Does Illinois set its own trucking insurance minimums?

The stored record marks state and federal minimums as different. Review the operation-specific rows and source notes; the difference does not establish one amount for every carrier.

Do federal insurance minimums still apply to an Illinois carrier?

Federal insurance requirements depend on the vehicle, commodity and operation. Review the federal table and its cited regulation alongside the applicable state requirements; state location alone does not settle coverage or filing scope.

What insurance does a new Illinois carrier line up first?

Review the liability, cargo and filing requirements for your operation before comparing coverage. The source notes identify the stored state and federal scope; insurer and contractual requirements need their own check.

Where do these figures come from?

The tables show stored amounts with their recorded sources. A field marked "Not confirmed" is a verification gap. Review its note; that label does not establish that the agency publishes no amount or that no requirement applies.

Illinois Trucking Insurance Requirements (2026)

By Haul Handbook editorial team· Updated Jul 25, 2026

What Illinois requires

These are the state-level rules attached to Illinois intrastate operating authority. A field reading "Not confirmed" means this guide has not confirmed that value. The note explains the gap; unknown is not evidence of absence.

Liability minimum: $750,000 liability for non-hazardous freight in vehicles over 10,000 lb; the operation-type table below lists each class
Cargo minimum: $5,000 (Unprocessed agricultural commodities, milk in bulk, commodities in dump-type vehicles, and ordinary livestock carry a $5,000 requirement per vehicle at any one time with no separate aggregate. A carrier that does not and will not haul cargo worth more than $5,000, and will not perform a for-hire drive-away of a vehicle worth more than $5,000, may file a Cargo Insurance Waiver Affidavit instead of Form H.)
Differs from federal: Yes

Minimum liability by operation type

Review the operation-specific scope and source notes before relying on a coverage amount.

Illinois minimum liability coverage by operation type
Operation type	Minimum liability
Freight vehicles rated over 10,000 lb GVWR, non-hazardous property	$750,000
Freight vehicles rated at or under 10,000 lb GVWR, ordinary commodities	$300,000
Over 10,000 lb GVWR, oil, hazardous waste, and other listed hazardous materials (Category C)	$1,000,000
Over 10,000 lb GVWR, bulk hazardous substances, compressed gas, and cargo-tank hazmat (Category B)	$5,000,000
Over 10,000 lb GVWR, Class A or B explosives, poison gas, or highway route controlled quantity radioactive materials (Category D)	$5,000,000
At or under 10,000 lb GVWR, Class A or B explosives, poison gas, or highway route controlled quantity radioactive materials	$5,000,000

Scroll sideways to see every column.

Who files the proof of insurance

The rows identify stored proof-of-coverage filings. Confirm which filing applies to your authority and who submits it before requesting a form.

Liability proof: Form E, filed by an insurance company authorized to write insurance in Illinois
Cargo proof: Form H, filed by an insurance company authorized to write insurance in Illinois, or a Cargo Insurance Waiver Affidavit filed by the applicant
If coverage lapses: A certificate may be suspended for failure to have continuous insurance coverage in effect and on file. Section 18c-1704(6)(a) lets the Commission suspend the license or registration by directive pending final disposition of revocation proceedings.625 ILCS 5/18c-1704(6)(a)Filing proof of insurance during the temporary suspension period lifts the suspension at no charge. That is the Commission's own fee position, not a term of Section 18c-1704(6)(a), which carries the suspension power and sets no fee. Reinstating a certificate after the suspension period has expired costs $50.

The federal minimums, for contrast

Federal financial-responsibility requirements depend on the operation, vehicle and commodity. Review the rows and exclusions in 49 CFR Part 387 (property carriers 387.303, brokers and freight forwarders 387.307, endorsements 387.15), as displayed on FMCSA's insurance filing requirements page; the filing mechanics live in our BMC-91 and BMC-34 insurance filings guide.

Federal minimum public liability levels by operation (49 CFR Part 387)
Operation	Vehicle	Liability minimum
For-hire property carrier, non-hazardous	GVWR under 10,001 lb	$300,000
For-hire property carrier, non-hazardous (general freight)	GVWR 10,001 lb or more	$750,000
For-hire carrier of certain hazardous materials	Any	$1,000,000
For-hire and private carriers of explosives, poison gas, or radioactive materials	Any	$5,000,000
For-hire carrier of household goods	GVWR 10,001 lb or more	$750,000
For-hire carrier of passengers	15 or fewer passengers	$1,500,000
For-hire carrier of passengers	16 or more passengers	$5,000,000
Broker of property or household goods	None	None
Freight forwarder of property	None	None
Freight forwarder of household goods	None	None

Scroll sideways to see every column.

Where insurance fits in the Illinois launch

Coverage sits early in the sequence: the federal filing sequence needs your insurer's proof of coverage on file before authority activates, and the state rules above attach to the credential covered on the Illinois intrastate authority page. For the full order of operations, work through start a trucking company in Illinois.