check in Your Cargo Policy
- Freight against exclusions
- We write down every commodity you haul and hold it up against the policy's list of what is and isn't covered. Electronics, alcohol, tobacco and some metals show up on exclusion lists often, so we check those first.
- Limits your brokers want
- We confirm the per-load limit your brokers and shippers ask for. If you take an occasional high-value load, we talk through whether a higher limit is worth it.
- Reefer breakdown
- If you haul refrigerated freight, we look for coverage on spoilage caused by a unit failure. Plenty of base policies skip it without an added endorsement.
- Theft conditions
- Some policies pay a theft claim only if the truck was locked, attended or in a secured lot. We explain those conditions so a fuel stop or a night's sleep doesn't cost you a claim.
- Certificates for your customers
- After your policy is active, we send certificates of insurance to the brokers and shippers you name. When you add a new customer, we update your records and get them what they need.
Signs Your Cargo Coverage Needs a Look
A broker sent your paperwork back
When a broker turns down your certificate over a low limit or an unlisted commodity, your policy and your freight don't line up. That can usually be corrected quickly.
Your freight has changed
Switching from dry van to reefer, or from building supplies to electronics, can leave you outside your coverage without anyone telling you.
You haven't read the exclusions
Many drivers find out about an exclusion the day a claim gets denied. Going over it now is far cheaper than eating the cost of a lost load.
Your deductible doesn't fit
If the deductible is high compared to the loads you pull, you could end up covering most smaller claims yourself.
Your lanes have gotten longer
Some cargo policies limit how far you can operate. If you're now taking loads well past the I-35 corridor, it's smart to confirm your coverage still applies.
How Getting Cargo Coverage Works
- 1
Walk us through your loads
We can meet at our office or talk by phone or video. We'll want to know what you haul, what a typical load is worth, where you run and what equipment you use. If you have a current policy, have it with you.
- 2
We go over your current policy
We read your existing cargo policy from top to bottom. When an endorsement or a limit change takes care of the issue, that's the route we suggest.
- 3
Shop alternatives if needed
When your policy can't be adjusted to fit your freight, we look for replacement coverage and explain how the options differ, including exclusions and deductibles, in everyday language.
- 4
Bind and notify your brokers
After you decide, we bind the coverage and get certificates of insurance to every broker and shipper on your list.
What Shapes the Price of Cargo Coverage
The biggest drivers are the freight itself and the dollar value riding on a single load. We go over each factor with you before you commit, so the number on the quote has a reason behind it. Our agency is licensed for property and casualty insurance, and no question about a policy term is too small to ask.
- What's in the trailer
- Freight that thieves like or that breaks easily, such as electronics or chilled food, carries a higher rate than lumber, pipe or gravel.
- Limit per load
- Raising the limit raises the premium. We help you land on a number that satisfies your brokers and reflects the real value of your typical loads.
- Deductible choice
- Taking a bigger deductible trims the premium, but you cover more out of pocket on every claim. Your claim history helps us find a level that makes sense.
- Add-on endorsements
- Reefer breakdown, earned freight and debris removal each add to the cost. We recommend only the ones your freight actually needs.
- Track record
- Prior cargo losses and the age of your MC authority both factor into what carriers are willing to offer.
Cargo Insurance Questions
Something not covered here? (940) 267-2913
Is cargo coverage required by law, or only by brokers?
Apart from a few special cases, federal regulations don't require it on everyday freight. The real pressure comes from brokers and shippers, who nearly always ask for proof of cargo coverage before they release a load to you. So for most motor carriers, carrying it is what keeps the loads coming.
Won't my primary liability policy pay for damaged freight?
It won't. Primary auto liability handles injury and property damage you cause to others on the road. The goods in your own trailer are a separate risk that needs cargo coverage. We can look at both policies side by side to make sure nothing falls between them.
Am I covered if my reefer quits and the load goes bad?
Only if reefer breakdown is written into your policy. A lot of standard cargo forms leave it out. If you pull temperature-controlled freight, we'll check for it and add the endorsement when it's missing.
Can my current policy be adjusted instead of replaced?
In many cases, yes. Adding a commodity, raising a limit or attaching an endorsement can usually be done on the policy you already have. If your carrier won't write your type of freight at all, we'll tell you plainly and walk you through other options.
How quickly can a new broker get my certificate?
As soon as your policy is active, we can produce certificates whenever you need them. Call us with the broker's name and contact details and we'll send it over. Letting us know each time you pick up a new customer keeps your file current.
Let's Make Sure Your Loads Are Covered
Have your current policy and a list of what you haul handy. We'll go through it with you and tell you whether it needs a small fix or a new policy.