Trucking insurance in Arkansas
$750,000 Federal liability minimum for interstate trucks 10,001 lbs or more
Federal form insurers file to prove liability coverage.
FMCSAFee for an Arkansas 72-hour trip permit.
ardot.govArkansas state minimum auto liability limits.
dfa.arkansas.govMonthly cost, national figures
$665 to $1,165 a month for an established hotshot with a clean record (Trucking Insurance Services)
$1,000 to $1,800 in the first two years of a new MC number (Trucker Path Insurance)
What moves the priceOwn MC number
$300 for the OP-1 application; you name a BOC-3 process agent, UCR is $55 a year for 0 to 2 trucks, more for bigger fleets (UCR Plan), and your insurer files the BMC-91X within 20 days of FMCSA Register publication.
New authority checklistState minimums in Arkansas run $25,000/$50,000/$75,000 for auto liability when you buy trucking insurance; crossing state lines brings federal requirements of $300,000 up to $5,000,000. For paid intrastate hauling, you must also seek intrastate operating authority. Submit your application at the motor carrier office in Little Rock. An insurance agent who handles commercial trucks helps you arrange the filings and exact limits that your routes call for.
Arkansas intrastate trucking insurance requirements
When you are paid to transport property or passengers entirely inside the state, you qualify as a for-hire motor carrier and need to file for Arkansas intrastate operating authority. When the state officially says your company can carry freight for a fee, that permission is called operating authority. This authority is administered by the Arkansas Department of Transportation through its Legal Division's Little Rock motor carrier office.
Proof of liability coverage at $25,000, $50,000, and $75,000 limits is required by the Department of Finance and Administration for baseline state auto insurance. If your truck injures someone or damages their property in a crash, liability insurance pays for it. Commercial trucks bring much heavier risk than personal cars, so an insurance agent who handles motor carriers helps you line up state paperwork and coverage right the first time.
Federal filings and Arkansas commercial truck insurance
Hauling property past a state line means federal liability rules now govern you, depending on your truck weight rating and what you haul. For-hire carriers moving non-hazardous property in vehicles rated 10,001 lbs or heavier need at least $750,000 of liability. Fleets where every vehicle is under 10,001 lbs need at least $300,000 of liability.
A policy purchase is just half the work (until the federal government gets proof from your insurer, your authority stays inactive). The insurer you use must send one of these to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: Form BMC-91, BMC-91X, or a BMC-82 bond. We recommend that new owners pick an insurance agent who handles truck authority filings weekly, because that keeps your BMC-91X submission from delaying your activation.
| Carrier operation or cargo type | Minimum liability limit |
|---|---|
| Arkansas state minimum auto liability | $25,000, $50,000, and $75,000 |
| Interstate for-hire fleet whose vehicles are all under 10,001 lbs | $300,000 |
| Interstate for-hire non-hazardous property, 10,001 lbs or more | $750,000 |
| Interstate for-hire carriage of certain hazardous materials, such as oil, placarded loads, and hazardous waste | $1,000,000 |
| For-hire and private carriers hauling explosives, radioactive materials, poison gas, or bulk hazardous substances | $5,000,000 |
Do freight brokers ask for more than minimum Arkansas trucking insurance?
State or federal minimums make your truck legal for the highway. Freight brokers, though, write their own contract terms before offering you a load (and they review your insurance certificate before sending you out). C.H. Robinson, for instance, wants carriers to hold $1,000,000 of auto liability along with $100,000 of cargo liability.
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.
Many brokered loads are out of reach if you carry only $750,000 in liability. Before you commit to a policy, an agent focused on commercial trucks can show how the cost of the legal minimum compares to a $1,000,000 policy that also includes $100,000 in cargo coverage.
Buying an Arkansas 72-hour trip permit
Vehicles from out of state that qualify for apportioned registration but aren't registered in Arkansas have to buy a 72-hour trip permit ($33.00). A plate program called apportioned registration divides your registration fees among the states where you drive. Working with a truck insurance agent who knows the business ensures your insurance proof and cab card agree before you reach a weigh station.
- Movement covered: The $33.00 permit gives you 72 hours to move through Arkansas, and it applies to both interstate and intrastate travel.
- Coming into the state: You can buy it at the first Arkansas port of entry.
- Locations in the state: Permits are also available at 134 state revenue offices, plus the weigh stations run by the Arkansas Highway Police.
Questions people ask
When must I submit an Arkansas SR-1 accident report?
Any crash with an injury or death, or with more than $1,000 in property damage to any 1 person, means the Arkansas SR-1 must be filed within 30 days. With the SR-1 form, the Department of Finance and Administration confirms you had valid liability coverage when the accident happened.
On an Arkansas CDL, what is restriction K?
If your Arkansas CDL carries restriction K, that's an Intrastate Only restriction limiting you to commercial vehicles within Arkansas. Choosing NA or EA for your medical self-certification leads the state to assign restriction K.
Do loads of sand, gravel, and rock need covering in Arkansas?
Arkansas Code 27-35-110 requires covering any load of sand, gravel, or rock, unless the load keeps 6 inches of freeboard around its perimeter. The term freeboard describes the open vertical space from the load's top edge up to the bed's top rim, and Arkansas Highway Police enforce it so loose rock stays off the highway.
Sources
- Financial responsibility, minimum levels (49 CFR 387.9)
- Insurance filing requirements (FMCSA)
- Arkansas Highway Police FAQs (ardot.gov)
- Arkansas safety responsibility rules (dfa.arkansas.gov)
- Arkansas intrastate authority (ardot.gov)
- Security for the protection of the public: Minimum limits (49 CFR 387.303)
- Carrier Resources: FAQs (C.H. Robinson)
- Arkansas commercial plate restrictions (dfa.arkansas.gov)
Related
Insuring a truck in Arkansas
A trucking agent who places policies in Arkansas can quote it by phone, or you can send your details.
A quote costs nothing, and you do not have to buy.
