Commercial Auto Insurance

About Commercial Auto Insurance

Commercial auto lines evolved alongside federal trucking reforms: GAO’s review of the Motor Carrier Act shows how loosening Interstate Commerce Commission controls still required fleets to prove financial responsibility so small-town shippers weren’t stranded, a balance we still strike for Hudson Valley contractors that run lean vehicle schedules.¹

Deregulation then opened the market to thousands of new carriers, forcing underwriters to scrutinize driver quality, garaging, and route density before they priced a policy, which is why today’s coverage has to contemplate FMCSA filings, customer indemnity clauses, and even cross-border certificates before a unit leaves Nanuet.²

Modern filings build on that history: FMCSA refreshed the MCS-90 endorsement in August 2024 to keep Motor Carrier Act language current, and Clearinghouse II now forces any driver with a “prohibited” status to have their CDL downgraded within 60 days unless they complete the return-to-duty process, so underwriting decisions hinge on real-time compliance data.^3,4

Coverage Highlights

• MCS-90 Primary Auto Liability: Meets the Motor Carrier Act’s $750K+ public liability thresholds so a severe crash on the Thruway pays third-party bodily injury and property damage before it can deplete corporate assets.¹
• Physical Damage & Specified Perils: Repairs or replaces owned tractors, vans, and upfits after collision, theft, fire, or hail so a jackknife on the Palisades Parkway does not wipe out your capital plan.²
• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist: Protects drivers and passengers when a hit-and-run or minimally insured motorist injures them, closing the gap between state minimums and actual hospital bills.³
• Hired & Non-Owned Auto: Extends liability to employee-owned cars or rented sprinter vans so a borrowed vehicle that backs into a loading dock doesn’t rely on someone’s personal PAP limits.⁴
• Motor Truck Cargo & Trailer Interchange:  Safeguards freight, borrowed trailers, and reefer breakdowns so spoiled produce or a damaged interchange chassis is reimbursed without straining a shipper relationship.⁵
• Rental Reimbursement with Downtime: Pays for a substitute truck or daily income when a covered loss idles your only reefer, keeping deliveries on schedule while parts are on backorder.⁶

Rising Costs

The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers reports that commercial auto premiums rose another 8.8% in Q2 2025, and carriers cite nuclear verdicts, which now average $44 million, as the reason they continue to push deductibles and attachment points higher.^1,2

FMCSA’s 2023 Pocket Guide still shows 171,645 large-truck and bus crashes with 4,928 fatalities in 2024, so even modest fleets are benchmarked against national loss severity rather than their own clean records.³

Locally, NYC’s congestion-pricing program now charges single-unit trucks $14.40 and large trucks $21.60 each time they enter Manhattan below 60th Street during the day, so every delivery run that crosses the Hudson bakes an extra toll into your cost of goods.⁴

Cheaper Premiums

• Deploy video telematics and dashcams so staged-accident defenses and faster claims resolution become part of your loss story; Azuga’s 2025 whitepaper shows carriers using footage to reduce severity and negotiate rates.¹
• Keep driver qualification files current and clear prohibited statuses quickly; Clearinghouse II now forces states to downgrade CDLs after 60 days, so documented compliance prevents the surprise of an uninsurable driver.²
• Shift Manhattan deliveries to overnight windows or consolidate drop-offs so you only pay the congestion-pricing toll once per day and can access the 75% overnight discount.³
• Invest in driver coaching that mirrors the DRIVE Safe Integrity Act focus on apprenticeships and safety curricula; documenting those hours helps us position your fleet as proactive when we pitch underwriters.⁴
• Add rental reimbursement with downtime coverage so a covered loss funds a temporary truck or daily income within 30 days, preserving delivery SLAs and demonstrating you have a continuity plan.⁵

What We Do

We quote commercial auto policies for contractors, delivery services, and regional haulers across the tri-state area. By packaging commercial auto with your business owner’s policy or workers’ compensation, we often secure multi-line discounts that reduce your overall cost of risk.

Contact us today to discuss your fleet size, routes, and loss history so we can identify carriers that align with your risk profile and budget.