If you haul cars for a living, you face some unique — and uniquely costly — risks.
Car haulers are ungainly to drive, which makes them prone to accidents. The vehicles they carry are expensive, and with inflation, they cost more every day. This makes them a big target for thieves.
The best way for car haulers to control the significant risks they face is to get adequate car hauler insurance. This article will reveal the 6 best car hauler insurance companies and explain what you need to know to get the right car hauler coverage for you.
- 6 best car hauler insurance companies
- What Is car hauler insurance?
- Who needs car hauler insurance?
- What does car hauler insurance cover?
- How much does car hauler coverage cost?
- What factors affect car hauler insurance cost?
- How can I lower car hauler insurance costs?
- Am I required to get car hauler insurance?
6 best car hauler insurance companies
- Progressive: Best for low-cost, high-quality car hauler insurance
- Simply Business: Best for getting multiple car hauler insurance quotes in one place
- biBERK: Best online experience and low-cost coverage
- Reliance Partners: Best car hauler insurance specialist
- Smart Financial: Best online insurance marketplace
- The Hartford: Best for customer service
Progressive: Best for low-cost, high-quality car hauler insurance
Progressive is the third-largest provider of personal auto insurance and the biggest commercial vehicle insurer in the U.S.. It’s known for its flexible insurance offerings, appealing to a wide range of car haulers and other truck drivers. Progressive’s well-known discounts make its insurance premiums less expensive than most providers. Even though Progressive offers favorable rates, it regularly tops industry studies as one of the best vehicle insurance companies in the United States.
Progressive is also the only insurance company offering commercial truck insurance quotes, including for car haulers, online. It takes less than 10 minutes to get a truck insurance quote on its website. Even if you are not entirely sure you would go with Progressive, it is worth getting a fast quote to have a the ballpark of your car hauler insurance cost.
Simply Business: Best for getting multiple car hauler insurance quotes in one place
Simply Business isn’t a direct insurance provider. Instead, it’s a broker that connects car haulers and other truckers and small business owners with insurance coverage through the companies it partners with. Simply Business does the initial legwork for you. After filling out an online application, it provides you with quotes tailored to your specific needs from its network of insurance providers. Once you select an option, you work directly with the insurer to get your coverage.
Simply Business is based in the United Kingdom and owned by Travelers, the second-largest business insurance provider in the United States. Working through Simply Business makes it easy to get multiple quotes from several insurers all in one place, which is a big plus for busy car haulers.
biBERK: Best online experience and low-cost coverage
biBERK is a direct-to-customer carrier, ie. they sell commercial truck insurance policies directly to truckers and trucking businesses online. They offer an excellent digital experience. You can get quotes and buy a policy online in just a few minutes.
This direct business model helps them save costs and they pass savings to their customers. In fact, they claim that their customers can save on average 20% on their premiums when buying insurance from or switching policies to them.
biBERK is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, the parent company of Geico. So you can rest assured that they have. a great reputation and excellent financial strength to lean on when they need to pay the claims.
Reliance Partners: Best car hauler insurance specialist
Reliance Partners is an expert in the car hauler insurance marketplace. Its experts have a thorough understanding of the risks associated with insuring car haulers. Reliance has proprietary programs specifically aimed at car hauling operations across the United States. The firm makes it easy to discuss your coverage options with a qualified insurance agent that understands the unique risks you face.
Smart Financial: Best brokerage if you prefer working with an experienced agent
Smart Financial is an online insurance marketplace. Car haulers and other businesses can find the right policies for their insurance needs through the platform. It’s a top provider of general liability, commercial auto, and workers’ compensation policies. It partners with top insurers such as The Hartford, Liberty Mutual, and Progressive.
Smart Financial is licensed to conduct business in all 50 states and Washington DC. To get a quote, Smart Financial asks you specific questions about your business and insurance needs. Within a few minutes, Smart Financial finds the best insurance carrier for you and connects you with an agent who will go over your options.
Smart Financial has been accredited with the Better Business Bureau since 2010, maintaining an A+ rating. Overall, people tend to have good experiences with Smart Financial, and the company is known for being responsive to customer requests.
The Hartford: Best for customer service
The Hartford is the oldest insurance company in the United States. It’s known for providing a wide array of coverage options. The company’s financial strength is exceptionally high, making it likely that it will be able to pay out on claims, even the relatively large ones made by car haulers. On top of this, the company has a low complaint ratio, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). In addition, The Hartford was among the top-rated companies in J.D. Power’s 2021 evaluation of vehicle insurance claims satisfaction. That means you can expect excellent service if you entrust your car hauler insurance needs to The Hartford.
What is car hauler insurance?
Car hauler insurance combines several coverages car haulers typically purchase, including bodily injury, property damage, and medical payment protection.
Who needs car hauler insurance?
If you own a car hauling business or transport vehicles for any reason, you may need specialized car hauler insurance coverage. A typical personal or commercial vehicle policy won’t cover commercial activities like car hauling.
Cars are costly, and so are the specialized vehicles that haul them. That is why it’s essential to get adequate insurance to protect them, in addition to injuries and property damage resulting from accidents.
Businesses that need car hauler insurance include:
- Car dealerships
- Auto transport businesses
- Companies that work for car dealerships
- Auto body shops with car carriers.
What does car hauler insurance cover?
The typical car hauler policy offers several types of protection, including:
General liability insurance
Liability protection is required by law in most states. Many states will not issue truck permits and licenses without general liability insurance. It covers injuries to other people and damages to other people’s property, including vehicles, when you are at fault in an accident. Learn more at the best trucking general liability insurance companies.
Comprehensive physical damage protection
Comprehensive physical damage insurance covers your truck if damaged in a collision or rollover event. It also covers you for theft, pays the cost of repairs if your truck is damaged in an extreme weather event, and offers protection if your vehicle is vandalized. Learn more at the best trucking physical damage insurance companies
Cargo coverage
Truck cargo coverage pays for damage to the vehicles you carry when transporting them. Learn more at the best truck cargo insurance companies
Uninsured motorist coverage
Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage protects you from losses that occur when you get into an accident, and the other at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance or enough of it.
Unattended truck coverage
Brand new cars are big targets for thieves. They often take entire vehicles or steal the parts. This makes unwatched or unattended vehicles on a truck a significant problem. Many insurers will not cover auto theft from a truck that has been left unattended. You need to take extra time and effort to ensure your car hauling insurance includes coverage for unattended cars.
How much does car hauler coverage cost?
Similar to any other commercial vehicle or trucker insurance, the cost of coverage is based on many factors.
It’s relatively expensive to insure vehicles that haul cars because of the added risks of carrying multiple costly vehicles, heavier weight, and long distances traveled. Based on our extensive research, car hauler premium costs range from $720 to $1,540 per month. The average car hauler insurance cost is $920 per month.
This include trucking primary liability coverage, general liability coverage, truck cargo insurance coverage, and uninsured motorist coverage with the cost breakdown for each coverage below. Please note that this doesn’t include unattended truck coverage.
| Car hauler insurance coverage | Average costs |
| Trucking primary liability coverage | $510 per month |
| General liability insurance | $120 per month |
| Truck cargo insurance | $240 per month |
| Uninsured motorist coverage | $50 per month |
These are just the averages. You quotes and rates will be different. Be sure to shop around with a few carrier or work with a top broker like Simply Business or Commercialinsurance.net to get and compare several quotes to find the cheapest one for you. If you prefer getting a fast online quote just to see how much your car hauler insurance is likely to cost. Try Progressive. They are the only carrier offering truck insurance quotes online, including for car hauler. It shouldn’t take you more than 10 minutes and it is worth it.
What factors affect car hauler insurance cost?
Many factors go into pricing out your insurance premium, including:
- The size and type of car hauler
- Type of business
- Business location
- How many vehicles you usually haul
- Type and value of vehicles you haul
- Distance you drive and whether you cross state lines
- Number of car haulers you’re insuring
- How the insurer calculates premiums.
What’s critical is that you get car hauler insurance quotes from several providers on our list to ensure you get the coverage you need at a fair price.
How can I lower car hauler insurance cost?
There are several steps you can take to take control of your premium prices.
Insure all your trucks — and entire business — with a single provider.
The more coverage you have with a single provider will earn you discounts, lowering your premium costs.
Pay your premiums up front rather than incrementally.
If you pay your premium annually instead of monthly or quarterly, you could earn a discount from your insurance company.
Always ask about discounts.
Ask insurance companies and agents about the discounts you qualify for now and over time. Many insurers don’t automatically offer discounts. Check to see that you get all you deserve.
Make safety a top priority.
Hauling autos is risky. That’s why coverage is relatively expensive. A history of costly claims will raise your premium rates. Take steps to enforce safety best practices to keep insurance costs low.
Driving safely and operating sensibly can help you manage coverage costs.
Get quotes from several providers.
Different insurers calculate vehicle hauler insurance premium costs in different ways. You owe it to yourself to get quotes from several insurers. When you compare coverages and costs, you may find one may want your business more by offering you better protection at a lower price.
Am I required to get car hauler insurance?
The short answer is yes. States require coverage before you’re allowed to transport vehicles. You’ll need to get more if you drive across state lines. The businesses you haul vehicles for will also require coverage for the valuable cargo you carry. An insurance agent or representative at an insurer specializing in car hauler coverage can advise you on the protection you need and how much coverage limit you’ll need to meet the state and federal requirements
How can I get car hauler insurance?
You can work with an insurance agent to get coverage or contact the recommended providers on our list. What’s important is that you get several quotes through a broker or marketplace like CoverWallet or Simply Business or insurers like The Hartford. You can compare coverages and costs, so you get the right car hauler insurance for you at a reasonable price.
