Trucking insurance in Kansas

Kansas intrastate trucking insurance requirements

Within the state, commercial trucking is regulated by the Kansas Corporation Commission, which adopts safety regulations and administers economic rules. Since July 26, 2019, Kansas Administrative Regulations 82-4-1 et seq. have placed every commercial motor vehicle, and its driver, in Kansas under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, along with federal liability insurance limits.

Hauling loads from pickup to delivery without ever crossing the Kansas state line is what intrastate trucking means. For-hire carriers haul someone else's freight for pay, and private carriers move nothing but their own company's freight. The manufacturer sets a maximum loaded weight that your truck or combination can safely weigh; that figure is your gross vehicle weight rating.

Under Kansas safety rules, a commercial motor vehicle starts at a gross weight rating of 10,001 pounds. A private carrier in intrastate commerce qualifies at 26,001 pounds or above. Talking with an insurance agent who writes trucks daily makes it easier to match the exact coverage Kansas requires to your weight rating.

Minimum limits for Kansas commercial truck insurance

The legal minimum you must carry depends on your vehicle's weight rating and the type of freight you carry. Lighter work vehicles that fall outside commercial safety rules still need auto liability at the Kansas minimum of 25/50/25. They also need Personal Injury Protection of at least $4,500 per person for medical expenses, plus $25,000 per person in bodily injury coverage for uninsured or underinsured motorists.

Freight brokers such as C.H. Robinson want carriers to carry $1,000,000 of auto liability and $100,000 of cargo liability, even though federal rules set $750,000 as the legal minimum for most general freight trucks. A trucking insurance agent is able to compare both limits for you, so you don't buy a policy brokers turn down.

How do you file Kansas trucking insurance for state authority?

Operating authority means the government has given you permission to haul freight for pay. The Kansas Corporation Commission handles state filings through K-TRAN, its online portal. You handle renewals, authorities, waivers, and Unified Carrier Registration fees in K-TRAN, and an experienced truck insurance agent makes sure the insurer files proof of coverage so nothing stalls your application.

• If you run an intrastate for-hire operation at 10,001 pounds or more, you need a USDOT number plus Kansas Corporation Commission for-hire authority. The cost is a $250 application fee and $10 per vehicle per year (unless your fees go through Unified Carrier Registration).
• Private carriers running intrastate need a USDOT number from 26,000 pounds up, and a Kansas Intrastate Private Carrier Permit from 26,001 pounds up. The permit costs a $100 application fee plus a yearly per-vehicle fee (except when you pay through Unified Carrier Registration).
• Commercial driver's licenses and commercial vehicle registration are handled by the Kansas Department of Revenue. The Kansas Department of Transportation takes care of oversize or overweight permitting, escort vehicle registration, and routing.

Federal insurance filings when you cross state lines

If you carry property across state lines for pay, your insurer must file Form BMC-91, Form BMC-91X, or a BMC-82 bond with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration before your interstate authority takes effect. Uploading a policy declaration page yourself is not allowed.

Hauling non-hazardous property interstate as a for-hire carrier means at least $750,000 in liability once you reach 10,001 pounds. Fleets with nothing but vehicles under 10,001 pounds must carry at least $300,000. Your federal BMC-91X and state paperwork stay lined up from the start when you work with an agent who knows trucking.

Questions people ask