Currently, the average annual salary for a dump truck owner-operator in Texas is $116,42 a year. That works out to about $56 an hour. Unlike a lot of states, Texas does have a lot of regulations surrounding trucking, which makes it very friendly to truckers. They also have cheap (relatively speaking) fuel. They do have some cities with heavy traffic, so the part of the state you work in will have an effect on your dump truck business.
- 5 best dump truck insurance companies in Texas
- What is dump truck insurance?
- What are the insurance requirements for dump trucks in Texas?
- What does dump truck insurance cover?
- How much does dump truck insurance cost in Texas?
- What factors impact dump truck insurance cost in Texas?
- How can I save money on dump truck insurance in Texas?
5 best dump truck insurance companies in Texas
We have done the research and here are the 5 best dump truck insurance companies in Texas that we recommend:
- Progressive: Best Overall
- SimplyBusiness: Best for comparing multiple quotes
- biBERK: Best for low-cost coverage and great online experience
- THREE: Best for simple yet comprehensive policies
- The Hartford: Best for working with an agent
Progressive: Best Overall
It’s easy to get a commercial truck quote from Progressive. They are the number one commercial truck insurer in the U.S. There are a number of discounts available, such as pay in full, bundling, EFT, and enrolling in Snap Shot, which is a tracking device to measure driver safety.
This is a quote for a Ford F750 with no loan, so therefore no collision, and a 100,000 per accident and 300,000 per year liability limit. It takes less than 10 minutes to get a quote on Progressive website. They are one of a few companies offering dump truck insurance quotes online. Even if you are not sure if you will go with Progressive yet, getting an online quote to start the process is highly encouraged.
SimplyBusiness: Best for comparing multiple quotes
Simply Business is an online insurance broker. They connect small business owners with insurance companies they partner with in order to bring you several quotes in one place, making it easy and convenient for you to compare several quotes to choose the cheapest one for your business. They don’t do any underwriting: all the insurance is provided by partners.
If you are happy with one of the quotes that you provide, you can buy the policy online within minutes. After buying a policy from them, you can manage your policy on their digital platform too.
Simply Business earns a good customer satisfaction rating of 4.1 out of 5 on trustpilot.
biBERK: Best for low-cost coverage and great online experience
biBERK is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathway, which fans of Warren Buffet will be familiar with. biBERK claims they can save you 20% over other companies providing dump truck insurance directly to the customers, bypassing agents and brokers and cutting costs in the process.
You can get a quote from biBERK if you have a USDOT number—they verify it, and then present you with a quote. Once you have a quote, you can buy your policy online, pay the bill, manage it, file claims—whatever you want, all online. Only professional liability insurance is available in all fifty states—other policies may or may not be available in your state.
Once you buy a policy from biBERK, you can file claims, manage the policy, pay the bill, or download a copy of your certificate at any time, all online.
THREE: Best for simple yet comprehensive policies
THREE is also a Berkshire Hathaway company. They also offer dump truck quotes online. The company was named THREE because all the policies they sell are less than three pages long. This might not seem like a big deal, but other insurance companies have pages upon pages of exceptions, i.e., things not covered. THREE doesn’t do that.
THREE only sells one comprehensive policy that a typical small business needs: it includes business liability, auto liability, cyber liability, workers comp, and property insurance. If you want something else, or don’t need one of these types of insurance, then THREE is not the company for you. Even with these comprehensive coverages in one policy, their policy document is only 3-page long and they still offer competitive rates.
Also, they are only available in 23 states, although Texas is one of them.
The Hartford: Best for working with an agent
If dealing with an ethical company is important to you, then The Hartford might be a good choice for you. They were named one of the World’s most ethical companies twelve years in a row. Beyond that, the Hartford has a wide variety of business policies, including commercial auto. You can get a quote for some policies, but to make a purchase you’ll have to contact an agent.
They also scored last in J.D. Power’s 2022 U.S. Insurance Digital Experience Study, so if you want a seamless digital experience, the Hartford would not be the best choice.
If you prefer working with an established and reputable insurance company that you can absolutely count on when you need it, the Hartford is the right one for you.
What is dump truck insurance?
Dump truck insurance is a type of specialty commercial vehicle insurance. Dump truck owners and owner-operators are required to have liability insurance coverage before you can legally use your dump truck for a job.
What are the insurance requirements for dump trucks in Texas?
Dump trucks are used to transport loose materials, such as dirt, gravel, sand, asphalt and rocks for mining, construction, or road work. This makes dump trucks high-risk vehicles because of their weight and the nature of their cargo.
Texas has a 20,000 lb. single axle weight limit on all trucks, including dump trucks, or up to 34,000 lbs. on a tandem axle. There are some exceptions, though, depending on what you’re hauling.
Texas requires heavy-duty commercial vehicles (aka dump trucks) that weigh over 10,001 pounds to have primary liability insurance of at least $750,000 for non-hazmat materials. If you carry hazardous materials or explosives, you’ll need at least $5 million in liability insurance.
What does dump truck insurance cover?
Typically, a dump truck insurance policy will cover three things: primary trucking liability, motor trucking liability and non-trucking insurance.
Primary liability: This protects you from physical harm and property damage if your truck is in an at-fault accident. Dump trucks have gross vehicle weights of about 55,000 pounds, so it’s easy to see how a dump truck could wreak havoc with smaller vehicles such as passenger cars.
Motor trucking cargo liability protects your cargo from damage, loss, or theft while it’s in transit. Learn more at the best motor truck cargo insurance companies
Non-trucking liability insurance covers drivers when they use their vehicles in a non-commercial capacity, i.e., getting from place to place. Learn more at the best non-trucking liability insurance companies
Bobtail insurance covers drivers when they drive their trucks without a trailer attached to it and get involved in an accident and are found to be at fault. Learn more at the best bobtail insurance companies.
How much does dump truck insurance cost in Texas?
The average cost of dump truck insurance in Texas is somewhere between $5,000 and $20,000 a year, which is a bit more expensive than the national average cost of dump truck insurance.
The average cost is for one dump truck and includes primary liability, trucking physical damage, bobtail, and cargo insurance coverage.
Keep in mind that these are just the averages. Your rates will be different. Be sure to shop around with a few companies to compare quotes. Getting online quotes if available is one of the best way to compare several quotes efficiently. Progressive, biBERK, THREE all offer dump truck insurance quotes online. Or you can choose to work with a broker like Simply Business or Commercialinsurance.net to have them get several quotes from their insurance partners for you to compare.
What factors impact dump truck insurance cost in Texas?
Dump truck insurance costs vary by factors such as:
- Cargo
- Driving history
- Type of dump truck
- Distance
- Years of experience
- Deductible
- Amount of coverage
- Location
Although there are miles of rural areas in Texas, there are also congested cities such as Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio where the risks are higher.
How can I save money on dump truck insurance in Texas?
The easiest way to save money is to shop around for quotes. Different companies can vary dramatically in what rates they offer, so it pays to shop around.
Make sure vehicles are well-maintained and up-to-date. Preventative maintenance can go a long way to keeping drivers and others safe.
Consider a safety app—these can save you money by rewarding safe driving. Progressive’s Snap Shot is one example, but there are others out there as well.
Bundle and buy more than one policy. Most companies will give you a 5% to 10% discount if you buy more than one policy from them, and if you’re an owner-operator, you’ll need at least general liability insurance as well.
Ask about discounts: many companies offer discounts for things like paying in full, auto pay, EFT, and professional organizations. You’ll probably qualify for at least a few discounts.
Last thoughts
Running a dump truck business in Texas can be lucrative and give you independence and job satisfaction. Make sure you buy enough insurance and shop around for the best rates.
