TL;DR: Florida intrastate trucks carry weight-based liability under Fla. Stat. 627.7415, $50,000, $100,000, or $300,000 by GVW, on top of the $10,000 PIP and $10,000 property damage every registered vehicle needs. Interstate work follows the federal tiers with FMCSA filings. Workers comp starts at four employees, and brokers require $1,000,000 regardless.
What insurance does Florida law require for trucks?
Three statutory layers, then the market layer that actually governs. First, registration: Florida is a no-fault state, so every registered vehicle carries $10,000 personal injury protection and $10,000 property damage liability under Fla. Stat. 627.733. Second, the commercial tiers: Fla. Stat. 627.7415 adds combined bodily injury and property damage liability for commercial vehicles by weight. Third, the federal layer for interstate operations: 49 CFR 387.9 tiers with insurer-filed BMC certificates and the MCS-90. On top of it all sits the contract layer, $1,000,000 liability and $100,000 cargo, because that is what freight requires everywhere.
What are the Florida commercial vehicle liability tiers?
| Gross vehicle weight | Minimum combined BI and PD liability |
|---|---|
| 26,000 to 34,999 lbs | $50,000 per occurrence |
| 35,000 to 43,999 lbs | $100,000 per occurrence |
| 44,000 lbs and up | $300,000 per occurrence |
| Hazardous materials | Federal amounts per 49 CFR 387.9 |
Those amounts come from Fla. Stat. 627.7415 and apply in addition to other legal requirements. Notice how low they run: a loaded five-axle combination at 80,000 pounds is legal intrastate at $300,000, less than half the federal $750,000 interstate floor and far below what any broker accepts. Florida's tiers make a truck street-legal; they do not make it bookable.
Does Florida require PIP on commercial trucks?
Yes, the $10,000 PIP layer attaches to registered motor vehicles including trucks, as part of Florida's no-fault system. Two trucking-specific wrinkles. Employee drivers hurt on the job typically recover under workers comp first. And Fla. Stat. 627.7405 gives PIP insurers of private passenger cars a right of reimbursement against commercial vehicle owners and their insurers for PIP benefits arising from accidents involving the commercial vehicle, a subrogation exposure priced into Florida trucking liability.
When does a Florida trucking company need workers comp?
At four employees, full or part time, for non-construction businesses, which includes trucking. Corporate officers and LLC members count toward the four unless they hold a valid exemption. The Division of Workers' Compensation within the Department of Financial Services enforces coverage, and the classification questions around owner-operators run on the usual state tests, with occupational accident coverage common in Florida leases. A three-truck company with an office manager can cross the threshold without noticing; count everyone.
What do interstate carriers based in Florida need?
The standard federal program: liability at the 49 CFR 387.9 tier for your commodity, $750,000 general freight, $1,000,000 oil and listed hazmat, $5,000,000 bulk high-hazard, filed by your insurer with FMCSA, the MCS-90 on the policy, plus market cargo coverage. Florida adds nothing to the federal stack and takes no state filing. The practical Florida program for any for-hire carrier, intrastate included, is $1,000,000 liability, $100,000 cargo, physical damage with hurricane exposure priced in, and workers comp when the headcount requires it.
What Florida-specific exposures should shape my coverage?
Three stand out. Cargo theft: South Florida is one of the country's leading cargo theft regions, so expect security conditions and take them seriously. Weather: hurricane and flood exposure makes comprehensive coverage and secured parking decisions consequential. Litigation: Florida's claim frequency and plaintiff bar are notorious in commercial auto, one reason the 2023 tort-reform law changed fee and negligence rules; treat that as legal context, not a discount. Insure to the exposure, not the statutory floor.
Real questions Florida owner-operators and fleet managers ask
What insurance does an intrastate Florida trucker legally need?
Registration requires $10,000 PIP and $10,000 property damage. At 26,000 pounds GVW and up, Fla. Stat. 627.7415 adds combined liability of $50,000, $100,000, or $300,000 by weight, with hazmat at federal amounts. Brokers still require $1,000,000, which is what working carriers actually buy.
Is $300,000 enough liability for an 80,000 pound rig in Florida?
It satisfies the intrastate statute, and nothing else. Interstate operation requires $750,000 federally, broker contracts require $1,000,000, and Florida's litigation environment makes even that a floor. Treat the state tier as a registration fact, not a coverage plan.
Do I need PIP if my drivers are covered by workers comp?
Yes, the $10,000 PIP attaches to the registered vehicle regardless. Work injuries route to workers comp first, and PIP handles other occupants and situations. Note the commercial-vehicle subrogation rule: car insurers can seek PIP reimbursement from commercial vehicle owners after crashes involving your truck.
When does a Florida trucking company need workers comp?
At four employees for non-construction businesses like trucking, counting officers and LLC members without exemptions, full and part time alike. Construction-related operations trigger at one. The Division of Workers' Compensation enforces, and misclassifying drivers as contractors invites penalties plus uninsured injury exposure.
Does Florida require cargo insurance?
No statute does for general freight. The requirement is contractual, brokers and shippers demand $100,000 motor truck cargo, and South Florida's cargo theft rates make the coverage conditions, secured parking and unattended-vehicle clauses, unusually important to follow in practice.
Why truckers work with Morrow
- We know the filings. Morrow is licensed in Florida and writes the full stack, statutory minimums through the $1,000,000 contract standard, cargo, and workers comp.
- New authority is our normal. First-year carriers pay the most and get declined the most. We work with markets that actually want new ventures and we tell you what the first renewal takes.
- Certificates and filings, fast. Certificates of insurance the same business day for most carriers, and federal or state filings submitted electronically so your authority is not sitting in a queue.
- We quote the whole picture. Liability, cargo, physical damage, and the endorsements shippers and brokers actually check for, priced together so nothing is missing when a load is on the line.
- Real people when something goes wrong. A claim, a lapse notice, or a lost certificate gets a person, not a portal.
Related Florida trucking guides
The other Florida trucking questions, answered the same way.
- Trucking insurance in Florida (start here)
- Intrastate authority and filings
- Minimum liability limits for trucks
- Cost of trucking insurance
- Business insurance in Florida
- Federal minimum liability limits by commodity
- What is an MCS-90 endorsement?
- Federal minimum liability limits by commodity
- Trucking and transportation insurance overview
This guide is general information, not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Limits, forms, and deadlines change, so verify current requirements with the Florida Department of Financial Services before you rely on them. Morrow is a brand name of Afthonea Inc. Last updated: July 2026.