Transportation & Logistics Insurance
Insurance Built for the Risks of Moving Freight, Fleets, and People
From nuclear verdicts to driver shortages to cargo theft, transportation companies face risk on every front. Hylant's transportation and logistics practice works exclusively within the industry, serving motor carriers, freight brokers, and warehouse operators.
What Are the Biggest Risks in Transportation and Logistics?
Click each dropdown below to learn more about the risks transportation and logistics businesses typically face.
Commercial auto verdicts have grown dramatically over the past decade, with awards of $10 million or more becoming increasingly common in trucking cases — making commercial auto liability insurance one of the most important coverages a motor carrier can carry.
A persistent driver shortage drives up wages, lowers experience levels, and increases accident frequency, putting pressure on motor carriers to build a strong safety culture that retains experienced drivers and lowers loss frequency.
Cargo theft has risen sharply in recent years, particularly strategic theft involving identity fraud and double-brokering schemes.
FMCSA regulations, hours-of-service rules, drug and alcohol testing, ELD compliance, and DOT audits all create ongoing exposure.
Accidents, injuries, and equipment damage are the largest controllable cost in any transportation operation, and a documented safety program is one of the most effective ways to reduce both claim frequency and renewal pricing.
Rolling stock, terminals, warehouses, and stored inventory all carry significant property and liability risk — making warehouse legal liability coverage and equipment coverage critical for operators that store goods on behalf of others.
Fuel spills, hazmat incidents, and contamination events are excluded from general liability and commercial auto policies, requiring dedicated environmental insurance for transportation companies that handle fuel, chemicals, or hazardous materials.
Transportation Practice Leadership
Chris Denman, Managing Director
Chris brings over 25 years of financial services expertise, honing his focus on Property & Casualty insurance for nearly two decades. Specializing in transportation & logistics, he was appointed Managing Director of Transportation & Logistics at Hylant in January 2023. Leveraging diverse resources, Chris ensures comprehensive asset protection through strategic organizational structuring, safety culture implementation, fleet maintenance, and bespoke insurance program design.
Actively involved in industry associations and community initiatives, Chris's leadership extends beyond the boardroom, exemplifying his commitment to professional excellence and social responsibility.
Protecting Your Transportation & Logistics Company
Your Hylant transportation insurance and risk management experts work exclusively within the industry. Our clients include asset-based motor carriers, owner operators, fleet brokers and forwarders and warehouse operations. We speak your language.
We get to know you. Then we analyze your specific risks and challenges. Together, we make decisions that result in a tailored risk management plan that safeguards your people, property, equipment, reputation and other critical assets. We are focused on bringing innovative solutions to build efficiencies and promote growth and profit; as part of our services and program structure, you will have access to:
- First dollar solutions to risk financing strategies (i.e., captives)
- Safety & loss control
- Compliance monitoring system
- Fleet management capabilities
- Moving & storage
- Hylant Risk Management Center
- Claims management and advocacy
- Environmental risk management
- Certificate issuance, tracking and monitoring
Solutions
Motor Carrier Insurance
We know transportation insurance. Whether you are a single owner or a large fleet, we have specialty insurance programs designed with you in mind.
Freight Brokerage Insurance
Truck and freight brokerage operations need coverage for the exposures presented when their clients’ policies fail to respond.
Warehousing
From inventory management to liability coverage, our comprehensive plans provide peace of mind, allowing you to focus on what matters most—keeping your business moving forward.
What Does Effective Transportation Risk Management Look Like?
From elevated CSA scores to a perfect 0.0% across the board.
See how a 25-truck freight carrier transformed its safety record through a four-year loss control partnership with Hylant.
Helpful Resources
Frequently Asked Questions About Transportation and Logistics Insurance
Most trucking companies carry commercial auto liability, motor truck cargo, physical damage, general liability, workers' compensation, and umbrella or excess liability. Federal regulations require minimum auto liability limits of $750,000 for general freight and up to $5 million for hazmat carriers, though most carriers buy substantially higher limits.
Motor truck cargo insurance covers the freight a carrier is hauling against loss or damage from collision, theft, fire, or other covered perils. It protects the carrier's legal liability for the goods while in transit and is required by most shippers and brokers.
Freight brokers use contingent cargo and contingent auto liability insurance to protect against losses when a motor carrier’s policy fails to respond. Contingent cargo covers damage to freight, while contingent auto liability applies if a carrier’s auto policy does not cover a claim.
Warehouse legal liability covers a warehouse operator's legal liability for damage to customers' goods while in their care, custody, and control. It is distinct from property insurance, which covers the warehouse operator's own building and contents.
Nuclear verdicts are jury awards of $10 million or more, increasingly common in commercial trucking litigation. They are driven by aggressive plaintiff strategies, social inflation, and the visibility of trucking defendants — and they are a primary reason commercial auto liability rates have risen sharply over the past decade.
CSA (Compliance, Safety, Accountability) scores are FMCSA safety ratings that measure a carrier's performance across seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories. Elevated scores can affect insurance marketability, shipper relationships, and the likelihood of DOT audits and interventions.
Transportation companies typically reduce insurance costs through documented safety programs, driver training and screening, telematics and dashcam adoption, claims management and advocacy, and alternative risk financing strategies such as captives. Strong loss control directly affects renewal pricing and access to insurance markets.
FMCSA compliance includes maintaining safe operations through driver qualification, safety programs, and proper documentation that meet federal regulations. Strong compliance directly impacts a carrier’s safety scores, insurance eligibility, and ability to operate without regulatory issues.
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