Owner-Operator Coverage · Minnesota
Running your own rig means running your own risk. Whether you operate under your own authority or are leased to a carrier, the gaps in coverage can be significant — and expensive. As an independent agency with access to specialty trucking markets, we build coverage packages specifically for independent owner-operators, not one-size-fits-all commercial auto policies.
What's Covered
Running your own rig means running your own risk. Whether you operate under your own authority or are leased to a carrier, the gaps in coverage can be significant — and expensive. As an independent agency with access to specialty trucking markets, we build coverage packages specifically for independent owner-operators, not one-size-fits-all commercial auto policies.
Required by the FMCSA if you operate under your own authority (your own MC number). Covers bodily injury and property damage you cause to third parties. Minimum limits are $750,000 for general freight; higher for hazmat or passenger transport.
Covers repair or replacement of your truck after a collision, rollover, fire, theft, or weather event. If your rig is financed, this is typically required by your lender. Coverage is based on your truck's stated value.
Covers the freight you're hauling if it's lost, damaged, or stolen while in your care, custody, or control. Required by most freight brokers and shippers. Limits and commodities must align with what you actually haul.
Covers you when driving your tractor without a trailer and outside the scope of a dispatch or lease agreement. If you're leased to a carrier, their policy typically does NOT cover bobtail situations — this fills that gap.
Provides income replacement and medical benefits if you're injured on the job. Critical for owner-operators who don't qualify for workers' compensation and can't afford to be sidelined without income.
Covers non-auto incidents at loading docks, customer facilities, or warehouses — situations where your commercial auto policy doesn't apply but you're still exposed to liability.
Why Dayton Insurance
We're not tied to one carrier's products. We shop across multiple companies to find the right fit — and stay with you through every renewal.
Not every carrier writes trucking well. We work with specialty markets that understand commercial transportation — and price it accurately based on your commodity, radius, and record.
We compare across multiple A-rated trucking carriers so your quote reflects real market competition, not a single company's rate.
We handle Form E and Form H filings, MCS-90 endorsements, and other DOT compliance requirements so you can focus on keeping your wheels turning.
Ready when you are
Fill out the form and we'll get back to you within one business day. Prefer to talk now? Call or text (651) 243-0056.
Common Questions
Under your own authority (your own MC number), you need your own primary liability, cargo, and other coverages. When leased to a carrier, their policy covers you while under dispatch — but NOT when you're bobtailing, using the truck personally, or between loads. Gaps exist in both situations.
Bobtail coverage protects you when you're driving your tractor without a trailer and outside a dispatch — going home after a delivery, repositioning between loads, or running personal errands in the truck. If you're leased to a carrier, this is almost always a gap in coverage that needs to be addressed.
The FMCSA requires cargo insurance for many commodity types. Required limits depend on what you haul — household goods movers have specific minimums, while general freight is typically $100,000. Most brokers and shippers also require cargo insurance as a contract condition.
Premiums depend on your commodity type, operating radius, MVR (driving record), equipment age, and loss history. Most Minnesota owner-operators pay $8,000–$18,000 per year for a complete package. We shop specialty trucking markets to find your most competitive rate.
