One of the biggest differences between a car crash and a semi-truck crash is the insurance. Indiana’s minimum liability coverage for a personal auto policy is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury (IC 9-25-4-5). Federal rules require many trucking companies to carry far more. Knowing which minimum applies—and what other coverage may exist—is a key early step in any serious truck case.
How much insurance does a trucking company have to carry?
Under 49 CFR 387.9, for-hire interstate carriers hauling non-hazardous freight in vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more must carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage. Minimums rise to $1 million for oil and many hazardous materials and $5 million for certain high-risk hazardous loads. Many carriers also have excess or umbrella coverage.
The federal minimums (49 CFR 387.9)
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets minimum levels of financial responsibility for motor carriers. For vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more, the schedule includes:
- $750,000 for for-hire carriers hauling non-hazardous property in interstate or foreign commerce.
- $1,000,000 for for-hire and private carriers hauling oil and many hazardous materials, hazardous substances, or hazardous waste not listed in the $5 million category.
- $5,000,000 for for-hire and private carriers hauling certain high-risk hazardous materials in bulk (for example, some explosives, poison-inhalation hazards, and bulk hazardous substances in cargo tanks), or highway-route-controlled quantities of radioactive material.
The $5 million level also applies to certain bulk high-risk hazardous loads carried in vehicles under 10,001 pounds. These are minimums—carriers are free to buy more, and many do.
Who the $750,000 minimum does—and does not—cover
The $750,000 figure applies to for-hire carriers, meaning companies hauling other people’s freight for pay, operating in interstate commerce. Some trucks fall outside that category:
- Private carriers that haul their own non-hazardous goods (for example, a company delivering its own products) are not in the $750,000 row of the federal table, although their coverage may still be substantial.
- Lighter vehicles, such as many cargo vans and some box trucks, may be under the 10,001-pound threshold. See delivery van and box truck crashes.
- Trucks that operate only within Indiana are subject to Indiana’s adoption of many federal rules (IC 8-2.1-24-18), but the coverage on an intrastate truck should be checked case by case.
Other insurance that may be available
- Excess and umbrella policies that sit on top of the primary policy.
- Separate policies covering a trailer owner, shipper, freight broker, or repair shop whose conduct contributed to the crash.
- Your own coverage, such as underinsured motorist (UIM) and medical payments coverage. Indiana insurers must offer UIM in limits equal to your liability limits unless the named insured rejects it in writing (IC 27-7-5-2).
Finding every policy matters because serious truck crash injuries can exceed a single policy. See who can be liable in an Indiana truck crash.
How to find a trucking company’s insurer
Start with the carrier name and USDOT number painted on the cab. FMCSA’s public SAFER system shows a carrier’s registration and safety history, and FMCSA’s licensing and insurance records list insurance filings for carriers with federal operating authority. The crash report may also list the insurer. In a lawsuit, the policies themselves can be obtained through discovery.
Why the minimum is not the same as what a case is worth
Insurance limits set how much a policy will pay, not what an injury is worth. The value of a claim depends on the injuries, medical care, lost income, effect on daily life, the evidence of fault, and Indiana law on damages and comparative fault. On the other hand, when injuries are severe, the available coverage often becomes a practical ceiling unless additional responsible parties or policies are found—which is why the insurance investigation should start early.
A note on the trucking company’s adjuster
A large policy does not mean the insurer will offer it. The carrier’s insurer will look for reasons to pay less, such as blaming you, questioning your medical care, or arguing about which policy applies. You do not have to give the at-fault company’s insurer a recorded statement. Talk with a lawyer before you sign anything.
Hurt by a semi or commercial truck in Indiana? Call 1-800-265-9881 or send the free case review form to talk about the insurance and responsible parties in your case.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum insurance for a semi-truck?
For a for-hire interstate carrier hauling non-hazardous freight in a vehicle of 10,001 pounds or more, the federal minimum is $750,000 (49 CFR 387.9). Oil and many hazardous materials require $1 million, and certain high-risk hazardous loads require $5 million.
Is the trucking company’s insurance limit the most I can recover?
Not necessarily. There may be excess or umbrella coverage, other responsible companies with their own policies, and your own underinsured motorist coverage. Limits also do not determine what an injury is worth.
How can I find out who insures the truck?
Use the USDOT number on the cab to look up the carrier on FMCSA’s public SAFER and licensing and insurance records. The crash report may also list the insurer, and policies can be obtained in discovery.
Do these federal minimums apply to box trucks and delivery vans?
Only if the vehicle and operation fit the rule. The federal schedule applies to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more, and the $750,000 level applies to for-hire interstate carriers. Many cargo vans fall below that weight.
Sources
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Traffic Safety Facts: Large Trucks, 2024 Data, DOT HS 813 816 (PDF)
- IC 9-25-4-5 — official heading: “Minimum amounts of financial responsibility.” Indiana’s minimum auto liability amounts (the BMV describes them as 25/50/25: $25,000 / $50,000 / $25,000).
- IC 27-7-5-2 — official heading: “Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage; required coverage; rejection; exemptions; umbrella policies.” Indiana rules on uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage in auto policies, including how coverage may be rejected.
- 49 CFR 387.9 — official heading: “Financial responsibility, minimum levels.” Minimum insurance (financial responsibility) for motor carriers—for example, $750,000 for for-hire interstate carriers of non-hazardous property in vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more, and higher amounts for hazardous materials.
Indiana Code links open the official chapter PDF from the Indiana General Assembly (2026 Code); federal rules link to the current eCFR text.
More official links: Indiana accident resources · Indiana crash statistics · How to get your crash report
General information only—not legal advice. Laws change and every case is different; deadlines can be shorter in some situations. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.