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Free Resource · Trucking Insurance

Your renewal shouldn't be
a two-week fire drill.

Your MCS-90 is not cargo coverage. If that sentence surprised you, this prep sheet is for you: the 90-day renewal timeline, FMCSA filing check, driver file audit, and cargo commodity review that keep a trucking renewal on your terms.

Free: The Trucking Insurance Renewal Prep Sheet

Get the 90-day renewal timeline for motor carriers.

FMCSA filing status check (MCS-90 / BMC-91), driver file audit per 49 CFR 391, cargo commodity review, and the week-by-week renewal countdown. Enter your name and email and we'll send your access link.

We'll send the prep sheet plus a short series on the coverage traps that catch motor carriers. Unsubscribe anytime. Educational only — does not amend coverage; refer to the policy and applicable law.

Trucking Insurance Renewal Prep Sheet

90-day renewal timeline & audit for motor carriers

Section 1 — The 90-Day Timeline

Trucking accounts submitted two weeks before expiration get declined for timing alone. Work backward from your X-date.

Day 90 — Order currently valued loss runs from every carrier, 3–5 years Critical
Request in writing; allow two weeks for carriers to respond. Nothing else on this sheet moves until the loss runs are in hand.
Day 75 — Complete the driver file audit and vehicle schedule update (Sections 2 & 4)
Fix problems before an underwriter finds them: expired medical cards, missing MVR authorizations, stale stated values.
Day 60 — Submission to market with a complete package
Loss runs, driver list with MVR data, vehicle schedule with VINs and values, commodity breakdown, filings list, and a short operations narrative. Complete submissions get quoted first and priced best.
Day 30 — Quotes reviewed side by side, coverage differences (not just premium) compared
Cargo exclusions, deductible structure, filing responsibilities. The cheapest number with a commodity exclusion for what you actually haul is not a quote — it's a trap.
Day 14 — Bind decision made; filings and certificates ordered Common Failure Point
FMCSA filings are made by the carrier and can take days to post. Binding at the last minute risks an authority gap — and shippers who check SAFER will see it.

Section 2 — FMCSA Filing Status Check

I know which filings are on record for my authority — and who made them Critical
Check your MC number on the FMCSA SAFER / L&I system. BMC-91 or BMC-91X (public liability) must show your current carrier. Old filings from a prior insurer that were never cancelled cause confusion at renewal.
I understand my MCS-90 is not cargo coverage — and not extra liability coverage Common Gap
The MCS-90 is a public-protection endorsement: the insurer pays a judgment even if the policy wouldn't otherwise respond, then collects from you. It does not cover your cargo, and it is not a substitute for the right liability limits.
My operating authority status matches how I actually run — own MC# vs. leased on
If you lease onto a motor carrier, know exactly what their policy covers and where you need your own (bobtail / non-trucking liability, physical damage, occupational accident). If you run your own authority, every filing is your responsibility.

Section 3 — Driver File Audit (49 CFR Part 391)

Every driver has a complete qualification file Critical
Application, MVR at hire and annually, road test or CDL equivalent, medical certificate current, previous employer inquiries. Underwriters ask; DOT audits check; plaintiff attorneys subpoena.
No driver has an expired medical card or unresolved MVR issue
Run current MVRs before your broker does. A driver with a recent serious violation may need to come off the schedule — better to decide that yourself at day 75 than have an underwriter demand it at day 10.
My driver list matches my ELD / payroll records
Unlisted drivers are the most common trucking coverage dispute. Anyone who moves a power unit — including the owner and the yard guy — belongs on the list.

Section 4 — Cargo & Commodity Review

My commodity breakdown is current — what I haul, by percentage Critical
Cargo forms exclude or sub-limit specific commodities: electronics, alcohol, refrigerated goods, metals. If your freight mix changed this year, your cargo form may not know that. Compare what you haul against the policy's exclusion list.
My cargo limit matches my highest-value load — not my average load Common Gap
A $100,000 cargo limit against a $180,000 load isn't 55% coverage on the claim — the excess is yours. Check your top ten loads from the past quarter against the limit on the dec page.
I know my reefer breakdown position — covered, excluded, or sub-limited
If you haul refrigerated freight, reefer breakdown is a separate coverage grant with its own deductible and maintenance-records requirements. Missing maintenance logs are the most common reason reefer claims are denied.
Questions? Call now — you'll reach Tom directly.
Tom Heuston — independent specialist broker since 1985.
609-812-1962 · info@heustons.com
Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM ET · Summer Fridays until 1 PM · Closed holidays (early close the day before)
212 North Green Street, PO Box 278, Tuckerton, NJ 08087 · Licensed NJ · PA · NY · USVI
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This prep sheet is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or insurance advice. Coverage determinations require analysis of the actual policy as issued. Heuston's Insurance Services LLC is an independent brokerage — policies are issued by and obligations are the responsibility of the issuing carriers. © 2026 Heuston's Insurance Services LLC.

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