Auto Hauler insurance in Pennsylvania — coverage by county
Pennsylvania PUC and FMCSA liability minimums for car haulers, plus how to size a cargo limit to your worst-case load.
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Pennsylvania auto hauler insurance
Auto-hauler insurance is trucking insurance with unusually valuable freight. The liability side follows the same rules as any truck: FMCSA minimums if you haul for hire across state lines, and PUC minimums if you hold Pennsylvania intrastate authority. Both are in the table below. The cargo side is where car haulers differ, because a full deck of vehicles adds up fast.
Some general trucking insurers don't write auto haulers at all, so placement starts with markets that do. For the coverages themselves, see our auto hauler insurance overview. For authority and filings, see commercial trucking for car haulers. For the load itself, see cargo and on-hook coverage.
New to auto hauler coverage? Start with our Auto Hauler insurance overview, then pick a county below, such as Chester County, home of our Devon office, or Philadelphia.
Liability minimums for Pennsylvania car haulers
PA PUC: intrastate common and contract carriers of property
| Manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less (articulated vehicle: manufacturer's gross combination weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less) | $300,000 per accident |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating over 10,000 pounds (articulated vehicle: manufacturer's gross combination weight rating over 10,000 pounds) | $750,000 per accident |
The § 32.12 minimum covers bodily injury, death and property damage, not cargo. PUC common carriers must also carry at least $5,000 of cargo insurance (52 Pa. Code § 32.13) unless an exemption applies.
Source: 52 Pa. Code § 32.12(a).
FMCSA: public liability by type of carriage
| For-hire, interstate or foreign commerce, GVWR 10,001 lb or more: nonhazardous property | $750,000 |
|---|---|
| For-hire and private, GVWR 10,001 lb or more: oil listed in 49 CFR 172.101, and hazardous waste, materials or substances listed in 49 CFR 172.101 that are not in a $5,000,000 tier (interstate or foreign commerce in any quantity; intrastate commerce in bulk only) | $1,000,000 |
| For-hire and private, interstate, foreign or intrastate commerce, GVWR 10,001 lb or more: hazardous substances in bulk in cargo tanks, portable tanks or hopper-type vehicles; bulk Division 1.1, 1.2 or 1.3 material; bulk Division 2.1 or 2.2 material; bulk Division 2.3 Hazard Zone A material; bulk Division 6.1 Packing Group I, Hazard Zone A material; highway-route-controlled quantities of Class 7 material | $5,000,000 |
| For-hire and private, interstate or foreign commerce, GVWR under 10,001 lb: bulk Division 1.1, 1.2 or 1.3 material; bulk Division 2.3 Hazard Zone A material; bulk Division 6.1 Packing Group I, Hazard Zone A material; highway-route-controlled quantities of Class 7 material | $5,000,000 |
Section 387.9 has no $750,000 or $1,000,000 tier for vehicles under 10,001 lb GVWR. A for-hire interstate carrier whose fleet includes only vehicles under 10,001 lb GVWR hauling nonhazardous property must have at least $300,000 on file with FMCSA (49 CFR § 387.303T(b)(1)(i)).
Source: 49 CFR § 387.9.
These are legal minimums. Brokers, shippers and lessors can require higher limits in their contracts.
Before you bind: read the cargo form
Car-hauler cargo forms are not standard. Before you sign, check how yours handles each of these:
- Loading and unloading damage on driveable vehicles.
- Non-running or towed units, which may need on-hook coverage instead.
- Conditions for a truck left unattended, including overnight parking.
- Weather damage on an open deck.
- The per-vehicle sub-limit compared with your most expensive single unit.
- How a damaged vehicle is valued at claim time.
After a cargo claim
- Photograph every vehicle at pickup and at delivery, and note damage on the condition report or bill of lading before anyone signs.
- Report the claim to your insurer and to us as soon as you can, and keep the dealer or auction paperwork.
- Know your cargo deductible before you agree to pay a customer directly. We help you report the claim and follow up with the adjuster; the insurer makes the coverage decision.
Auto Hauler insurance by Pennsylvania county
Frequently asked questions
How do I size the cargo limit on a 7-car open hauler?
Start from the heaviest-value load you are likely to carry, not the average one. Seven cars at $40,000 each is a $280,000 load; swap one of them for a $100,000 EV and it is $340,000. The per-load limit should cover that worst case, and the per-vehicle sub-limit has to cover your most expensive single unit. We set both to the vehicles you actually haul.
When do I need on-hook coverage instead of cargo?
On-hook is for vehicles you tow, winch or wheel-lift, usually non-running, damaged or repossessed units. Cargo forms written for car haulers are built around driveable vehicles loaded onto the deck, but forms differ on loading damage, so check yours. If you pick up any non-running units, ask for on-hook as well.
Are enclosed haulers insured differently from open haulers?
Yes. Enclosed trailers usually carry fewer, more valuable vehicles, so the per-vehicle sub-limit matters more and the trailer's own physical-damage value is higher. Give us the value of the trailer and of the most expensive vehicle you expect to carry, and we size the limits to those numbers.
What do I need if I'm an owner-operator leased on to a transport company?
The transport company's policy usually covers primary liability, and often cargo, while you are under its dispatch. You typically need non-trucking liability (non-business use of the tractor, with or without a trailer) or, if the lease allows it, the narrower bobtail coverage (tractor with no trailer attached), plus physical damage on your own equipment. Some leases also require occupational accident coverage, which is a separate accident and health policy. Read your lease and send it to us; we quote the liability, physical damage and cargo coverage it leaves to you.