What Are the Minimum Insurance Policy Limits a Trucking Company in Connecticut Must Carry?

The information on this page is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is different; the law surrounding trucking insurance requirements is highly nuanced, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Trucking companies operating in Connecticut must generally carry at least $750,000 in liability insurance for most freight-hauling trucks weighing 10,001 pounds or more, with significantly higher minimums required for vehicles carrying hazardous materials.

These federal minimums, set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, apply to interstate carriers (49 C.F.R. § 387.9, Financial Responsibility, Minimum Levels) and are also referenced under Connecticut law for intrastate motor carriers that meet certain weight thresholds (Connecticut DMV, Connecticut Vehicle Insurance Requirements, citing Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-163d).

At Goff Law Group, our Connecticut truck accident attorneys, led by founding attorney Brooke A. Goff, a Super Lawyers Rising Stars honoree for eight consecutive years, have helped injured clients recover millions of dollars by understanding exactly which insurance policies apply to a given crash. Below, we break down what those minimums actually are, who else besides the insurance company can be held responsible, and what to do if you are injured by a commercial truck in Connecticut.

What Are the 2026 Federal and Connecticut Trucking Insurance Minimums?

As of 2026, federal law under 49 C.F.R. Section 387.9 sets the minimum levels of financial responsibility that most for-hire trucking companies must carry, based on the type of cargo and the vehicle's weight. These minimums have not changed since they were last set, though federal regulators have signaled they may revisit them in the future (49 C.F.R. § 387.9, Financial Responsibility, Minimum Levels — eCFR, current edition).

The current federal minimums include:

• $750,000 for for-hire carriers transporting non-hazardous property in vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more
• $1,000,000 for carriers transporting oil, or certain other hazardous materials and hazardous wastes not covered under the higher tier below
• $5,000,000 for carriers transporting the most dangerous categories of hazardous materials, including certain bulk hazardous substances, explosives, and highway route-controlled quantities of radioactive material

Connecticut incorporates these federal minimum levels into its own regulatory framework. Under Connecticut General Statutes Section 14-163d, intrastate motor carriers operating vehicles that meet certain weight or hazardous material thresholds must file annual proof with the Department of Motor Vehicles that they maintain insurance coverage at these same minimum levels (Connecticut DMV, Connecticut Vehicle Insurance Requirements, citing Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-163d).

How Insurance Policy Limits Affect Your Truck Accident Settlement

These figures represent the legal floor a trucking company must carry, not a cap on what an injured person can recover, and they do not necessarily reflect what a serious truck accident claim is actually worth.

A catastrophic injury, such as a traumatic brain injury or a spinal cord injury, can generate medical bills, lost income, and long-term care costs that exceed even the $750,000 federal minimum that many general freight carriers carry.

Several factors affect how policy limits play into a settlement:

• Many trucking companies voluntarily carry coverage above the federal minimum because brokers and shippers often require it before agreeing to work with a carrier
• When a driver's own insurance and the at-fault trucking company's policy are insufficient to cover the full extent of injuries, an injured person's own underinsured motorist coverage may be able to help close that gap
• Multiple insurance policies can sometimes apply to a single crash, including coverage carried by the motor carrier, an independent owner-operator, or a company that leased the truck or trailer

Because every policy and every injury is different, determining how much coverage is actually available in a given case requires a careful review of the applicable insurance policies rather than an assumption based on federal minimums alone.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Connecticut Truck Accident?

More than one party can potentially be held liable after a Connecticut truck accident, depending on what caused the crash. Identifying every responsible party matters because it can determine how much total insurance coverage is available to compensate an injured person.

Parties who may be held liable include:

• The truck driver, if their own negligence, such as speeding, distraction, or fatigue, caused or contributed to the crash
• The trucking company, either through vicarious liability for its driver's actions or through its own negligence in hiring, training, supervising, or maintaining its fleet
• A maintenance or repair contractor, if faulty repairs or inspections contributed to a mechanical failure
• A cargo loading company, if improperly secured or overloaded cargo is what caused the truck to become unstable
• A parts or vehicle manufacturer, if a defective component contributed to the crash

Liability can be shared among several parties, and Connecticut follows a modified comparative negligence rule under which an injured person's own percentage of fault can reduce or bar recovery. As such, a thorough investigation into what happened is an important early step in any truck accident claim (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-572h, Negligence Actions).

Types of Damages You Can Recover After a Truck Accident

An injured person in a Connecticut truck accident may be entitled to recover both economic and non-economic damages, depending on the severity of the crash and the extent of the resulting harm. The specific damages available, and their value, depend entirely on the facts of the individual case (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-572h, Negligence Actions, which defines economic and non-economic damages under Connecticut law).

Damages that may be available include:

• Medical expenses, including past treatment and reasonably anticipated future care
• Lost wages and loss of future earning capacity for those unable to return to their prior work
• Pain and suffering, including physical pain and associated emotional distress
• Property damage to a vehicle or other personal property
• Wrongful death damages, including funeral and burial expenses, for families who have lost a loved one in a fatal truck accident (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-555, Actions for Injuries Resulting in Death)

Because Connecticut law reduces a plaintiff's recovery in proportion to their own share of fault, and bars recovery entirely if that share exceeds fifty percent, accurately establishing liability has a direct effect on the damages a person can ultimately recover (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-572h, Negligence Actions).

What to Do After a Truck Accident in Connecticut

• Seek medical attention promptly, even if injuries do not seem severe at first, since some injuries are not immediately apparent
• Report the accident to law enforcement so an official police report is created
• Document the accident scene with photos or video if it is safe to do so, including damage to both vehicles and any visible road conditions
• Avoid giving a recorded statement to the trucking company's insurer before speaking with an attorney
• Preserve any evidence, including damaged property, medical records, and the contact information of any witnesses
• Contact a truck accident attorney promptly, since trucking companies often begin their own investigation and evidence preservation efforts within days of a crash

Talk to a Truck Accident Lawyer Today

Understanding which insurance policies apply and how much coverage a trucking company is required to carry is often one of the first steps in evaluating a Connecticut truck accident claim. Goff Law Group has built a 99% success rate and more than 491 five-star client reviews by digging into these details for every client we represent. If you were injured in a truck accident in Connecticut, reach out for a free consultation to discuss what insurance coverage may apply to your case.

Sources

• 49 C.F.R. § 387.9, Financial Responsibility, Minimum Levels (eCFR, current edition)
• Connecticut DMV, Connecticut Vehicle Insurance Requirements, citing Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-163d
• Connecticut General Statutes § 52-572h, Negligence Actions (Connecticut General Assembly)
• Connecticut General Statutes § 52-555, Actions for Injuries Resulting in Death (Connecticut General Assembly)