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FMCSA Insurance Filings Explained: BMC-91X, Minimums, and the 30-Day Cancellation Rule

Reviewed by the ICR Filings compliance team · Updated October 20, 2026

Having a trucking insurance policy is not enough for FMCSA. Your insurance company also has to file proof of that coverage with FMCSA electronically. Until that filing is on record, your operating authority will not go active, and if the filing is cancelled later, your authority can be suspended.

Who files it

You do not file it, and neither does a filing service. Only insurance companies, surety companies, and financial institutions registered with FMCSA as financial responsibility filers can submit these filings. Your job is to buy the policy and make sure your agent files it under your exact USDOT number and legal name.

The forms

  • BMC-91 or BMC-91X: proof of liability insurance for motor carriers. Which one depends on your insurer.
  • BMC-34: proof of cargo insurance, required for household goods carriers.
  • BMC-84 or BMC-85: the $75,000 surety bond or trust fund that freight brokers and freight forwarders file instead.

How much coverage

The federal minimum for a for-hire carrier hauling general (non-hazardous) freight interstate in vehicles of 10,001 lbs or more is $750,000in liability coverage. Carriers of hazardous materials and passenger carriers have higher minimums, set out in FMCSA's rules. These are federal minimums. Brokers and shippers can set their own, higher requirements, so ask the ones you plan to work with before you buy.

The 30-day cancellation rule

An insurance filing with FMCSA cannot be cancelled on the spot. The insurer must file a notice of cancellation (Form BMC-35, or BMC-36 for a surety bond), and the cancellation takes effect 30 days after that notice is filed. FMCSA then sends you a suspension notice with that effective date. That 30-day window is your chance to fix it. See what to do with a suspension notice.

Switching insurers without a gap

  1. Buy the new policy and have the new insurer file its BMC-91 or BMC-91X with FMCSA.
  2. Confirm the new filing shows on L&I under your number.
  3. Only then let the old policy end.

Insurers can backdate a filing's effective date in Motus, but do not count on that to cover a gap. Overlap by a few days instead.

How to check your filing

Search your MC or USDOT number on FMCSA's Licensing and Insurance (L&I) public search. It shows active insurance, the insurer, and any pending cancellation. More in how to check your authority status.

We do not sell insurance, but we handle everything else in a new authority package, and we check that your insurance filing has posted before we tell you you are ready to run.

Official sources

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the official source before you file.

Related guides

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