Motor Truck Cargo & Transit
First-party protection for cargo you own or haul, on your own trucks or with a for-hire carrier.
This is an estimate, not a bound policy — a licensed VAB producer confirms final terms before coverage starts. Sgt. Savings can answer questions but can't quote, bind, or guarantee coverage.
Motor Truck Cargo & Transit covers direct physical loss or damage to cargo you own or have an insurable interest in, whether it's riding on your own described vehicles or in the custody of a for-hire carrier moving it for you. It's first-party coverage only — legal-liability cargo coverage (the kind a motor carrier needs to cover a shipper's goods) is written under a separate endorsement, not this base form. This is built for the business that owns the freight, not just the trucking company hauling someone else's.
Who This Is Really For
The ideal buyer.
The ideal buyer is a distributor, manufacturer, or wholesaler that owns real freight value moving either on its own company trucks or with a for-hire carrier, and has either had a shipment damaged with no coverage to fall back on, or is responding to a sales or supply contract that now requires proof of cargo coverage before goods ship. This buyer is distinct from a motor carrier hauling someone else's freight for hire — they're the business that owns the goods, whether they're driving the truck themselves or paying someone else to. Many of these buyers assumed their commercial auto or general liability policy already covered cargo loss, until a claim revealed that cargo coverage is a separate, dedicated line rather than something bundled into a standard fleet policy. What makes Motor Truck Cargo & Transit the right fit instead of assuming another policy covers it is that it's built specifically around the shipper's own insurable interest in the goods — whether on company trucks under Coverage A or with a for-hire carrier under Coverage B — rather than the liability exposure a motor carrier itself needs to cover someone else's freight.
- Businesses that own goods moving on their own company trucks
- Shippers whose freight travels via a for-hire carrier and need their own cargo protection
- Distributors and wholesalers with regular truckload or less-than-truckload shipments
- Manufacturers moving raw materials or finished goods between facilities
- Any business whose sales or supply contracts require proof of cargo coverage
What It Covers
Coverage, broken down.
Coverage A — Owned cargo on described vehicles
Covers direct physical loss or damage to cargo you own, while it's being transported on your own scheduled, described vehicles.
Coverage B — Shipper's-interest cargo with a for-hire carrier
Covers your insurable interest in cargo while it's in the custody of a for-hire carrier moving it on your behalf, protecting your stake in the goods even though you're not the one driving.
Illustrative Scenario — How This Coverage Responds
Illustrative scenario — a shipment is damaged in an accident while riding with a for-hire carrier
Imagine a distributor ships a truckload of goods with a for-hire carrier under Coverage B for shipper's-interest cargo, and the carrier's truck is involved in an accident en route, damaging a significant portion of the shipment. The distributor files a claim for the physical loss under its Motor Truck Cargo & Transit policy, which pays for the damaged goods based on the insurable interest the distributor holds in that cargo — separate from whatever claim might also exist against the carrier itself. This is a hypothetical walkthrough to illustrate how the coverage responds — not a description of an actual claim.
Illustrative example for education only — not a claim outcome or a promise of payment. Every claim depends on the actual policy issued and its terms.
More Than One Way In
More scenarios.
Real coverage doesn't fit one story. Here's who else this shows up for.
The manufacturer shipping between its own facilities
A manufacturer moves raw materials between two of its own facilities on company-owned trucks as a routine part of production. Coverage A protects the manufacturer's own cargo on those described vehicles, distinct from the liability coverage that protects the trucks and drivers themselves.
The distributor using a for-hire carrier for a big order
A distributor books a for-hire carrier to move a large truckload order to a new regional customer rather than using its own limited fleet. Because the distributor still owns an insurable interest in the goods while they're in the carrier's custody, Coverage B protects that stake in the shipment independent of whatever liability claim might separately exist against the carrier.
The business meeting a new supply contract's insurance requirement
A wholesaler lands a new supply contract that specifically requires proof of cargo insurance before the first shipment goes out. Securing this coverage lets the wholesaler meet the contract requirement and actually protect the goods it's now regularly shipping under the new agreement.
Know The Gaps
What this doesn't cover.
Every policy has limits. Knowing them before you buy is how you avoid a denied claim later.
Earth movement and flood
Standard property perils like earth movement and flood are excluded from cargo transit coverage — this policy is scoped to the physical transit risk, not broader catastrophic property exposure.
Insufficient packing performed by the shipper
If the cargo wasn't packed adequately for the mode of transport, resulting damage isn't covered — proper packing for the actual shipping method is the shipper's responsibility.
Governmental seizure
Cargo seized by a government authority isn't a covered cause of loss — a business shipping regulated or cross-border goods should understand this gap separately from ordinary transit risk.
Mysterious disappearance or inventory shortage without physical evidence
A claim needs actual physical evidence of loss or damage — an inventory count that just comes up short, with no evidence of what happened, generally isn't covered.
Wear-and-tear, spoilage, temperature damage, and refrigeration breakdown (unless elected)
These are excluded by default; a business shipping temperature-sensitive or perishable goods should specifically elect refrigeration breakdown coverage rather than assume it's automatically included.
Theft from an unattended, unsecured vehicle
Leaving a loaded vehicle unattended and unsecured removes coverage for a resulting theft — securing the vehicle when it's not attended is a real condition of the coverage, not just good practice.
Legal liability for cargo you don't own
This base form doesn't include legal-liability cargo coverage (the kind a motor carrier needs for goods it's hauling on behalf of someone else) — that has to be added by separate endorsement.
Behind The Quote
What goes into the decision.
What actually moves your price and your approval — no black box.
Whether cargo moves on your own trucks, a for-hire carrier, or both
Coverage A and Coverage B respond to different situations — owned cargo on your described vehicles versus your interest in cargo with a for-hire carrier — so accurately describing how your freight actually moves determines which coverage, or both, you need scheduled.
Packing and stowage practices for your specific cargo
Because damage from insufficient packing performed by the shipper is excluded, how the business actually packs and secures its specific goods for the mode of transport is a direct underwriting and claims factor.
Whether the cargo is temperature-sensitive or perishable
Refrigeration breakdown and spoilage are excluded by default, so a business shipping perishable or temperature-controlled goods needs to specifically elect that coverage rather than assume it's automatically included.
Security practices for unattended vehicles
Since theft from an unattended, unsecured vehicle is excluded, a business's real-world practices for securing loaded trucks overnight or during stops factor directly into both eligibility and claims outcomes.
Whether the business also needs legal-liability cargo coverage
A business that's also acting as a motor carrier hauling goods it doesn't own needs to add legal-liability cargo coverage by separate endorsement — confirming which role the business plays (shipper, carrier, or both) determines whether that endorsement is needed.
Let's get you covered.
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Availability
Available nationwide, with terms adapted to each state's requirements.
Questions, answered straight
No jargon on motor truck cargo & transit — just what you're actually asking.
Not automatically — legal-liability cargo coverage, which is what a motor carrier needs to cover a shipper's goods, is written by a separate endorsement, not included in this base first-party form.
Coverage A applies to cargo you own while it's on your own described vehicles. Coverage B applies to your insurable interest in cargo while it's in the custody of a for-hire carrier you've hired to move it — different vehicle, same underlying protection of your stake in the goods.
No — refrigeration breakdown is excluded by default and needs to be specifically elected. A business shipping perishable or temperature-sensitive goods should confirm that election is in place.
Mysterious disappearance and unexplained inventory shortages without physical evidence of loss or damage generally aren't covered — a claim needs actual evidence of what happened to the cargo.
Theft from an unattended, unsecured vehicle is excluded — keeping the vehicle secured when it's not attended is a real requirement for that coverage to apply, not just a best practice.
Beyond This Coverage
What people in your situation also need.
Auto Loans
A business growing its owned fleet to move more cargo directly, rather than relying entirely on for-hire carriers, is a financing conversation that naturally pairs with the coverage protecting that same freight.
ExploreBusiness Banking
Distributors and manufacturers managing shipping costs and supplier payments alongside cargo coverage benefit from business banking built for that operating rhythm.
ExploreEquipment Financing
Trailers, refrigerated units, and other transport equipment represent real capital investment that can be financed alongside the cargo protection covering what rides inside them.
ExploreRelated Coverage
Coverage people pair with this.
Ocean Marine Cargo
First-party coverage for cargo in transit, on the water or beyond.
Learn morePowersports Liability
Commercial liability for the ATVs, side-by-sides, and dirt bikes your business puts customers on.
Learn moreCommercial Auto Liability
Liability coverage for any business vehicle on the road — delivery vans, service trucks, and sales fleets, not long-haul trucking.
Learn moreReady to talk it through?
Get a quote in minutes, or ask Sgt. Savings a straight question first — no pressure, no runaround.
Insurance products described on this page are marketed by The Veteran Alliance, a licensed insurance producer, and underwritten by one or more separately licensed insurance companies, which may include Corgi Insurance Company and its affiliates. The insurer that actually underwrites your policy, its licensing status in your state, and any state-required notices will be identified in your quote and policy documents. Coverage, limits, eligibility, and pricing are determined by the underwriting insurer, may vary by state, and may change. Nothing on this page is a quote, an offer of insurance, a binder, or a guarantee of coverage — coverage takes effect only when a policy is issued.