Get a quoteGet a quoteCasey places commercial insurance for long-haul dry van operations — over-the-road 53′ fleets, owner-operators leased to motor carriers, and mid-size fleets running national lanes. We work with the carriers that actually want OTR dry van and know which markets price it correctly versus the ones that surcharge every long-haul submission by default.
Send your DOT and a few details. A broker will reach out within 1 business hour.
Casey places commercial insurance for long-haul dry van operations — over-the-road 53′ fleets, owner-operators leased to motor carriers, and mid-size fleets running national lanes. We work with the carriers that actually want OTR dry van and know which markets price it correctly versus the ones that surcharge every long-haul submission by default.
Overview
Long-haul dry van is the bread-and-butter of for-hire trucking — 53′ trailers, cross-country lanes, brokered freight, and shipper-direct contracts. The exposures are well-understood: highway driving, fatigue and HOS, cargo theft on high-value loads, and the elevated severity of long-haul incidents at highway speed.
The trap on long-haul dry van isn’t exotic coverage — it’s carrier selection. Standard markets either understand OTR pricing or they don’t. Submissions to the wrong carriers come back overpriced or with stripped cargo limits. We submit to the carriers that actively want the class, and we structure the cargo and excess limits to match the shipper contracts you actually have.
“OTR dry van isn’t a complicated class. It’s a class where carrier selection separates a fair quote from a 30% surcharge.”
Coverage you’ll typically need
Dry van policies are the most standardized in commercial trucking. The variables that matter are the cargo limit (sized to load value), the auto liability limit (sized to shipper contracts), and the excess layer.
Why even dry van gets declined
Dry van decline reasons cluster around driver MVR quality, claim frequency, and the specific commodities hauled.
High claim frequency
Backing claims, parked-and-struck, and minor collisions at frequency above industry baseline narrow the standard market.
Targeted cargo (electronics, alcohol)
High-theft commodities require stronger cargo endorsements and tighten the carrier panel. We confirm theft language covers your actual load profile.
New ventures under 12 months
Most standard OTR markets want 12+ months under the same MC#. A small panel writes new authority at rated-up pricing.
Driver MVR issues
Major violations across the driver pool move you out of standard markets. Aggregate MVR quality matters more than the worst driver alone.
Mixed authority (broker + carrier)
Operations running some loads as broker and some as motor carrier need a specific policy structure. Mis-set-up creates coverage gaps at claim time.
Loss frequency (multi-claim years)
Three claims in a 12-month window is the typical underwriter threshold. Beyond that, you’re pricing to E&S markets.
What drives your premium
OTR dry van rates moved up materially in 2023–2025 and have flattened. The largest individual rate drivers are still driver experience, MVR quality, and claim frequency.
Quote in 24–48 hours
We pull your DOT and MC data automatically. The rest is paperwork most OTR operations have on hand.
Federal compliance
Long-haul dry van operates under the standard FMCSA framework for interstate for-hire trucking. The federal compliance stack is well-understood and consistently enforced.
Federal minimums (FMCSA). $750,000 combined single limit auto liability for non-hazardous freight on a vehicle over 10,001 lbs. The MCS-90 endorsement is required on your auto liability policy.
Practical shipper minimums. Most national shippers and brokers require $1M CSL auto liability and $100K–$250K cargo. Major retailers and big-box shippers commonly require $2M total liability with cargo at $250K+.
Hours of service, ELD, and CSA. OTR carriers are subject to HOS limits (49 CFR 395), ELD mandate, drug & alcohol program, DVIR, and CSA scoring. Insurance underwriters pull CSA scores at submission — unsafe driving and HOS BASICs matter.
Common questions