Insurance for Amazon Relay
Owner Operators, here’s some exciting news! Amazon is making a massive $4 billion investment to grow its delivery network.
While most of this investment is targeted to their DSP program and Amazon Flex, this expansion means more opportunities for warehouse-to-warehouse shipments and more loads for you!
GEICO’s lower insurance premiums mean you can keep your overhead down and get off to a great start.
Read on for quick tips to start hauling for Amazon Relay.
How does Amazon Relay Work?
Amazon Relay is a free load board designed for pre-approved Owner Operators or Motor Carriers to haul from facility to facility.
Once approved, you can easily book spot loads or use their Post a Truck feature to find loads that match your needs.
The best part? You’re not locked into hauling exclusively for Amazon Relay, so you can still use other load boards.
Plus, their Bid on Lanes auction is a great way to secure backhauls when you need them!
What Kind of Truck do you Need?
Amazon Relay is on the lookout for Owner Operators with semis or box trucks.
For semis, they’re looking for day cabs or sleeper cabs with trailer types from 48′ to 53′ or high cube containers.
If you’ve got a 26′ or 16′ box truck with a working tuck-under lift gate, you’re exactly who they want right now.
What about Commercial Vans?
Nope, right now the Amazon Relay division is looking for semis and box or straight trucks.
Semis tend to run more long haul and box trucks tend to stick closer to home.
If you’re an Expediter or Courier with your own DOT for 6 months, you can always test the waters by renting an under 26,000 GVW truck.
Like cargo vans and sprinters, under 26K GVW trucks don’t require a CDL.
If you like hauling for Amazon Relay, you could sell your cargo van and upgrade to a box truck.
If that’s not an option, you can check out Amazon Flex to haul with an under 10,001 GVW vehicle.
Amazon Relay Box Truck Insurance Requirements
Owner Operators need both Commercial Auto Liability and General Liability for their Box Truck Insurance:
- Commercial Auto Liability: Minimum of $1,000,000 CSL per occurrence
- Commercial General Liability: Minimum $1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate
Here’s a quick cheat sheet on the difference between Commercial Auto Liability and General Liability Insurance.
(Tractors are required to carry trailer replacement coverage of $50,000.)
All companies with W-2 employees must also carry Workers Comp and $100,000 Employers Liability.
Amazon Relay Cargo Insurance
Owner Operators of both tractors and box trucks need to provide proof of their own Motor Truck Cargo Insurance.
The general freight minimum requirement is $100,000 w/ $1,000 deductible.
Motor Carriers hauling temperature controlled freight will need to provide proof of Reefer coverage with a $2,500 deductible.
If you want a quick reference for cargo coverage and exclusions go to What does motor truck cargo cover.
How Does Amazon Relay Insurance Verification Work?
Amazon Relay uses RMIS to verify insurance.
RMIS is a registry monitoring system that allows Amazon and other brokers to verify your insurance.
Once your insurance is purchased, CIS immediately sends your proof of insurance to RMIS for you.
CIS has you covered with the insurance you need with new GEICO prices that won’t break the bank!
What are Amazon Relay’s other Requirements?
- An active DOT number and MC number with interstate authority for a minimum of 180 days.
- You must be a “Carrier” entity type that is Authorized for Property and For Hire.
- Your FMCSA Safety Rating should be “Satisfactory,” “None,” or “Not Rated”
- Acceptable Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASIC) scores:
Unsafe Driving: Below 60%
HOS Compliance: Below 60%
Vehicle Maintenance: Below 75%
Controlled Substances: Below 75%
Driver Fitness: Below 75%
You can learn more about SMS Safety Scores and the BASICS at Commercial Truck Insurance Requirement MCS-150.
How Much is Insurance for Amazon Relay?
Insurance to haul for Amazon Relay isn’t any pricier than hauling for other brokers with similar requirements.
Most general freight insurance starts with the standard $1 million in liability and $100,000 in cargo coverage.
Amazon Relay also requires $1,000,000/$2,000,000 General Liability insurance, but a GL policy is usually well under $1,000 per year.
The cost of your overall insurance depends on things like your credit, driving history, and where you’re located.
Wondering which state is best for trucking insurance?
Honestly, that’s always up for debate, but here’s the truth: you won’t know your premium until you get an actual quote.
There’s no such thing as ballpark figures anymore—believe us, we wish there were!
That’s why we always suggest letting us crunch the numbers for you.
Rates and underwriting is always changing, and it only takes a few minutes to get an accurate number.
Way better than guessing, right?
Amazon Relay Trucking Insurance Cost
So, you’re probably wondering: Who has the cheapest truck insurance right now?
Well, GEICO has been shaking things up since they launched their commercial truck insurance over a year ago, giving Progressive some real competition across all kinds of trucking.
That said, Progressive Truck Quotes have fired back with some lower premiums, so now’s the perfect time to compare and see where you can save the most.
As your Owner Operator Insurance Pros, and we compare GEICO and Progressive for you at both new business and before your renewal.
Both are solid choices for your Amazon Relay insurance, and we’ve got more options to explore too.
Let us work as your advocate to find the best deal for you, at no charge.
Check out our 5-Star reviews and see why so many Owner Operators choose and STAY with CIS!
Get an Amazon Relay Owner Operator Insurance Quote Online or just give us a call CIS (330) 864-1511.
We’d love to help you get started with Amazon Relay and beyond!
We are CIS, and We Make Your Truck Insurance Easy!