Does commercial auto cover cargo I am hauling for a client?

No, a standard commercial auto policy does not cover the cargo you are hauling for a client. Commercial auto mainly covers your liability for injuries and property damage you cause to others, plus physical damage to your own vehicle if you carry that. The freight sitting in the truck is treated as separate property and needs its own protection, usually called motor truck cargo coverage.

Motor truck cargo insurance pays when goods you are transporting are lost, stolen, or damaged in a covered event, such as a wreck, fire, or theft. Limits are set based on the value of what you typically haul, and the policy lists exclusions, meaning situations it will not pay for, like certain unsecured loads or specific high-value items.

This gap surprises many Georgia owner-operators. The client often requires proof of cargo coverage before you can pick up a load, and your contract may make you responsible for the full value of the goods.

For example, an Atlanta courier hauling $25,000 of electronics is rear-ended on I-285 and the product is destroyed. The commercial auto policy pays for the truck repairs and the injuries, but it pays nothing for the ruined electronics. A motor truck cargo policy with a $50,000 limit would have covered that loss.

If you move goods for others, you likely need both pieces in place. We can review your trucking coverage and quote the cargo limit you need with a free coverage review at our coverage review page.