Canal Insurance trucking coverage
The call goes to an independent agency, not to Canal Insurance.
- Express fleet range: 1 to 10 power units
- Top Express auto liability limit: $1,000,000
- AM Best financial strength rating: A- (Excellent)
- How to buy: through one of Canal's general agents
Fleet size covered by the Canal Express program.
canalinsurance.comMaximum auto liability limit on Canal Express.
canalinsurance.comAM Best financial strength rating in the Excellent category.
ratings.ambest.comPartner general agents that quote and bind coverage.
canalinsurance.comHotshot and truck coverage cost per month
| A month | Applies to | Source |
|---|---|---|
| $665 to $1,165 | An established hotshot business with a clean driving record | Trucking Insurance Services |
| $1,000 to $1,800 | A hotshot in the first two years with your own new MC number | Trucker Path Insurance |
An agent prices your own truck, record and routes; Canal Insurance quotes can land above or below these ranges.
Canal Insurance offers commercial truck insurance under 2 main programs. Canal Express covers fleets of 1 to 10 power units, while Canal Fleet serves fleets of 11 or more. A power unit means a truck that hauls a load rather than a trailer. Buying coverage from the company itself is not an option, since quotes and policies come through a limited group of general agents.
Canal trucking insurance options by fleet size
The main dividing line between Canal's trucking programs is the number of power units in your fleet. Certain programs also carry rules about drivers or the freight you carry.
| Program | Fleet size | Main conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Canal Express | Fleets of 1–10 power units | Auto liability limits reach $1,000,000. Deductibles for combined physical damage and cargo can go as high as $5,000. |
| Canal Fleet | 11 power units or more | Designed for larger fleets |
| DRIVEN | 30 units at most | Pay-as-you-roll. Each driver must hold a Class A CDL and have 2 or more years of over-the-road experience. |
| Miles per Canal | Not specified | Designed for dry van, reefer, and flatbed operations |
Coverage types in a truck policy
LiabilityPays for injuries and damage your truck causes to other people. The federal minimum is $300,000 to $5,000,000.
Motor truck cargoPays for the load you haul if it is damaged or stolen. Most brokers ask for $100,000.
Physical damageRepairs or replaces your own truck and trailer after a crash, fire or theft.
Non-trucking liabilityCovers a driver working for a trucking company who uses the truck between loads, off the job.
BobtailCovers a truck you drive for a trucking company when it has no trailer, such as a pickup heading home after dropping a load.
Trailer interchangePays for damage to a trailer you pull for someone else under a written trailer-sharing agreement.
Canal commercial truck insurance limits and filing requirements
With the Express program, auto liability reaches $1,000,000. When a for-hire carrier hauls non-hazardous freight across state lines using a truck with a rated weight of 10,001 lbs or higher, the federal minimum is $750,000.
Canal says it can process MCF and MCS-90 filings the same day. Federal regulators require the MCS-90 endorsement on your liability policy. It confirms that your public liability coverage satisfies the law.
On Express, you can select a combined physical damage and cargo deductible as high as $5,000. That deductible is the part of a covered claim you pay before insurance covers the remaining amount.
Does Canal offer hotshot insurance?
Hotshot trucks are not named on any of Canal's program pages. A small hotshot business with 1 to 10 power units fits inside the Canal Express fleet range. The general agent decides whether Express will take on a specific truck.
How much federal liability coverage you must carry depends on your truck's rated weight.
| General freight hauled across state lines by your fleet | Required federal liability minimum |
|---|---|
| Vehicles under 10,001 lbs only | $300,000 |
| Trucks rated 10,001 lbs or above | $750,000 |
As a benchmark, hotshot truckers spend an average of $896 a month for commercial auto insurance, which works out to $10,757 a year. Your quote will depend on your truck, driving record, and routes.
Canal Insurance Company and its financial strength rating
AM Best assigns Canal Insurance Company an A- (Excellent) financial strength rating. It underwrites specialty commercial motor carrier coverage under its holding company, Canal Financial Group Inc., which was formed in July 2024. Along with issuing liability, cargo, and physical damage policies, the company runs a 24/7 claims hotline at 888-247-4424 where a live representative answers every call. According to AM Best, the Canal Group holds licenses in 48 states plus the District of Columbia.
Canal works through a network of general agents. These are wholesale insurance firms that partner with retail agents, and they do not sell policies directly to truckers. On its Find an Agent page, Canal says it partners with 28 specialists nationwide.
Program availability differs by location. One of Canal's general agents, Amwins, shows Canal Express as available nationwide, with these exceptions: California, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, and West Virginia.
How do I contact Canal Insurance?
There is no number to call for a quote, because Canal does not handle purchases by phone. New business begins with an agent who represents one of Canal's general agents.
Canal does operate a 24/7 claims hotline that a live representative answers. Canal posts that number on its page for claims help.
Insurers that write small trucks and hotshots
One independent agent can quote several of these for the same truck. Logos belong to their owners; none of these companies runs this site.
Frequently asked questions
Is Canal a strong insurance company?
The A- rating was affirmed by AM Best, and the outlook stayed stable as of October 7, 2026. A stable outlook tells you AM Best does not expect a rating change in the near term.
What does Canal Insurance do?
The company covers trucking operations of every size, from a single truck to large fleets. Usage-based choices such as DRIVEN and Miles per Canal are part of its program lineup too.
Which insurance is best for a trucking company?
No one insurer fits every operation. Each broker sets its own requirements, and C.H. Robinson, TQL, and Amazon Relay all ask carriers for $1,000,000 of auto liability coverage plus $100,000 for cargo. Freight carriers face no federal cargo insurance requirement. Even so, plenty of brokers will not hand you loads unless you carry cargo coverage.
Sources
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