Arizona truck insurance

Hauling across state lines

Interstate for-hire freight needs the federal set: USDOT number, operating authority (MC), BMC-91 or BMC-91X filed with FMCSA by your insurer, a BOC-3 and at least $750,000 of liability for general freight in vehicles rated 10,001 lbs GVWR or more. See the new authority guide.

Arizona’s insurance minimums

Arizona law requires anyone who operates, in the furtherance of a commercial enterprise in the state, a vehicle or combination with a declared gross weight over 20,000 lbs to carry combined single limit liability insurance (A.R.S. 28-4032, 28-4033):

Nonhazardous property, over 26,000 lbs

$750,000

Nonhazardous property, 20,001 to 26,000 lbs

$300,000

Oil and other hazardous materials

$1,000,000

Highest-hazard loads

$5,000,000 — hazardous substances or compressed gas in cargo tanks, portable tanks or hoppers over 3500 water gallons, any quantity of Class A or B explosives or poison gas, and radioactive materials that require special handling controls

Because the rule turns on use in a commercial enterprise, it covers trucks hauling your own goods as well as other people’s. It also covers hazmat haulers unless the hazmat is incidental to the trip, not part of a commercial enterprise, or a small amount (A.R.S. 28-4032). The coverage must be kept in force at all times, and ADOT may ask you to certify it (A.R.S. 28-4034). If a truck is leased or rented, the lessor must cover the lessee under its policy or require the lessee to meet these limits (A.R.S. 28-4033).

Safety rules, fees and USDOT

• Safety rules. ADOT adopts the safety rules for motor carriers, including for hazardous materials, and the Department of Public Safety enforces them (A.R.S. 28-5204). DPS also administers Arizona’s tow truck regulations.
• Fees at registration. Trucks pay a gross weight fee and an annual motor carrier fee set by declared weight — for example $918 and $800 at 75,001–80,000 lbs (A.R.S. 28-5433, 28-5854). Station wagons and pickups or vans of three-quarter ton or less are outside the gross weight fee unless used more than 1,000 hours a year in a commercial enterprise (A.R.S. 28-5432).
• USDOT. FMCSA lists Arizona among the states that require intrastate registrants to obtain a USDOT number. ADOT says carriers operating only in Arizona don’t schedule a new-entrant safety audit, but should contact ADOT to make sure their company profile shows the correct operating authority.

Getting truck insurance quotes in Arizona

• USDOT number, and MC number if you haul interstate for hire.
• For each truck: VIN, year, make, model and declared gross weight — Arizona’s limits start over 20,000 lbs and step up over 26,000 lbs.
• What you haul, especially any hazardous materials, and where.
• Leased or rented trucks: who carries the insurance under the lease.
• Drivers’ license details and experience, and loss runs from recent insurers.

Running into California too? See the California guide.