Commercial Auto Liability Insurance
Stay protected with Commercial Auto Liability insurance.
Commercial Auto Liability insurance, specifically Trucking Liability insurance, is a part of your truck insurance policy that responds when your truck is involved in an accident with another party and covers the cost of damage to other people’s vehicles and property, medical expenses related to the accident, and your legal defense if your company is sued.
Trucking Liability insurance is required by the FMCSA for almost every semi-truck on the road. A trucking company must have a minimum of $750,000 in Auto Liability coverage to operate as an interstate carrier in the United States. Motor carriers who haul hazardous cargo are required to maintain $5,000,000 in Auto Liability.
You Need Trucking Auto Liability Insurance If You:
- Own or operate a commercial truck or company vehicle
- Provide hauling or freight services or
- Transport or deliver goods
What does Auto Liability insurance cover?
Commercial Auto Liability coverage kicks in when you, your employees, or your contract drivers are responsible for causing an accident in your insured truck.
Your Commercial Auto Liability policy has three major components that protect your business: Bodily Injury, Property Damage, and Pollution Cleanup.
Bodily Injury
Bodily Injury coverage takes care of medical-related expenses arising from an injury or death, including medical and hospital bills, rehabilitation services, physical therapy, long-term nursing care, lost earnings, funeral expenses, and pain and suffering. Bodily Injury also pays your legal defense if your company is sued.
Property Damage
Property Damage coverage covers the repair or replacement of property damaged in the accident, including buildings, signs, and personal property. It also covers your legal defense if you’re sued.
Pollution Cleanup
Broadened Pollution Coverage is built into our standard Auto Liability policies, without the need to add special endorsements or incur additional costs. This covers most pollution claims when pollutants are:
- Hauled by a covered truck
- Inside the truck during normal transit or
- Being loaded onto or unloaded from a covered truck.
Even with Great West’s expanded coverage, Auto Liability does not cover pollution events that happen before loading begins or after unloading is complete. These types of exposures are handled under General Liability instead.
What doesn’t Auto Liability insurance cover?
Trucking Auto Liability doesn’t pay for damage to your truck caused by an accident. It also doesn’t provide protection for your truck, trailer, or cargo from theft, fire, vandalism, or other disasters. A Trucking Auto Liability policy is designed, instead, to protect your business from liability for injury to others or damage to the property of others.
Great West does provide Physical Damage insurance to cover your truck and trailer in an accident, and Cargo Coverage for when the cargo you are handling is damaged, lost, or destroyed.
Get your truck’s Auto Liability coverage from a company that gets trucking.
Auto Liability Coverage Endorsements
Endorsements are ways to modify your trucking insurance policy. Great West offers two popular endorsements to our trucking Auto Liability policy.
- Reporting policy options for Auto Liability insurance and Physical Damage insurance.
- Great West's Commercial Auto Extension endorsement, providing blanket coverage for certain types of trucking contracts and agreements.
Commercial Auto Extension Endorsement
Great West’s Auto Liability policy might not cover exposures you assume under a loan, lease agreement, or contract. In fact, many contracts and agreements are not insured and may expose you to unwanted legal action. There are two types of common agreements that are normally excluded from your Auto Liability coverage:
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A contract or agreement for the loan, lease, or rental of an auto; the terms require you to hold the lessor harmless for any liability loss.
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A contract or agreement you sign when trip leasing to another truck driver; the terms require you to provide primary liability insurance.
Great West can provide blanket coverage for these two types of contracts by adding the Commercial Auto Extension endorsement to your Auto Liability insurance policy. This endorsement provides affordable insurance protection while you meet that next deadline.
More Insurance Coverage For Trucking Companies
If you are an owner-operator and have an office or multiple trucks on the road, you should also consider General Liability insurance, which covers additional liability claims that can arise in the operation of a trucking company, such as personal accidents on company property.
Why choose Great West for Commercial Auto Liability insurance?
- All we write is commercial trucking insurance! Few other insurance companies can make that claim. And that means our services are focused solely on you, the motor carrier, and your operation. We work to ensure that you don’t have gaps in your policy, regardless of whether you’re an owner-operator or a multi-truck fleet.
- We provide exceptional, 24/7 claims services with a dedicated representative when you file a claim.
- Our risk control services and safety resources are considered some of the best in the industry. Safety and loss control tools, motor carrier resources, and a video learning library, among other helpful tools, are all included when you choose Great West.
- Great West can insure your entire trucking operation with our customized coverage options. In addition, we offer Truck Cargo coverage, Physical Damage coverage, Workers Compensation, and Excess Policies, among other coverage options.
There are many trucking insurance companies to choose from. If you want an insurer who provides comprehensive policies, understands trucking, and prides itself on exceptional 24/7 service, Great West is here to help.
Commercial Auto Liability Insurance FAQs
What does a Commercial Auto Liability insurance policy cover?
There are three types of damages that a Commercial Auto Liability insurance policy traditionally covers in an accident involving a covered vehicle: bodily injury, property damage, and pollution cleanup. This policy protects your business if you or one of your employees, while driving for the company, causes injury or damage to another party and is deemed to be at fault for the accident.Does Commercial Auto Liability insurance cover bodily injury and property damage caused by my trucks?
Yes, Liability insurance typically covers bodily injury and property damage caused by your trucks during the course of operations. This insurance is designed to provide protection against claims resulting from injuries and damage to other people or property in an accident involving your commercial vehicle.Are there specific exclusions or scenarios not covered by Commercial Auto Liability insurance for trucks?
Yes, Liability insurance for trucks typically has specific exclusions. Common exclusions may include intentional damage caused by the insured, damage from non-collision related incidents (unless covered by comprehensive coverage), and liabilities under worker's compensation or similar laws.
Additionally, liabilities arising from the transport of certain hazardous materials or operating under certain unauthorized or illegal conditions might not be covered. It's important to review the policy with your agent for details for specific exclusions relevant to your operations.
Does liability insurance cover legal fees and defense costs if my company is sued after an accident?
Yes, liability insurance typically covers legal fees and defense costs if your company is sued following an accident. This coverage generally includes attorney fees, court costs, and other expenses associated with defending against a lawsuit related to a covered accident. However, these costs are usually paid within the limits of your liability policy.What factors influence the cost of Commercial Auto Liability insurance premiums for trucks?
The cost of Commercial Auto Liability premiums for trucks is influenced by several factors, including:
- The type and value of the trucks insured.
- The driving records of the drivers.
- The amount of coverage selected.
- The geographical area where the trucks operate.
- The nature of the goods being transported.
- The company's claims history
- The safety measures and protocols implemented by the company.
These factors help insurers assess the level of risk and determine the appropriate premium for the insurance coverage.
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Insurance Contracts are Underwritten, Administered, and Issued by: Great West Casualty Company, Old Republic Life Insurance Company, and Old Republic Union Insurance Company.
One or more Old Republic companies may provide the products and/or services described. Information presented is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute a contract or advice, including employment advice or advice to motor carriers. Please refer to the relevant insurance policy for actual terms. Products and services may not be available in all states and may be subject to change without notice. © 2026 Old Republic International Corporation. Old Republic® and the Old Republic Circle of Stars monogram are registered trademarks. All Rights Reserved.