Transportation and Hauling Business Insurance in Tennessee

Business types with their own guide

• Trucking and Hauling Insurance Truck accidents on busy highways, and more. Read the trucking and hauling insurance guide.

More transportation and hauling businesses

These business types share many of the same risks. Each has a short overview below.

Garbage and debris collection

Waste haulers run heavy trucks on residential streets and handle materials that can lead to pollution claims. Commercial auto, workers’ comp, and pollution coverage are key.

Self-storage facility

Storage facility owners face questions about tenants’ property, fire, and theft. Property and general liability are core, and many facilities consider coverage designed for storage operators.

Coverages common in transportation and hauling

• Commercial auto Covers vehicles used for the business. Personal car insurance policies often exclude or limit business use.
• Motor truck cargo Covers the freight or goods you haul if they’re damaged or stolen in transit.
• General liability Helps if your business is blamed for injuring someone or damaging their property, and usually pays for a legal defense.
• Workers’ compensation Pays medical bills and lost wages if an employee is hurt on the job, and includes employer’s liability.
• Commercial umbrella Adds higher liability limits above your general liability, auto, and employer’s liability.

All coverage is subject to underwriting and policy terms. Not every business needs every coverage.

Tennessee rules to know

Commercial plates. In Tennessee, a vehicle with a commercial license plate must be covered under a commercial auto policy, according to the Tennessee Department of Revenue.

Federal trucking filings. For-hire carriers hauling non-hazardous property across state lines must keep at least $750,000 in liability coverage on file for vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more, or $300,000 for lighter vehicles, according to the FMCSA. Intrastate rules can differ.

Workers’ comp. Most Tennessee employers outside construction and coal mining must carry workers’ compensation once they have five or more employees, full- or part-time, per the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Even below that number, many owners choose to carry it.

We can review your requirements and help you shop workers’ compensation and other coverages, subject to underwriting.

Certificates of insurance

Landlords, clients, venues, and general contractors often ask for a certificate of insurance before you start. If they want to be an additional insured, the policy usually needs an endorsement. Our certificate of insurance checklist explains what to check.

Related guides

• All business types
• Business insurance in Middle Tennessee
• General liability insurance
• Small business insurance checklist (PDF)
• Starting a business in Tennessee