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Trucking Insurance in Montana

Montana’s motor-carrier rule requires at least $500,000 liability for nonhazardous freight in most covered vehicles, with a $100,000 state tier for a cargo vehicle rated at 10,000 pounds GVW or less; hazardous freight may require more under federal rules. Montana PSC provides carrier Form E and cargo Form H endorsements, so match the insurance certificate to your carrier class and commodity. 5,2,4

What Is Trucking?

Trucking coverage can address liability, damage to your trucks and cargo losses, but one quote may not include all three. If you haul goods for customers or yourself, compare those protections and check whether the quote needs motor-carrier or other commercial auto coverage. Read the national Trucking guide.

Montana Requirements

RequirementDetails
PSC Class A or D nonhazardous freight$500,000 for vehicles outside the small-vehicle tier 5
Small nonhazardous freight vehicle$100,000 for a vehicle designed for cargo with manufacturer GVW rating of 10,000 lb or less 5

What to Watch for in Montana

  • Check The 10,000-Pound Freight Tier

    Montana’s rule sets $100,000 for a nonhazardous cargo vehicle designed for freight with a manufacturer GVW rating of 10,000 pounds or less, and $500,000 for other nonhazardous freight vehicles in covered Class A or D operations. Use manufacturer ratings and vehicle purpose to classify each truck; federal minimums may require more for interstate or hazardous loads. 5,4

  • Match Insurance To PSC Carrier Authority

    Montana PSC distinguishes intrastate motor-carrier authority classes and publishes separate casualty and cargo insurance endorsements, including Form E and Form H. Confirm which authority class covers your intrastate service and have the insurer submit the correct state endorsement before operations. 2,3

  • Protect Household Goods Separately

    Montana PSC lists its MV-2 cargo endorsement for motor carriers, and that form caps payment at $10,000 per vehicle and per time or place (with a lower cap for a listed passenger-vehicle category). Ask the broker to confirm whether this endorsement applies to your authority and whether the cargo policy protects freight above the filed amount. 1,2

  • Recalculate Limits For Hazardous Freight

    The Montana freight schedule quoted here covers nonhazardous freight; federal Part 387 assigns higher limits to certain hazardous materials. Tell your broker the material class, shipment quantity, and placarding status before binding a hazardous-freight policy. 5,4

Who Regulates Insurance in Montana

Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance

The Commissioner of Securities and Insurance regulates Montana insurers and producers and acts as a consumer advocate. The office accepts written or online complaints about insurers and insurance professionals. 6,7,8

Surplus-lines tax and stamping office

Reported tax rate: 2.75% of total premium (0.75% for legal professional liability) + 2.50% fire tax on applicable fire premium + 0.175% SLIP+ transaction fee on total premium Montana requires an eligible surplus-lines insurer and a statutory placement path when it is the insured’s home state. Before placement, the producing producer must advise you that the insurer is unauthorized in Montana and is not subject to the same supervision as an authorized insurer, and that if the surplus-lines insurer becomes insolvent, Montana’s property-and-casualty guaranty fund will not pay losses under the surplus-lines coverage. Confirm the applicable placement route and tax and fee bases with the producer. 9,10,12,13

  • Montana surplus-lines placement routes: When Montana is home state, §33-2-302 generally calls for an eligible insurer and evidence that the line or full amount is unavailable from authorized insurers (or, at renewal, has not become available). The evidence routes are a diligent search of at least three insurers actually writing that line in Montana (or the smaller actual market), the kind appearing on the current Approved Risk List, or natural-disaster multiperil coverage. The list names kinds and classes; it does not prove that a particular business or BOP qualifies. Section 302 separately waives search requirements for an authorized quote with a premium rate at least 10% above the eligible unauthorized quote, if commissioner-approved disclosure is provided; and for a qualifying exempt commercial purchaser (ECP), after disclosure that coverage may or may not be available from an authorized insurer that may provide greater protection with more regulatory oversight, followed by the purchaser’s later written request. Under §318, an ECP must employ or retain a qualified risk manager as defined in §319, have paid over $100,000 in nationwide commercial P&C premiums in the prior 12 months, and meet one additional §318(1)(c) criterion. Some financial thresholds adjust every five years. 12,13,11,15,18,19
  • Check the fire-tax allocation on a commercial package: Section 33-2-311 generally requires the surplus-lines producer to collect and pay the tax when Montana is home state, subject to §33-2-323. For a single-state risk with Montana as home state, §33-2-323(4) requires submission to the Commissioner, who collects the tax. Ask the producer which filing and payment route applies. CSI’s July 2026 guide lists code 1005, Commercial Package (Property & Casualty), with a 50% presumptively reasonable allocation and a 1.25% effective fire-tax rate. Treat this as an example: verify the code and allocation used for the policy; do not assume every BOP is classified as code 1005. CSI’s current schedule sets annual tax due dates (quarterly tax payments are accepted) and separate quarterly SLIP+ transaction-fee deadlines. 14,17,16,20

Providers With Documented State Licenses

No provider in Spot’s research documents both a state license record and this coverage line. This does not establish that providers are unlicensed. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm availability with a provider when requesting a quote.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Montana

  1. Does the PSC classify our Montana intrastate operation as Class A or D, and which endorsement should our insurer file?
  2. Which units meet Montana’s 10,000-pound small cargo-vehicle tier based on manufacturer GVW rating and intended use?
  3. Does our nonhazardous freight policy meet the $500,000 Montana tier and any higher federal limit?
  4. Do we haul household goods that need separate Form H cargo coverage above the $10,000 filing minimum?

Trucking in Montana: FAQ

What liability limit does Montana require for intrastate freight trucks? 5,4

For PSC Class A or D carriers, the state rule lists $500,000 for most nonhazardous freight vehicles and $100,000 for a cargo vehicle rated at 10,000 pounds GVW or less. Federal limits can be higher for interstate or hazardous-material operations. 5,4

Does Montana require cargo insurance for household-goods carriers? 1,2

Montana PSC publishes a separate MV-2 cargo endorsement for motor carriers. The form caps payment at $10,000 per vehicle and per time or place, so check whether it applies to your authority and whether your policy protects shipment values above that amount. 1,2

Trucking in Other States

Other Coverage in Montana

Sources

  1. Cargo Insurance Endorsement MV-2: Property Being Transported. Montana Public Service Commission; Limits: $10,000 per vehicle and at one time or place; cancellation notice and applicability under Title 69, Chapter 12, MCA. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  2. Motor Carrier Compliance. Montana Public Service Commission; Intrastate motor-carrier operating authorities and listed insurance forms, including Form E and Form H. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  3. Informational Memorandum 2023-01: Interstate Motor Carrier Regulation. Montana Department of Public Service Regulation; Page 2: when Commission-issued intrastate certificates are required under MCA § 69-12-301. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  4. Insurance Filing Requirements. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; Motor Carrier of Property chart: federal liability filing levels by cargo and vehicle class. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  5. Administrative Rule of Montana 38.3.706: Endorsements. Montana Department of Public Service Regulation, reproduced by Legal Information Institute; ARM 38.3.706(2)(a)(v)–(vi), state liability tiers for nonhazardous freight. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  6. Insurance. Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance; Official insurance regulator page; describes CSI as regulator and consumer advocate. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. Producer, Adjuster & Consultant Licensing. Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance; CSI page links to the state’s SBS Licensee Lookup and Company Lookup. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  8. Insurance Complaints & Fraud. Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance; Official page accepts online or written complaints about companies, producers and others; consumer advocate lines 800-332-6148 / 406-444-2040. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  9. Surplus Lines. Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance; CSI page: from 2026, Montana-home-state transactions use SLIP+; 2025 and earlier use the legacy portal. States the 2.75% total-premium tax (0.75% for legal professional liability), 2.50% fire tax on applicable fire premium and 0.175% total-premium SLIP+ fee; links to current Approved Risk List and eligible-surplus-lines-company list. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  10. MCA §33-2-303: Filing and endorsement of contract -- submission form. Montana Legislature / Montana Code Annotated; MCA 2025, §33-2-303(2)(b)(i)-(ii): before placement the producer affirms notice that the insurer is unauthorized and not under the same supervision, and that Montana’s P&C guaranty fund will not pay surplus-lines losses. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  11. MCA §33-2-301: Short title -- purpose -- definitions. Montana Legislature / Montana Code Annotated 2025; §33-2-301(3)(c), (h), (n): defines Approved Risk List, eligible surplus-lines insurer and natural-disaster multiperil insurance; definition only, not operative placement test or list contents. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  12. MCA §33-2-302: Home state exclusive authority -- conditions precedent to sale of surplus lines insurance. Montana Legislature / Montana Code Annotated 2025; §33-2-302(1)-(2)(a)-(c): Montana home-state scope; eligible-insurer and unavailability conditions; diligent search (three actual Montana writers or smaller market), current list, natural-disaster multiperil; 10% price and ECP no-search routes with required disclosure and written request. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  13. MCA §33-2-307: Requirements for eligible surplus lines insurers -- list of eligible surplus lines insurers. Montana Legislature / Montana Code Annotated 2025; §33-2-307(1)-(4): eligibility conditions for US-domiciled and alien unauthorized insurers; commissioner publishes an eligible-insurer list at least semiannually. No carrier-specific conclusion drawn. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  14. MCA §33-2-311: Tax on surplus lines insurance. Montana Legislature / Montana Code Annotated 2025; §33-2-311(1)-(2): when Montana is the insured’s home state, surplus-lines producer collects tax from insured and pays Commissioner; when Montana is not home state, Commissioner generally may not collect Montana tax/stamping fee, subject to cited statutory arrangement. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  15. Approved Risk List. Montana Surplus Lines Agents’ Association (current list linked from CSI Surplus Lines page); PDF header p.1: updated 2024-01-16, reviewed 2026-06-18. p.1 GL includes Contractors; pp.1-2 include Property and Builders Risk in Protection Class 9 & 10. The list names kinds/classes, not a blanket BOP or carrier guarantee. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  16. Montana Surplus Lines Premium and Fire Tax Payment and Transaction Fee Schedule. Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance; February 2026 schedule p.1, lines 1-6: tax and fee rates/bases; lines 7-73: invoice and due-date schedule; lines 74-76: tax year 2025 and earlier legacy portal/OPTins. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  17. How Fire Tax is Calculated in Montana. Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance; July 2026 guide p.1, lines 1-4 and 10-15: 2.50% fire tax is allocated by coverage; code 1005 Commercial Package (Property & Casualty) has a 50% presumptively reasonable allocation and 1.25% effective rate. Example only; does not establish BOP classification. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  18. MCA §33-2-318: Exempt commercial purchaser defined. Montana Legislature / Montana Code Annotated 2025; §33-2-318(1)(a)-(c), (2): qualified risk manager, >$100,000 prior-12-month aggregate nationwide commercial P&C premium, and at least one criterion; financial thresholds in (c)(i),(ii),(iv) adjust every five years. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  19. MCA §33-2-319: Qualified risk manager defined. Montana Legislature / Montana Code Annotated 2025; §33-2-319(1)-(2): QRM role and alternative education, experience, designation or graduate-degree qualifications; ECP note cites the defined term without summarizing those alternatives. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  20. MCA 33-2-323: Authorization for agreements regarding multistate risks. Montana Legislature; 2025 MCA, subsections (1)–(5); subsection (4) single-state transaction submission and Commissioner tax collection; no assertion that a multistate agreement is in effect. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  21. Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
  22. Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
  23. Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  24. About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  25. Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  26. Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  27. Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

Updated .

This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with a supporting source.

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