Neal Fusco
Quick Answer: Before you choose a broker to file your new authority, ask how fast they file the BMC-91 and MCS-90, which trucking markets they can access for a first-year carrier, what liability and cargo limits your loads and brokers actually require, how quickly they turn certificates of insurance, and whether they are independent or captive to one carrier. Those answers separate a broker who gets you hauling from one who leaves your authority stuck.
The broker you pick for your new authority does two jobs. They sell you a policy, and they file the paperwork with the FMCSA that actually turns your authority on. For the full picture of what the FMCSA requires, start with our guide to FMCSA insurance requirements for a new authority. This is the shorter version: the questions to ask before you hand a broker your business, and what a good answer sounds like.
Want a broker who answers these right?
Pro Insurance Group is independent, shops multiple trucking markets, and files your FMCSA forms directly. Ask us the same questions.
Do you file the BMC-91 and MCS-90 for me, and how fast?
Your insurer files the BMC-91 and provides the MCS-90 endorsement. You never file them yourself. Ask how quickly the broker submits the filing once you bind, because that timing decides whether your authority activates in days or weeks. A good answer is measured in days and comes with a commitment to confirm when it posts.
Which trucking markets can you access for a new authority?
First-year carriers are hard to place, and a broker tied to one carrier can only offer what that carrier wants to write. Ask how many trucking markets they can approach for a brand new authority. More markets means a better chance of coverage that fits and a real shot at a competitive rate instead of a single take-it-or-leave-it quote.
What liability limit do I actually need for my loads and brokers?
The FMCSA minimum for general freight is $750,000, but most brokers and shippers will not load a truck unless you carry $1,000,000. A broker who quotes you the federal minimum without asking who you haul for is setting you up to lose loads. A good broker asks about your freight and your contracts first.
Do I need motor truck cargo, and at what limit?
The FMCSA only requires cargo insurance on file for household goods movers. For general freight it is the brokers you haul for who set the bar, usually at least $100,000 in motor truck cargo. Ask your broker to match your cargo limit to the contracts you actually sign. Our cargo insurance guide covers what the coverage does and does not pay.
How fast can you issue a certificate of insurance?
You will need certificates constantly, for brokers, shippers, and facilities. A standard certificate off an active policy should be same business day and often within a couple of hours. Ask how they handle certificate requests and whether there is any charge. There should not be.
What happens to my filing if I switch carriers or my policy cancels?
If your policy lapses, your insurer files a cancellation with the FMCSA and your authority can be revoked. Ask how the broker manages filings at renewal, and what they do to keep your authority active if you move carriers. You want someone watching the filing, not just the policy.
How will my rate change as I build a safety record?
Year one is the most expensive insurance you will ever buy, because there is no safety history to price against. Ask how the broker plans to re-market your account once you have clean months behind you. A broker who only shops at the first renewal, and only with one carrier, leaves money on the table.
Are you independent, or captive to one carrier?
A captive agent sells one company's trucking product. An independent broker shops multiple markets on your behalf, which matters most in year one when placement is hard and again later when your improving record should earn a better rate. Ask directly, because it shapes every other answer on this list.
If a broker answers these well, they understand new authority carriers. If they dodge the filing-speed and market-access questions, keep looking. When you are ready to compare a few brokers side by side, use our guide to comparing new authority trucking brokers, and see our commercial trucking insurance and towing insurance pages for the coverage behind the filings.
Put these questions to us.
See how a broker who files fast and shops the market answers. Start a trucking quote or call, and we will walk you through every one.
Frequently asked questions
What should I ask a trucking insurance broker before filing for authority?
Ask how fast they file the BMC-91 and MCS-90, which trucking markets they can access for a first-year carrier, what liability and cargo limits your loads and brokers require, how fast they issue certificates, and whether they are independent or captive. Those answers predict whether your authority activates quickly and your coverage fits.
How fast should a broker file my BMC-91 and MCS-90?
Your insurer files the BMC-91 and provides the MCS-90 once you bind coverage. A good broker submits promptly and confirms when the filing posts with the FMCSA, because that timing determines whether your authority activates in days rather than weeks.
Should my new authority broker be independent or captive?
An independent broker shops multiple trucking markets on your behalf, which matters most in year one when new authorities are hard to place and again later when your improving safety record should earn a better rate. A captive agent can only offer one carrier's product.
What liability limit will brokers and shippers require?
The FMCSA minimum for general freight is $750,000, but most brokers and shippers require $1,000,000 in combined single limit coverage before they will tender a load. Ask your broker to size the limit to the contracts you actually sign, not just the federal floor.
Do I need cargo insurance as a new authority?
The FMCSA only requires cargo coverage on file for household goods movers. General freight carriers usually need at least $100,000 in motor truck cargo to satisfy broker contracts, even though it is not a federal minimum.
How fast should I be able to get a certificate of insurance?
A standard certificate off an active policy should be same business day, often within a couple of hours, at no charge. If a broker is slow with certificates or charges for them, that is a warning sign for how they will handle the rest of your account.
Reviewed by Neal Fusco, VP Commercial Lines
25 years in insurance, including 16 at Zurich North America in workers' compensation managed care and claims.
Last updated 3 September 2026
Illinois licensed insurance producer #18515626