Commercial Truck Insurance Requirements in Florida

A Florida trucking company can be subject to federal financial-responsibility rules, Florida's own commercial-vehicle minimums, and private contract requirements at the same time. These are different layers. A policy can satisfy one layer and still be too low for another.

Federal minimums for for-hire property carriers

FMCSA's current insurance filing chart sets different bodily-injury and property-damage minimums by vehicle and cargo. For-hire non-hazardous property carriers are listed at $300,000 when GVWR is under 10,001 pounds and $750,000 when GVWR is 10,001 pounds or more. Certain hazardous-material operations require $1,000,000, while carriers of explosives, poison gas or radioactive materials are listed at $5,000,000.

The federal amount depends on the carrier's authority, vehicle and cargo. Do not use the $750,000 figure as a universal minimum for every commercial truck.

Florida's weight-based commercial vehicle minimums

Florida Statute 627.7415 sets additional combined bodily-injury and property-damage liability minimums for commercial motor vehicles and qualified motor vehicles operating on Florida roads. As of 2026, the statute lists $50,000 per occurrence for 26,000 to under 35,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, $100,000 for 35,000 to under 44,000 pounds, and $300,000 for 44,000 pounds or more. Vehicles subject to 49 C.F.R. Part 387 must instead carry the applicable federal minimum.

• 26,000 to under 35,000 pounds: $50,000 per occurrence under Florida Statute 627.7415.
• 35,000 to under 44,000 pounds: $100,000 per occurrence.
• 44,000 pounds or more: $300,000 per occurrence.
• If 49 C.F.R. Part 387 applies, the federal financial-responsibility minimum applies.

Those Florida figures are statutory minimums under section 627.7415, not a complete insurance program. Other state requirements, federal rules and contract obligations can still apply.

BMC-91 or BMC-91X and MCS-90 are not the same thing

For motor carriers that must keep proof of public-liability insurance on file with FMCSA, the insurance company makes the filing using Form BMC-91 or BMC-91X. The MCS-90 is an endorsement attached to a qualifying motor-carrier liability policy. It is not the electronic proof-of-insurance filing itself. FMCSA will not grant operating authority until the required financial-responsibility filing is on file, and carriers must keep the required proof in place to avoid revocation proceedings.

Is cargo insurance legally required?

For a general for-hire property carrier, FMCSA's current filing chart lists no federal cargo-insurance filing requirement. Household-goods carriers are different and must maintain the cargo filing required for that authority. Even when cargo insurance is not a federal filing requirement, a broker, shipper or customer contract may still require motor truck cargo coverage and may set its own limit.

What contracts can require above the legal minimum

Legal minimums are only one part of the decision. A broker, shipper, lender, lessor or trailer owner can require higher liability limits or separate coverages as a condition of doing business. Depending on the agreement, that may include motor truck cargo, general liability, physical damage, trailer interchange, additional-insured status, waiver-of-subrogation wording or other endorsements. The contract controls the requirement, so read it before assuming a common industry limit applies.

• Auto liability: compare the applicable federal or Florida minimum with the contract limit.
• Motor truck cargo: not a federal filing requirement for general property carriers, but it can be required by contract.
• Physical damage: not a government liability minimum; lenders or lease agreements may require it on financed equipment.
• Trailer interchange or non-owned trailer coverage: driven by how you use trailers you do not own and what the agreement requires.

A certificate of insurance is evidence of the policy in force. It does not, by itself, add a coverage or endorsement that is not actually part of the policy.

What happens if the required federal filing is canceled?

FMCSA requires entities with operating authority to keep the required insurance proof on file. If that proof is no longer maintained, FMCSA can begin revocation proceedings. The MCS-90 endorsement also contains specific cancellation-notice provisions. If a policy is being replaced or canceled, confirm that the replacement filing is active rather than assuming the certificate alone keeps the authority compliant.

A practical way to determine the right requirement

• Confirm whether the operation is subject to FMCSA operating-authority and Part 387 requirements.
• Confirm GVWR and whether Florida Statute 627.7415 adds a state minimum.
• Identify the commodity, including whether hazardous-material rules apply.
• Read broker, shipper, lender, lease and trailer agreements for higher or additional coverage requirements.
• Have the insurance filing and policy endorsements checked before the first load, not after a certificate is rejected.