Federal mandates are in place to protect the interstate trucking industry and the general public who comes into contact with that industry daily. The FMCSA and the individual states determine mandatory minimum commercial truck requirements. Each state has the right to dictate the kind of coverage it requires for truckers who live and operate within its borders.
Truck drivers in Sacramento, California, must comply with the minimum requirements for the state of California, and interstate truckers based in Sacramento must follow the FMCSA guidelines for interstate trucking insurance. This article will cover the following topics:
- The 5 best commercial truck insurance companies in Sacramento, CA
- Available coverages for truckers in Sacramento, CA
- California commercial truck insurance requirements
- Commercial truck mandatory filings in California
- How much does commercial truck insurance cost in Sacramento, CA?
The 5 best commercial truck insurance companies in Sacramento, CA
Based on our own research, we’ve selected the 5 best commercial truck insurance companies in Sacramento, California.
- Progressive: Best Overall and the only carrier offering truck insurance quotes online
- Simply Business: Best for comparing quotes
- Sentry: Best as a truck insurance specialist
- The Hartford: Best for fleets
- Commercialinsurance.net: Best for small and new trucking businesses
Progressive: Best Overall and the only carrier offering truck insurance quotes online
Progressive is a reputable insurance company with more than 80 years of service. Currently, they are considered at the top of the commercial vehicle insurance industry. They offer competitive rates with discounts available. The company provides products for everything from a single truck to a fleet of vehicles.
Progressive is the only carrier offering truck insurance quotes online. Within 10 minutes, you should be able to get a quote, regardless if you are an owner operator or running a trucking companies with 10+ trucks or a fleet. You may want to start your buying journey to get a quote on Progressive website, even just to see the ballpark of your truck insurance cost.
Simply Business: Best for comparing quotes
Simply Business is an insurance broker that specializes in insurance for small businesses. You provide your information once, and the company offers multiple quotes using their proprietary algorithm. Once you purchase coverage, you can manage your policy online, which is a great time saver.
If you want to compare several quotes in one place conveniently without having to get several quotes from several companies, you may want to start with Simply Business. They will be able to pull several quotes from the partners that they represent at once and help you compare them and select the best one for your business.
Simply Business is also known for its great consumer satisfaction rating. They earn A rating on BBB and 4.1 rating out of 5 on Trustpilot, which is a lot higher than their insurance peers.
Sentry: Best as a truck insurance specialist
Sentry is a relatively small insurance provider, which allows it to provide personalized service to its customers. The company has been in the insurance industry since 1904. Sentry has experience insuring trucking industry members and is a member of several industry groups, including the American Trucking Association.
If you prefer working with a truck insurance specialist, you may consider Sentry. They focus 100% on providing commercial truck insurance to businesses of all sizes.
The Hartford: Best for fleets
The Hartford has been in the insurance industry for over 200 years. The insurer began as a fire insurance company and has expanded over the years to include various insurance coverage. The Hartford offers multiple policies in the trucking industry, but the company admits to preferring to write for fleets.
If you run a fleet of more than 20 trucks, you may want to start with the Hartford. They specialize in insuring fleets and develop their customizable coverage to be suitable for fleets.
The Hartford is also known as one of the the most ethical companies in the world.
Commercialinsurance.net: Best for small and new trucking businesses
Commercialinsurance.net is an insurance broker specializing in insurance for small businesses, including those in the trucking industry. The company attempts to pair customers with the coverage they can afford. The company partners with multiple carriers with expert knowledge in their fields to provide appropriate coverages for their customers.
If you are a new trucking business and relatively small with less than 20 trucks, you may want to start with commercialinsurance.net, they can help you navigate the truck insurance world and find the best coverage for your business at the most affordable prices. If trucking business is deemed high risk and has a difficult time obtaining truck insurance, you definitely should start with them, they are considered to best for high-risk trucking businesses.
Available coverages for truckers in Sacramento, CA
If you are a trucker in California operating under your own authority, you are responsible for providing more coverage for your truck than those who are leased owner-operators. This is due to motor carriers providing some of the coverages for the leased drivers within their fleet. Some of the coverages offered to truckers regardless of authority are:
- Primary liability
- General liability – Learn more at the best trucking general liability insurance companies
- Physical damage – Learn more at the best trucking physical damage insurance companies
- Motor truck cargo – Learn more at the best motor truck cargo insurance companies
- Bobtail – Learn more at bobtail insurance cost and the best bobtail insurance companies
- Non-trucking liability – Learn more at the best non-trucking liability insurance companies
- Trailer interchange – Learn more about trailer interchange coverage
- Uninsured motorist
- Workers’ compensation – Learn more about workers comp insurance for truckers
- Trucking umbrella coverages – Learn more at the best trucking umbrella insurance companies
California commercial truck insurance requirements
The law in California requires that local truckers maintain minimum amounts of liability insurance. Your freight and where you travel dictate how much coverage you need. If you stay within the borders of California and the truck is more than 10,000 GVW, you are required to have a CA Intrastate ID Number (T#) and have insurance that meets specific levels based on the cargo you carry.
| Liability insurance (oil transport) | $1,000,000 |
| Liability insurance (hazmat) | $5,000,000 |
| Liability insurance (household goods) | $300,000 |
| Liability insurance (general freight) | $750,000 |
| Cargo insurance (intrastate household goods movers and interstate contract carriers) | $20,000/vehicle; $20,000/catastrophe |
If you leave the boundaries of California and travel through other states, you must maintain the above coverage, and you must meet the requirements of the FMCSA. Depending on cargo and truck size, those limits are typically $750,000 or $1,000,000.
Commercial truck mandatory filings in Sacramento, California
Per the state of California and the USDOT, your insurance agent must submit certain filings on your behalf. These filings let the government know that you have met all the DOT insurance requirements. These forms have to be submitted before you receive your authority to operate. Some of the documents required are:
- Form MCS-90
- MCP-65
- Form H
- The BMC-91
While your insurance company or agent should file these forms for you, it’s your responsibility to ensure they do so.
How much does commercial truck insurance cost in Sacramento, CA?
The average cost of commercial truck insurance in California is $14,000 a year or $1,167 a month. It is actually a bit cheaper in Sacramento than California.
Based on our research, the average cost of commercial truck insurance in Sacramento is $13,200 a year or $1,100 a month. This includes primary liability, non-trucking liability, trucking physical damage, and truck cargo coverages.
These are just the averages. Be sure to shop around with a few companies or work with a top broker like Simply Business or commercialinsurance.net to get and compare several quotes before making your final decision. If you want to get a fast quote online, you may want to start with Progressive. They are the only carrier offering truck insurance quotes online. It shouldn’t take you more than 10 minutes to get a quote.
Final thoughts
Commercial trucking is a risky business because of the number of hours spent on the road and the weight of freight you transport. Truck drivers must maintain appropriate insurance coverage. State and federal mandates dictate the amounts of coverage needed. In California, coverage limits are also determined by where you travel—within the state or through it.
In addition to maintaining appropriate insurance coverage, you must have certain government forms completed and submitted by your insurance company before beginning operation. It’s wise to have coverages above the minimum limits to ensure you are covered appropriately. Contact an insurance agent or broker if you have questions regarding the best commercial truck insurance in Sacramento, California.
