Best State to Start New Trucking Insurance
New truckers often ask us–What’s the best state for commercial truck insurance?
Well, the truth is—it changes! Insurance companies are always competing for your business, so the best state can vary from year to year.
For a long time, Progressive Trucking dominated the market for new Owner Operators and small Motor Carriers in almost every state.
But now that GEICO has entered the truck insurance arena, all bets are off!
What Are the Top 5 Battleground States for Trucking Insurance Today?
A year ago, when this blog was first written, the top 5 battleground states between GEICO and Progressive were:
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Florida
- Ohio
- Texas
Fast forward to today, and those states are still the hot spots for competition. But now, we’re also seeing a big focus on:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Iowa
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
The race for dominance between GEICO and Progressive in these states is heating up!
How to Start Trucking Insurance in an Affordable State?
It might seem like a no-brainer to just pick a cheaper state for your trucking insurance, but there’s a bit more to it than that.
Insurance companies are quite saavy when it comes to customers state shopping for lower premiums.
They set their rates for each state for a reason, and at the end of the day these companies are in it to make a profit.
If a state has a lot of accidents, litigation costs, or higher PIP requirements, the premiums are going to reflect that.
They’ve also got to follow the state’s specific rules, underwrite accurately, and stay profitable—not just to keep shareholders happy but also to stay financially stable and remain an approved admitted insurance provider in that state.
Ever wonder how the insurance company knows you’re actually in the state you say you’re in for your policy?
Here’s the Three things you need to get Truck Insurance in a Cheaper State
- You’ll need a physical address where you actually live in that state, along with proof.
- Your vehicle(s) also need to be registered and garaged in that state, along with proof.
- Your driver’s license needs to be in that state, and in most cases all other drivers as well.
Proof of residency is the main thing that determines where you can get any type of insurance, whether it’s for commercial trucking or your personal car.
But that’s not all.
How does your insurance company know that you’re State Shopping?
If you’re trying out quote after quote with different addresses or locations, you’re basically setting off red flags in the underwriting system. Using your mom’s address in Columbus or your sister’s in Huntsville? That’s not a trick that’ll work for long.
Why’s it a bad move? Because it makes you look unstable.
Here’s the deal: insurance companies like stable customers with solid track records—it helps them predict future risk. When they see multiple quote requests from the same person or vin number with different locations, their “something’s fishy” radar kicks in.
What Else Can Impact Your Trucking Quote vs. Your Policy?
So what happens if you start a new trucking insurance policy with, let’s say, not-so-accurate information?
Your insurance policy contract includes a clause giving the company the right to audit and adjust your premium if they find different underwriting details after the policy starts.
That’s why it’s so important to give your agent accurate info during the quoting process. If there are any discrepancies between what you said and what’s actually true or found later with other cross checks– it usually leads to an audit later.
Sure, you might snag a lower premium upfront, but it won’t last—and now you’ve got that flagged on your record.
For example, if it’s about residency, now you’ll need TWO forms of proof, like utility bills, bank statements, tax forms, or a lease/mortgage agreement to prove you’re where you say you are.
Other details, like your proof of prior insurance auto liability limits, the radius you travel, or the commodities you haul, also need to line up during the quoting phase.
If things change over time, that’s totally fine—just make sure you’re ready with the right paperwork when the carrier comes knocking for an audit.
Do yourself a favor—give us a call and get some free advice from the truck insurance pros at CIS.
We get the best quotes–and policies for our guys every day.
We’ll make sure it all works out in your favor, guaranteed.
Is There a List of Average Truck Insurance Premiums by State?
There used to be! A few years ago, Progressive shared this state-by-state breakdown of trucking insurance premiums, but it hasn’t been updated in a while. It’s helpful to see how much rates can vary between states, but unfortunately, nothing new has come out since then.
None of the other big insurance companies have shared anything either.
The truth is, trucking insurance premiums depend on so many factors beyond just your state. So, instead of state-hopping or chasing charts, it’s better to focus on practical ways to lower your trucking insurance premiums.
Your best bet? Skip the state shopping and chat with a transportation insurance specialist.
She’ll give you real-time, insider tips straight from years of agency experience—totally free.
| State | With DOT | Without DOT |
| Alabama | $14,216 | $10,284 |
| Alaska | $9,326 | $6,915 |
| Arizona | $11,797 | $6,102 |
| Arkansas | $14,922 | $10,973 |
| California | $14,041 | $11,834 |
| Colorado | $12,110 | $7,294 |
| Connecticut | $17,004 | $16,946 |
| Delaware | $19,670 | $17,351 |
| Florida | $19,480 | $12,872 |
| Georgia | $20,641 | $15,200 |
| Idaho | $9,008 | $6,887 |
| Illinois | $13,781 | $7,704 |
| Indiana | $11,141 | $8,430 |
| Iowa | $8,866 | $5,615 |
| Kansas | $10,160 | $6,645 |
| Kentucky | $15,500 | $11,555 |
| Louisiana | $23,453 | $19,736 |
| Maine | $13,763 | $9,535 |
| Maryland | $16,056 | $11,112 |
| Massachusetts | $17,017 | $5,447 |
| Michigan | $13,793 | $8,910 |
| Minnesota | $12,820 | $9,669 |
| Mississippi | $4,664 | $3,552 |
| Missouri | $11,757 | $7,646 |
| Montana | $9,492 | $6,501 |
| Nebraska | $8,664 | $6,259 |
| Nevada | $16,912 | $10,681 |
| New Hamp | $11,390 | $6,817 |
| New Jersey | $20,255 | $20,763 |
| New Mexico | $9,738 | $7,298 |
| New York | $16,949 | $17,585 |
| North Carolina | $10,630 | $7,450 |
| North Dakota | $9,206 | $6,456 |
| Ohio | $9,933 | $7,094 |
| Oklahoma | $13,383 | $9,376 |
| Oregon | $11,272 | $8,484 |
| Pennsylvania | $12,470 | $7,536 |
| Rhode Island | $17,220 | $14,046 |
| South Carolina | $13,376 | $9,390 |
| South Dakota | $9,013 | $6,689 |
| Tennessee | $13,773 | $9,592 |
| Texas | $14,497 | $10,533 |
| Utah | $11,110 | $9,121 |
| Vermont | $9,643 | $6,937 |
| Virginia | $13,119 | $9,957 |
| Washington | $12,706 | $8,484 |
| West Virgina | $14,638 | $11,687 |
| Wisconsin | $9,231 | $6,714 |
| Wyoming | $7,149 | $4,927 |
These rates were based on a 40 year old driver with a clean MVR and median insurance credit score, an 8 year old $40K tractor and $22K trailer with $1 Million Primary Liability and $1,000 Deductibles for Comp & Collision.
How do you Start your Own DOT Motor Carrier Authority?
Why is the FMCSA website so hard to figure out? We think it doesn’t have to be so complicated.
To make things easier (and to give our new U.S. Transportation Director Sean Duffy a little break—he’s got plenty on his plate), CIS has put together a quick cheat sheet:
Easy Steps to Get a Motor Carrier Authority.
Guys, with just a little homework you can do this yourselves!
You’ll want to know Your State’s Trucking Insurance Requirements
Arizona Commercial Trucking Insurance Requirements
Arkansas Commercial Trucking Insurance Requirements
Colorado Commercial Trucking Insurance Requirements
Florida Commercial Truck Insurance Requirements
Illinois Commercial Truck Insurance Requirements
Indiana Commercial Truck Insurance Requirements
Ohio Commercial Truck Insurance Requirements
Oregon Commercial Truck Insurance Requirements
Pennsylvania Commercial Truck Insurance Requirements
Texas Commercial Truck Insurance Requirements
South Carolina Commercial Trucking Insurance Requirements
Virginia Commercial Trucking Insurance Requirements
Wisconsin Commercial Trucking Insurance Requirements
Here’s more Proven Tips to Save Money on Your New Motor Carrier Insurance
Which Insurance Companies Cover New Motor Carriers?
For years, Progressive Commercial Truck Insurance has been the go-to for pretty much all Motor Carriers just getting started with a new DOT authority.
While a few insurance smaller companies have tried to break into the market, most haven’t stuck around after taking on too many losses.
But now, there’s a new BIG player shaking things up.
GEICO Trucking Insurance has entered the game with a nationwide program specifically for Motor Carriers with 1-9 units.
Their rates are super competitive, whether you’re just starting out or already established, and they’re giving Progressive some serious competition.
The race to find you the best rates is heating up—and it’s very exciting!
At CIS, we’re independent agents, which means we work for you—not the insurance companies.
We represent both Progressive and GEICO, so our job is to find you the best coverage at the lowest price possible.
Check out our 5-Star reviews to see why so many new Owner Operators and Motor Carriers choose–and stick with CIS.
Ready to get started with a CIS Commercial Truck Insurance Online Quote?
It’s quick and easy—just share some basic info and we’ll take it from there.
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Give us a call anytime you’d prefer to just talk…we’d love to hear from you.