A for-hire carrier moving ordinary freight between states in a heavy truck (rated 10,001 pounds or more) must carry at least $750,000 in public liability coverage under 49 CFR 387.9, and it proves that coverage with a federal endorsement (Form MCS-90), a surety bond or an FMCSA self-insurance authorization. Hazardous cargo carries higher minimums. Those are floors, so what a policy actually provides in a given crash has to be confirmed from the policy.
The short version
- The federal table is a floor. Section 387.9 lists $750,000 for ordinary freight, with $1,000,000 and $5,000,000 tiers for hazardous loads.
- A carrier may not operate without it. Section 387.7(a): “No motor carrier shall operate a motor vehicle until the motor carrier has obtained and has in effect the minimum levels of financial responsibility as set forth in § 387.9.”
- The MCS-90 endorsement backs the policy. On FMCSA’s form the insurer agrees to pay a final judgment for public liability within the stated limits, even if the truck is not named in the policy.
- The proof is public. Proof of the required coverage “shall be considered public information” and produced on reasonable request (§ 387.7(e)(1)).
- Your own policy may add to it. Texas auto liability policies must include uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage unless the named insured rejects it in writing (Insurance Code § 1952.101).
What are the federal minimum insurance limits for a truck?
It depends on the cargo and the kind of carriage. The table in 49 CFR 387.9 sets $750,000 for ordinary freight hauled for hire across state lines in a vehicle rated 10,001 pounds or more, and $1,000,000 or $5,000,000 for hazardous materials.
Section 387.9 says the minimum levels of financial responsibility “referred to in § 387.7 are hereby prescribed” in a table. The figures below are copied from the table as published on 13 October 2026 (49 CFR 387.9, eCFR).
| Type of carriage | Commodity | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| (1) For-hire, interstate or foreign commerce, vehicle rating 10,001 lb or more | Property (nonhazardous) | $750,000 |
| (2) For-hire and private, interstate, foreign or intrastate commerce, rating 10,001 lb or more | Certain hazardous substances in bulk, bulk Division 1.1, 1.2 or 1.3 materials and other listed categories | $5,000,000 |
| (3) For-hire and private, interstate or foreign commerce in any quantity, or intrastate in bulk only, rating 10,001 lb or more | Oil listed in 49 CFR 172.101; hazardous waste, hazardous materials and hazardous substances not covered by entries (2) or (4) | $1,000,000 |
| (4) For-hire and private, interstate or foreign commerce, rating under 10,001 lb | Certain bulk explosives, Hazard Zone A materials and Class 7 quantities | $5,000,000 |
The rule does not list a minimum for private carriage of nonhazardous property in this table. A carrier that meets the floor can still be underinsured for a serious injury; a claim’s value is a separate calculation, covered in the factors that value a Houston crash claim. See also our 18-wheeler accident and truck accident settlement pages.
Does the federal minimum apply to a truck that stays in Texas?
Not in the same way. Subpart A of Part 387 applies to for-hire carriers of property in interstate or foreign commerce, and to carriers of hazardous materials, substances or wastes in interstate, foreign or intrastate commerce, with listed exceptions. A Texas-only carrier of ordinary freight that must register with the state is governed by the state rules, where the amount is set by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Section 387.3 says the subpart “applies to for-hire motor carriers operating motor vehicles transporting property in interstate or foreign commerce” and, separately, to carriers of hazardous materials, substances or wastes “in interstate, foreign, or intrastate commerce.” It excludes vehicles rated under 10,001 pounds (with exceptions for certain explosives and similar loads) and non-bulk intrastate hazardous loads (49 CFR 387.3(a)-(c)). For intrastate carriers, Transportation Code § 643.101 requires a motor carrier that must register to “maintain liability insurance in an amount set by the department for each vehicle requiring registration,” and § 643.103(b) requires evidence of insurance in a form approved by the department to be kept in the cab of each such vehicle (Transportation Code ch. 643, read in October 2026).
The department’s rule, 43 Texas Administrative Code § 218.16(a), requires proof of automobile liability insurance for each registered vehicle, sets the minimum amounts in a table, and says a carrier that operates a foreign commercial motor vehicle must meet the financial responsibility levels of 49 CFR Part 387 (text of § 218.16). Because the Texas dollar amounts sit in a table that is amended from time to time, confirm the current table with the department before relying on a figure. Whether a particular truck was interstate or intrastate that day is a fact question; our post on interstate 18-wheeler cases explains why it matters.
One Houston-specific example of the federal figure being used beyond its own reach: Port Houston’s Tariff No. 8 (January 1, 2025), Subrule 073, says the minimum insurance for all trucks entering Port Authority property is the same as 49 CFR § 387.303 “whether or not that regulation directly applies to such trucks or other vehicles” (Port Houston Tariff No. 8).
What is an MCS-90 endorsement, and why does it matter?
It is a federal form attached to a trucking liability policy. On the form, the insurer agrees to pay any final judgment for public liability caused by the insured’s negligence in operating, maintaining or using its trucks, up to the stated limit, whether or not the truck is listed in the policy.
Section 387.7(d) says proof of financial responsibility consists of the MCS-90 endorsement, a surety bond (Form MCS-82), or an FMCSA decision authorizing the carrier to self-insure (for a carrier with a satisfactory safety rating), and § 387.15 requires the form to be the one prescribed by FMCSA, issued in the carrier’s exact name (49 CFR 387.7, 387.15). FMCSA’s specimen of the MCS-90 (revised January 2017) defines “public liability” as liability for bodily injury, property damage and environmental restoration, and says the coverage “does not apply to injury to or death of the insured’s employees while engaged in the course of their employment, or property transported by the insured, designated as cargo.”
The form also says the policy’s own terms, conditions and limitations “remain in full force and effect as binding between the insured and the company,” and that the insured must reimburse the insurer for any payment it would not otherwise have had to make. In practice that means the endorsement is a safety net for a judgment, not a promise that every claim will be paid without a fight. Whether it applies to a given policy and crash is a legal question for counsel, and our post on strategies insurers use after a crash describes how insurers contest claims.
Can a trucking insurer cancel coverage without notice?
Not on the federal required coverage. Policies, surety bonds and endorsements stay in effect until terminated, and cancellation takes 35 days’ written notice from either the insurer or the carrier, counted from the date the notice is transmitted (49 CFR 387.7(b)(1)).
The same section allows a policy or bond to be obtained “for a finite period of time to cover any lapse in continuous compliance” and allows replacement by another policy; the retiring insurer’s liability for later events ends on the replacement’s effective date or at the end of the 35-day period, whichever comes first (§ 387.7(b)(2), (c)). For the Texas registration side, Transportation Code § 643.104 bars an insurer from ending coverage for a registered carrier unless it notifies the department at least 30 days before termination.
That is why the date of a crash matters when a lawyer asks for the policy. A lapse, a replacement or a cancellation notice sitting in the carrier’s file can change which insurer owes the claim, and our article on evidence in an 18-wheeler claim lists the records that show it, and expert witnesses help explain them.
How can you find out what insurance a truck carries?
Ask. The proof of required financial responsibility “shall be considered public information and be produced for review upon reasonable request by a member of the public,” and it must be kept at the carrier’s principal place of business. A registered Texas carrier must also keep evidence of insurance in the truck’s cab.
Those are the words of 49 CFR 387.7(d) and (e)(1) and of Transportation Code § 643.103(b). They set a starting point, not the whole picture: a certificate or an MCS-90 shows the carrier’s required coverage, while the policy itself shows exclusions, deductibles, primary and excess layers and any other insured parties. A written request from a lawyer is the usual way to get the policy, and needing a lawyer for an insurance claim is a fair question to ask early. Until then, do not give the carrier’s adjuster a recorded statement; the common mistakes in the first days and why to speak with counsel before the adjuster explain the reasons, and when an insurer stalls describes the next step.
Can more than one company have insurance on the same truck crash?
Yes. A claim can name the driver, the carrier that operated the truck and other companies connected to the shipment, and each may have its own policy. Whether any of them owes you is decided by the facts and the policy terms, not by the size of the company.
A recent example with Houston-area victims shows how many names can appear. When four Houston-area women died in a November 2025 crash with an 18-wheeler near Dalhart, Houston Public Media reported on 7 January 2026 that a lawsuit filed by representatives of the women’s estates named the driver, H-E-B and two transportation companies as defendants. The plaintiffs’ attorneys argued all four were legally responsible; an H-E-B spokesperson said the crash involved a third-party vendor driver, and the Texas Department of Public Safety said its investigation was ongoing. Those are allegations and positions, not findings; for a different kind of defendant, see gross negligence against a carrier.
The question of who can be liable has its own article, the full list of parties who may be liable after a truck crash; this one is about the policies behind each name. Families dealing with a fatal crash can start at our Houston wrongful death page.
What does your own insurance add after an 18-wheeler crash?
Your own UM or UIM coverage can fill a gap when the truck’s coverage is missing or too small. Texas Insurance Code § 1952.101 requires insurers to include it unless the named insured rejects it in writing.
Chapter 1952 defines an underinsured vehicle as an insured vehicle whose collectible liability coverage was “originally lower than, or [has been] reduced by payment of claims arising from the same accident to,” less than the limit of your underinsured coverage (§ 1952.103). Under § 1952.106, underinsured coverage pays damages you are legally entitled to recover, “not to exceed the limit specified in the insurance policy,” less what is “recovered or recoverable” from the other vehicle’s insurer. An insured vehicle whose insurer cannot pay because of insolvency is treated as uninsured for this coverage (§ 1952.102(a)). Under the uninsured motorist coverage, where the at-fault driver is unknown, § 1952.104(3) requires actual physical contact for recovery (Insurance Code ch. 1952, read 16 October 2026).
Check your policy for the coverage before you need it; tips for a successful insurance claim help with the paperwork. Our explainer on how these UM and UIM claims work walks through the steps, and hit-and-run accidents shows how the contact requirement plays out. Questions about authorizations are in sharing medical records with an adjuster.
How does Maida Law Firm help with the insurance side of a truck claim?
The work is to obtain the policy, the endorsement and any cancellation file, read them against the crash date, and identify every insurer that may owe. Fees at Maida Law Firm depend on a recovery, and the first consultation costs nothing.
For the whole claim from the lawyer’s side read what a truck accident lawyer does; for how truck cases differ from car cases, why 18-wheeler cases are different; for fees, what a Houston accident lawyer costs. To talk about your crash, send a message through the contact form or begin at the personal injury overview. Bring what a case evaluation needs, and check the filing deadline early.
Frequently asked questions
How does trucking insurance work?
A for-hire interstate carrier must hold at least the federal minimum liability coverage for its cargo class, proved by an MCS-90 endorsement, a surety bond or FMCSA self-insurance authority. The policy pays third parties for injuries and property damage the carrier is legally liable for, within its limits.
What is BIPD insurance in trucking?
BIPD stands for bodily injury and property damage liability. The federal MCS-90 form calls the covered losses “public liability,” defined as liability for bodily injury, property damage and environmental restoration. It does not cover the insured’s own employees or its cargo.
How much insurance must a semi truck carry?
Interstate for-hire freight in a vehicle rated 10,001 pounds or more requires $750,000 under 49 CFR 387.9; hazardous materials require $1,000,000 or $5,000,000, depending on the material. A Texas-only carrier that must register follows the Department of Motor Vehicles table.
Can I see a trucking company’s proof of insurance?
Yes, on reasonable request. 49 CFR 387.7(e)(1) makes the proof of required financial responsibility public information, and 387.7(d) places it at the carrier’s principal place of business. A registered Texas carrier must also keep evidence of insurance in the cab.
Does the MCS-90 mean the insurer always pays?
No. It guarantees payment of a final judgment for public liability within its limits even if the truck is not listed, but the policy’s other terms still bind the insurer and the insured, and the insured must reimburse the insurer for payments the policy would not otherwise require.
What if the truck’s insurance is too low to cover my injuries?
Your own underinsured motorist coverage may help, up to its limit and after a credit for what the truck’s insurer pays (Insurance Code § 1952.106). Whether you have it depends on your policy, because a named insured can reject it in writing.
Can a trucking insurer cancel coverage right after a crash?
Not on required federal coverage without 35 days’ written notice from the date the notice is transmitted (49 CFR 387.7(b)(1)). A cancellation or lapse around the crash date is something a lawyer checks in the policy file.
About the authors
Sam A. Maida, Jr.
Owner and Managing Attorney
Sam A. Maida, Jr. has represented injured Texans in the greater Houston area since the firm opened in 1993.
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Bernard G. Johnson III
Litigation Managing Attorney
Bernard G. Johnson III is a board certified trial lawyer licensed in Texas since 1996 and a graduate of South Texas College of Law.