Freight Sidekick LogoFreight Sidekick

Freight Insurance & Cargo Protection

What actually protects your freight — the carrier's coverage, the layers behind it, and how to close the gap when your cargo is worth more.

Protection starts before the truck shows up

Most cargo problems trace back to who was allowed to haul the load. We hold carriers to stringent requirements and authenticate every one through independent verification — not a signup form.

Independently verified identity
Operating authority, FMCSA safety record, and business identity are checked through independent sources before a carrier ever touches your freight — the same discipline that guards against the industry's double-brokering schemes.
Insurance on file — and in force
Certificates of insurance aren't collected once and forgotten. Coverage is verified active and in force — a lapsed policy is exactly the failure mode that turns a routine claim into a loss.
Standards we don't waive
Carriers that don't meet the bar don't get the load — full stop. Read more about our authority and compliance posture on the authority & compliance page.

Truckload & partial: three layers of protection

A truckload shipment booked through us is protected in layers — the carrier's own coverage, the brokerage's contingent coverage behind it, and optional full-value coverage on top.

1 · The carrier's policy
A typical truckload carrier carries $1,000,000 in auto liability and $100,000 in cargo coverage — many carry $250,000. This is the policy that pays first when freight is lost or damaged, and it's the one we verify before dispatch.
2 · The contingent layer
We work through national brokerage providers carrying a minimum of $2,000,000 general liability and $250,000 contingent cargo coverage. If the carrier's policy fails — lapsed, denied, insolvent — the contingent policy exists to step in.
3 · Full-value coverage
Shipping something worth more than the carrier's cargo limit? Declare the value when you quote and we'll arrange coverage for the full amount — before pickup, with the cost shown up front. LTL deductibles scale with insured value ($0 up to $10k, $500 up to $25k, $1,000 up to $100k); truckload and partial carry 1% of insured value ($500 min, $2,500 max).
How contingent cargo coverage actually works

Every claim starts against the carrier's own cargo policy — that's the primary coverage, and with a properly vetted carrier it resolves the overwhelming majority of claims.

Contingent cargo insurance is the brokerage-level backstop for the cases vetting can't fully eliminate: a policy that quietly lapsed after the certificate was issued, an insurer that denies on an exclusion, or an insurance company that fails outright. When the primary path dead-ends, the contingent policy can pick up the claim.

Two things make that second layer meaningful in practice: the size of the program behind it, and whether anyone verified the primary policy in the first place. That's why we route freight through providers held to the $2M/$250k standard — and why we verify carrier coverage ourselves instead of assuming the certificate tells the whole story.

LTL: know your carrier's real limits

LTL works differently — carriers include limited liability set by their rules tariffs, commonly $1–$25 per pound for new goods and about $0.10 per pound for used goods, with per-shipment caps. Discounted and brokered rates often carry even lower carve-out limits. We publish the actual numbers, straight from the tariffs.

Per-carrier liability limits

21 LTL carriers' included liability, with tariff citations.

Read the guide

Estimate your coverage gap

Your shipment vs the carrier's included liability, in seconds.

Open the calculator

Carrier profiles

Every carrier page shows that carrier's liability terms.

Browse LTL carriers

What full-value coverage covers — and what it doesn't

LTL full-value coverage is all-risk protection against direct physical loss or damage from an external cause while your freight is in transit — including Acts of God. Like any coverage, it has exclusions and conditions worth knowing before you rely on it. (Truckload and partial shipments are covered under a separate program with its own terms — ask us for specifics.)

Not covered (LTL program)
  • Cash, currency, coins, securities, gift cards, and documents
  • Automobiles and motorcycles (licensed road vehicles)
  • Bulk cargo (loose dry or liquid, unpackaged)
  • Live animals, plants, and flowers
  • Fresh produce and perishables outside temperature control (frozen goods in reefer trailers are fine)
  • Loose gemstones, gold, silver, and other precious metals
  • Original or fine art valued over $20,000 per piece
  • Pharmaceutical drugs
Conditions that matter
  • Electronics and fragile goods (glass, ceramic, marble, and similar) must be professionally packed or in original manufacturer packaging
  • Used household goods require professional packing plus a valued, itemized inventory before shipment
  • Hazmat and firearms are covered when shipped per DOT/ATF regulations
  • Refrigerated goods are covered for spoilage only when caused by a refrigeration breakdown of 4+ consecutive hours
  • Concealed damage must be reported within 5 days of delivery — inspect your freight promptly
Deductibles

LTL scales with the insured value:

  • Up to $10,000 — $0
  • $10,000.01 – $25,000 — $500
  • $25,000.01 – $100,000 — $1,000
  • Above $100,000 — 2% of insured value

Truckload & partial: 1% of the insured value ($500 minimum, $2,500 maximum).

How claims are valued
Invoiced goods pay the lesser of the insured value, the invoice amount plus freight charges plus 10%, or the repair cost. Goods without a recent invoice pay actual cash value (replacement cost less depreciation). Coverage is available up to a $1,000,000 policy limit per shipment — values above our $100,000 instant limit are arranged personally.

Cargo protection FAQs

Is my freight insured when I book through Freight Sidekick?
Every shipment moves with carrier cargo liability, and every carrier we dispatch has insurance on file that we've verified is active and in force. Carrier liability has limits, though — especially for LTL — so for freight worth more than those limits we offer full-value coverage you can add in one step when you quote.
What insurance do truckload carriers carry?
A typical truckload carrier carries $1,000,000 in auto liability and $100,000 in cargo coverage — many carry $250,000. We verify each carrier's certificates are active and in force before dispatch, and the brokerage providers we work through add another layer with contingent cargo coverage.
What is contingent cargo insurance?
Contingent cargo insurance is a backstop policy held at the brokerage level. The carrier's own cargo policy pays claims first; if that policy fails — lapsed, denied on a technicality, or the insurer becomes insolvent — the contingent policy can step in. It's a second layer of protection that freight moving through a well-run brokerage gets automatically.
How much liability is included with an LTL shipment?
Far less than most shippers expect. LTL rules tariffs limit liability to a per-pound amount — commonly $1–$25 per pound for new goods depending on carrier and freight class, and about $0.10 per pound for used goods — with per-shipment caps. Our LTL liability guide lists the current limits for 21 carriers, with tariff citations.
How do I cover freight worth more than the carrier's liability limit?
Declare your cargo's value when you quote with us and add full-value coverage in one step — the cost is shown before you book. LTL coverage deductibles scale with the insured value: $0 up to $10,000, $500 up to $25,000, and $1,000 up to $100,000. Truckload and partial coverage carries a deductible of 1% of the insured value ($500 minimum, $2,500 maximum). For shipments valued above $100,000, our team arranges coverage personally.
How does a freight claim work?
Note any visible loss or damage on the delivery receipt before signing — never give a clean receipt for goods in doubtful condition. Concealed damage, discovered after the driver leaves, must be reported within 5 days of delivery, so open and inspect your freight right away. Keep the freight and packaging, and have the paperwork ready: the invoice with weight notes, the BOL, photos, and (for insured shipments) the certificate of insurance — covered truckload shipments receive one per shipment. We help you file, and if the carrier's policy fails, the contingent layer exists for exactly that case.

Full-value coverage is arranged through our provider network; it is not an insurance policy issued by Freight Sidekick. Terms and commodity exclusions apply.

Ship it protected

Quote your shipment, see what's included, and add full-value coverage in one step.

Get a freight quote