Tennessee 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.

Hauling for hire inside Tennessee: intrastate authority

The Department of Revenue’s intrastate authority lets for-hire motor carriers — and private towing and wrecker services — use Tennessee’s highways to haul people or property within the state. A vehicle already filed under the Unified Carrier Registration Agreement doesn’t need it. New applicants provide, through TNTAP:

• the Application for Intrastate Authority;
• a Designated Agent for Service of Process form — a Tennessee representative who can accept court papers for the carrier;
• proof of insurance furnished by the insurance company: Form E for bodily injury and property damage liability, and Form H for cargo if you haul general freight, household goods or mobile homes;
• a one-time $50 application fee and $8 per vehicle; an intrastate permit card is issued for each registered vehicle.

Tennessee insurance minimums

The Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s schedule of limits (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1340-06-01-.07):

Property, non-hazardous — 10,000 lbs GVWR or more

$750,000 (motor carriers and contract haulers, interstate or intrastate)

Property — under 10,000 lbs GVWR

$300,000

Oil and hazardous materials — private carriers too

$1,000,000; $5,000,000 for the highest-hazard bulk loads, explosives, poison gas and highway route controlled radioactive material

Intrastate common carriers — cargo

$5,000 per vehicle and $10,000 per occurrence

Household goods

$750,000 liability plus cargo of $5,000 per vehicle and $10,000 per occurrence (Revenue application)

The rule requires 30 days’ written notice to the Commissioner before an insurance policy is cancelled (1340-06-01-.06). One wording difference: the Safety rule applies the $750,000 level at 10,000 lbs GVWR or more, while the Revenue application’s table uses 10,001 lbs — confirm the rating of lighter trucks with the agent.

Safety rules and USDOT numbers

Tennessee adopts the federal motor carrier safety regulations (49 CFR, Subchapters A and B) and their amendments — except the federal minimum driver age of 21 (49 CFR 391.11(b)(1)) for intrastate motor carriers, and Part 398 (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1340-06-01-.08).

FMCSA’s list of states that require USDOT numbers for intrastate registrants does not include Tennessee; trucks of 10,001 lbs or more in interstate commerce need one under federal rules.

Getting truck insurance quotes in Tennessee

• USDOT number, MC number if you haul interstate, and your Tennessee intrastate authority account.
• What you haul — general freight, household goods or mobile homes need a Form H cargo filing.
• For each truck: VIN, year, make, model and GVWR.
• A Tennessee process agent, if you don’t have one yet.
• Drivers’ license details and experience, and loss runs from recent insurers.

Running into Georgia too? See the Georgia guide.