Northland trucking insurance

Buying Northland coverage through a general agent

Northland doesn't sell policies directly. To get a quote, you'll talk with one of its general agents.

Before you ask, it's smart to note your truck's weight rating and the type of freight you intend to haul. Those two details set the amount of liability coverage you'll want in place.

Northland coverage for independent drivers and smaller operations

Northland has insured owner-operators, meaning drivers who own their truck and run their own trucking business, along with fleets since 1948.

Northland also has Trucker Path technology built for small fleets and owner-operators.

Safety tools and driving data

Northland lists a few types of support for the businesses on its books:

• Trucking risk control tools and resources, plus dedicated risk management specialists
• A library of guidebooks, reports, checklists and training materials
• A telematics program

Telematics refers to equipment in the truck that tracks driving behavior and passes that data along. Northland's telematics program provides real-time driving performance data, with the goal of boosting safety and cutting costs.

Theft investigations and legal support

The Special Investigations Group at Northland handles theft prevention and mitigation planning, plus recovery investigations. That means help planning ahead and help recovering stolen property.

Northland also says its legal team is one of the largest in the U.S. devoted to supporting its insured businesses.

Is Travelers trucking insurance really Northland?

On the Travelers transportation insurance page, Northland is the choice shown for owner-operators and fleets.

The Travelers Special Investigations Group looks into cargo theft. Since 2009, it has recovered over $37 million in stolen goods.

Federal liability minimums based on weight and cargo

These minimums apply to for-hire carriers who haul across state lines. Operating authority, also called an MC number, is federal approval to move freight for pay under your own name.

Your insurer files proof of coverage with FMCSA using Form BMC-91 or BMC-91X. Once your authority application is published, the insurer must file within 20 days, or the application is dismissed.

Plenty of brokers set requirements above the federal floor. Amazon Relay, C.H. Robinson, TQL, and Uber Freight all call for $1,000,000 in auto liability plus $100,000 in cargo coverage (C.H. Robinson, TQL). No federal rule requires cargo insurance for freight carriers, so the $100,000 figure comes from brokers, not the law.

If you're leased on to a carrier, the lease puts your equipment under that carrier's exclusive possession, control, and use. While you're under dispatch, the carrier's filing covers you. You still need non-trucking liability or bobtail coverage, along with physical damage on the truck itself.

Common questions