The questions carriers actually ask.
Straight answers on pricing, filings, new authority, and turnaround times — written the way an agent would explain it on the phone.
- Pricing & down payments
- Filings & authority
- Coverage & limits
01
Pricing and payments
- What down payment should I expect?
- It depends on your loss runs, years of authority, driver MVRs, radius of operation, and what you haul. New authority with clean MVRs typically requires a larger down payment than an established carrier with three years of loss history. We tell you the number before you commit, not after.
- Can I pay monthly instead of the full year?
- Yes. We place policies with IPFS, Honor Capital, Strand Finance, and US Premium Finance. You pay a down payment and the balance in monthly installments. Payment portals for all four are linked in the site footer.
- Why did my premium go up at renewal?
- The usual drivers are a new claim on the loss run, a violation or accident on a driver MVR, adding units or drivers, expanding your radius of operation, or a hardening market across the whole class. Ask your agent to break down which factor moved and by how much.
- What happens if I miss a payment?
- The finance company issues a notice of intent to cancel, usually with ten days to cure. If it cancels, your FMCSA filing is withdrawn and your authority goes inactive. Call the payments desk before the cure date — reinstating is far cheaper than rewriting.
02
Filings and authority
- Do you file the BMC-91 or BMC-91X with FMCSA?
- Yes, electronically, as soon as the policy binds. The filing is what tells FMCSA your liability coverage is active. Without it, your authority will not activate no matter how good your policy is.
- Can you insure a brand-new authority?
- Yes. New ventures are a large share of what we write. Expect a market that specializes in new authority and a higher down payment, but coverage is available from day one and we coordinate the filings so the authority activates without delay.
- How long does it take to get MC authority?
- FMCSA runs a mandatory vetting period after the application posts, and the docket cannot activate until the BOC-3 process agent designation and the insurance filing are both on record. We file all three in sequence so nothing sits waiting.
- What is a BOC-3 and do I need one?
- A BOC-3 designates a process agent in every state where you operate — someone legally authorized to receive court papers on your behalf. Every carrier with interstate authority is required to have one on file before the MC number activates.
03
Coverage and limits
- How much cargo coverage do brokers require?
- The common floor is $100,000. High-value freight — electronics, pharmaceuticals, auto-hauling — frequently requires more, and some shippers set their own minimum in the setup packet. Read the broker requirement sheet before you accept the load.
- What is a reefer breakdown endorsement?
- Most cargo policies exclude spoilage from a refrigeration unit failure unless a reefer breakdown endorsement is attached. It typically also requires the unit to have been running continuously and to have a maintenance record. It is the single most common cargo coverage gap we find.
- Do I need bobtail if I am leased to a carrier?
- Almost certainly. The motor carrier policy covers you under dispatch. Bobtail and non-trucking liability cover the hours you are not — driving home, running to the shop, or on personal time. Most lease agreements require it as a condition.
- What is the difference between physical damage and liability?
- Liability pays for damage you cause to other people and their property, and it is federally mandated. Physical damage repairs your own truck and trailer, and it is required by your lienholder rather than by FMCSA.
04
Service and turnaround
- How fast can I get a certificate of insurance?
- Typically the same business day. Email the certificates desk with the holder name and address and the ACORD goes out to whoever asked for it.
- Which states do you serve?
- We are based in Texas with offices in Houston, Hutto, and Groves, plus a Florida office in Coral Springs, and we place coverage for carriers running interstate authority nationwide.
- Do you have agents who speak Spanish?
- Every department — certificates, payments, endorsements, permits, and claims — is staffed by bilingual agents. You will not be transferred to a translation line.
Still have a question
Ask an agent directly.
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(713) 904-4970 · insurance@truckingservice.net