Hunter NelsonOwner of Nelson Insurance Agency

Bobtail Insurance: Why Truckers Need It & How to Save Thousands!

5 Dec 2025 · 1 min

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Hunter Nelson explains bobtail insurance (also called non-trucking liability) for truck drivers and motor carriers: it applies when a trucker is not on a bill of lading (e.g., after delivering a load, driving to gas/home). Non-trucking liability is substantially cheaper (quoted roughly $500–$900) than standard auto liability for truck operations (quoted roughly $5,000–$15,000). Motor carriers must require owner-operators to carry this coverage because the carrier can be held liable if the owner-operator lacks non-trucking liability and an accident occurs while the vehicle displays the carrier's name.

Questions this video answers

When the driver is not on the bill of lading (e.g., after delivery, driving to gas or home).

Approximately $500 to $900.

Approximately $5,000 to $15,000.

Chapters

But why do they need bobtail insurance or non trucking liability? Non trucking liability is going to come into play when they're not on the bill of waiting. That's why it's called bobtail insurance. It comes into play when the load's done. They're running the gas station, they're running home, they're doing whatever. And that non trucking liability is going to be way way cheaper than the auto liability. You're going to be anywhere from 500 to $900 and versus the auto liabilities can be anywhere from 5 grand to 15 grand. So that's why you need these two coverages here and why do you care about this? As a motor carrier you need to have this coverage because it's your guys name on the side of the truck. If they get into an accident and the owner wrapper does not have non trucking liability they're going to go to the next person in line which is going to be the motor carrier. So you have to have to have to enforce that. These owner rappers have this insurance right?