Primary auto liability with MCS-90 and BMC-91 filings, physical damage, motor truck cargo, non-trucking liability, and general liability — for owner-operators and fleets running California roads and beyond.
From a single owner-operator leased to a carrier to a 30-unit regional fleet, we structure the liability limits, FMCSA filings, cargo coverage, and workers comp that keep California trucking operations compliant and on the road.
Primary liability through cargo and workers comp — structured around your USDOT number, operating radius, and commodity to get the right coverage at the right rate.
The foundation of any trucking program. Minimum $750,000 CSL for most general freight; $1M for hazmat operations. Includes the MCS-90 endorsement required by FMCSA and BMC-91 filing for interstate for-hire carriers. We quote admitted and E&S markets for new-venture and challenged-MVR accounts.
Comprehensive and collision coverage on your power units and owned trailers. We write stated-value and actual-cash-value policies rated on unit year, make, radius, and driver history. New-venture accounts and high-mileage units accepted with the right markets.
Legal liability coverage for freight in your care, custody, and control. Limits from $25,000 to $500,000+ depending on commodity — refrigerated, dry van, flatbed, hazmat, and high-value loads. Includes loading and unloading, refrigeration breakdown, and earned-freight options.
Covers your tractor when it is not under dispatch — deadheading, personal use, or operating bobtail after drop. Essential for owner-operators leased-on to a carrier whose primary liability policy excludes non-business use. Typically $1M CSL; written alongside your physical damage policy.
Premises and operations coverage for your trucking business — loading dock incidents, third-party property damage at shipper locations, and completed-operations exposure. Many brokers and shippers now require a $1M GL certificate before tendering freight. Written as a standalone or packaged with your auto program.
Covers physical damage to non-owned trailers in your possession under a trailer interchange agreement with another carrier. Required by most interchange contracts — typically $25,000–$100,000 limit per occurrence. Distinct from cargo coverage; protects the trailer itself, not the load inside.
Workers Compensation: California requires workers comp for any trucking company with employees. Class codes 7219 (trucking — long-haul) and 7228 (trucking — local) drive the rate. Owner-operators can waive coverage for themselves in some situations; leased drivers are typically covered under the carrier's policy. We place WC alongside your trucking program for a single-agency solution.
An independent California brokerage that specializes in commercial trucking — not a generalist agency that happens to write a few trucks. We know FMCSA, the CA Motor Carrier Permit, Hours of Service, ELD requirements, and how each of those factors into your premium.
We file MCS-90 endorsements and BMC-91 surety bonds directly with FMCSA. Most are processed same-day. If your authority is at risk because a filing lapsed, we treat that as an emergency — not a next-week item.
Trucking premiums are driven by operating radius (local, intermediate, long-haul), commodity class, driver MVR history, and unit age. We know how carriers underwrite each factor and where to place challenged accounts — new ventures, recent violations, and adverse loss history.
California operators need the CA DMV Motor Carrier Permit (MCP) in addition to federal USDOT registration. CARB truck regulations affect older model-year power units. We flag these issues during the quoting process so you don't get caught at a port of entry or CHP inspection.
You call or submit, you hear back from a licensed trucking specialist in four hours or less — not a call center, not a chatbot. Most owner-operator accounts and smaller fleets can be quoted and bound the same day.
No 50-question form before you talk to someone who understands trucking.
USDOT number, number of power units, primary commodity, operating radius, and driver roster. If you're a new venture without authority yet, we can quote based on your business plan while you complete the FMCSA registration process.
We run your account through the markets that write California trucking — admitted carriers for clean accounts, E&S and specialty markets for new ventures, adverse MVRs, or challenging commodities. You get side-by-side options with plain-English coverage explanations.
Pick the program that fits. We bind coverage, issue certificates of insurance, and file the MCS-90 and BMC-91 directly with FMCSA. Your authority stays active and your operation stays compliant.
Representative of the owner-operators, small fleets, and regional carriers we insure — from single-unit new ventures to multi-truck operations running refrigerated and hazmat freight.
Single owner-operator leased on to a national carrier. Needed non-trucking liability and physical damage in addition to the carrier's primary policy. Quoted and bound same-day with a bobtail endorsement.
Eight-truck dry van fleet running California and Nevada lanes. Consolidated primary liability, physical damage, cargo, and workers comp under a single program, reducing total premium and streamlining renewals.
New-venture operator who had just received MC operating authority. Filed MCS-90 and BMC-91 simultaneously with binding coverage so authority activated on schedule.
Drayage operation serving LA/LB ports. Placed primary liability with trailer interchange coverage for DCLI and FLEXI pool equipment. CARB-compliant unit documentation coordinated at binding.
Twelve-unit temperature-controlled fleet running produce from Salinas Valley to Southern California distribution centers. Cargo coverage includes refrigeration breakdown and produce spoilage endorsement.
Flatbed operator hauling construction equipment and steel on oversize permits throughout California. Placed cargo legal liability with heavy-haul endorsement and GL for customer site operations.
Finding trucking insurance in California is brutal. Tamir got us primary liability with MCS-90 and cargo coverage placed in under a week. Our previous broker took three weeks and quoted us $12K more.
We run 18 trucks out of Long Beach doing drayage. Tamir consolidated our liability, physical damage, and cargo policies and saved us over $20,000 annually. He actually understands intermodal operations.
I needed my BMC-91 filed with the FMCSA by Friday or I'd lose my authority. Tamir handled it same-day. That kind of urgency is rare in this industry.
At minimum, a California for-hire motor carrier with interstate operating authority needs: (1) Primary auto liability — $750,000 CSL for general freight, $1M for hazmat — with an MCS-90 endorsement and BMC-91 filing on file with FMCSA; (2) A California Motor Carrier Permit (MCP) from the CA DMV; and (3) Motor truck cargo coverage if you're hauling freight for others. Most carriers also carry physical damage on their power units and non-trucking liability if owner-operators are leased on. General liability and workers comp complete a full trucking program.
The MCS-90 is a mandatory endorsement attached to your commercial auto liability policy. It is required by FMCSA for all for-hire carriers operating in interstate commerce and guarantees that public liability will be paid regardless of any policy exclusions — up to the federal minimums. The BMC-91 is a surety bond or insurance form filed electronically with FMCSA that proves your carrier maintains the required minimum liability limits. Without an active BMC-91 on file, your operating authority will be revoked. We file both directly with FMCSA, typically the same day coverage is bound.
Yes, in virtually every case. When you are under dispatch for the carrier you are leased to, their primary auto liability policy covers you. But when you are not under dispatch — bobtailing after a drop, deadheading back empty, or using the truck for personal use — their policy typically does not cover you. Non-trucking liability (also called bobtail insurance) fills that gap. It is a separate, relatively low-cost policy that protects you and your personal assets in the periods between dispatched loads. Most lease agreements also require you to carry it.
Motor truck cargo (MTC) covers your legal liability for loss or damage to freight you are hauling for others. If a load is damaged in an accident, lost in a theft, or spoils due to reefer breakdown, MTC pays the shipper's claim against you up to the policy limit. It does not cover freight you own — that would be covered under inland marine or property coverage. Standard exclusions include freight you have an ownership interest in, certain high-value commodities (unless scheduled), and inherent vice. Limits range from $25,000 for light loads to $500,000+ for high-value or refrigerated freight.
Trucking premiums are driven by several factors: number of power units and their stated value (for physical damage); operating radius — local (under 50 miles), intermediate (50–200 miles), and long-haul (over 200 miles); commodity class and any hazmat exposure; driver MVR history and years of CDL experience; loss history over the prior three to five years; and whether the operation is a new venture or an established carrier. Long-haul, hazmat, new-venture, and adverse-MVR accounts pay more. We rate across multiple markets to find the best combination of price and coverage for your specific profile.
Trucking Insurance CA is a division of Thrive Risk Management Insurance Solutions, an independent California-licensed brokerage (CA License #6012320) based at 15910 Ventura Blvd, Suite 1012, Encino, CA 91436. We specialize in commercial trucking and handle MCS-90 and BMC-91 filings directly — we are not a generalist agency that treats trucking as an afterthought. We work with admitted and E&S markets to place owner-operators, new-venture carriers, and established fleets throughout California. If we can't improve your coverage or your rate, we'll tell you that too.
Whether you need a new policy, an MCS-90 filed, or a second opinion on your renewal — one call is all it takes.
Insurance is one lever on your cost of risk — safety, telematics, claims handling, and DOT compliance are the others. These are the partners and official resources we put in front of trucking operators to cut losses, earn fleet-safety credits, and keep authority active. GotSafety is our official safety-program partner; the rest are independent vendors and government resources we trust.
Our official safety-program partner — a Cal/OSHA-ready IIPP, driver training, and toolbox talks carriers reward. Thrive clients get preferred onboarding through their advisor.
gotsafety.com →AI dashcams + GPS telematics, widely accepted for trucking fleet-safety credits and your defense after a crash.
Visit site →Transitional / return-to-work placements that shorten workers’ comp claims and limit severity.
Visit site →Federal financial-responsibility requirements and BMC-91 filings for for-hire carriers.
fmcsa.dot.gov →Look up DOT numbers, operating authority, and safety ratings in the federal SAFER system.
safer.fmcsa.dot.gov →Enroll drivers in the Employer Pull-Notice program to monitor driving records continuously.
dmv.ca.gov →Vendors listed are independent companies and not affiliated with Thrive Risk Management unless noted as an official partner. We receive no referral commission. The GotSafety client enrollment portal is reserved for active Thrive clients; contact your advisor to enroll.