A box truck in Chicago has a roof problem. City documents say many viaducts sit below 13 feet 8 inches and CDOT treats posted heights as advisory, and viaduct strikes are a known issue; an ICC docket on the South Kedzie viaduct describes trucks hitting the structure or getting wedged under it. Tell your agent how much of your route is city streets, and train drivers on height. On paper, the ICC splits liability at 10,000 pounds GVWR: $300,000 below and $750,000 above, so a 26-foot truck takes the higher limit for intrastate for-hire work. A Form H is required if a load is worth more than $5,000. Moving household goods falls under a separate ICC program, with a $750,000 minimum and $10,000 in cargo.
Box trucks are straight trucks with an enclosed body, used for final-mile delivery, furniture and appliances, moving, and local LTL. Many run under 26,000 pounds, so no CDL is needed for non-placarded loads, but that does not mean no rules. City streets, tight docks, lift gates and frequent stops drive the claims. Whether you move your own goods, freight for hire, or household goods can change the filings and limits.
What it costs
Across 6 policies Protec sold in 2026, commercial auto liability for this type of truck ran about $9,400 to $16,400 per truck per year, with a middle of $11,700. That's before taxes and fees, mostly from new and small Texas carriers, so your state and record can move it. It isn't a quote.
Filings in Illinois
Staying inside Illinois? For-hire property carriers generally need a Public Carrier Certificate from the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), unless an exemption applies. Household goods movers fall under a separate ICC program.
Minimum liability on the ICC application (Form PCC-1): $750,000 for non-hazardous property in freight vehicles over 10,000 pounds GVWR, and $300,000 for non-hazardous property in lighter vehicles. Some hazmat requires $1,000,000 to $5,000,000.
Filings: your insurance company files the Form E. If you haul cargo worth more than $5,000, you also need cargo coverage proved with a Form H: $5,000 for commodities in dump-type vehicles, unprocessed farm goods, bulk milk and ordinary livestock, and $5,000 per vehicle and $10,000 per occurrence for other commodities. Otherwise you may file a Cargo Insurance Waiver Affidavit. Carriers operating solely in Illinois also need a cab card for each for-hire vehicle.
If you cross state lines, the federal rules apply. A for-hire carrier of general freight in interstate commerce with vehicles of 10,001 pounds GVWR or more needs at least $750,000 under 49 CFR 387.9. The policy carries the MCS-90 endorsement, and your insurance company, not you, files the BMC-91 or BMC-91X with FMCSA. Hazmat limits run higher.
Coverages to ask about
- Commercial auto liability
- Motor truck cargo
- Physical damage on the truck and any lift gate
- General liability, especially for inside delivery or moving
- Workers' compensation for drivers and helpers
What underwriters look at
- GVWR and body type
- What you haul: own goods, freight for hire, or household goods
- Radius and city driving
- Whether you work under a delivery network's contract and its insurance requirements
- Number of stops and helpers on the truck
- Driver records and loss runs
Other trucks in Illinois
- Dump truck insurance in Illinois
- Dry van insurance in Illinois
- Flatbed insurance in Illinois
- Hot shot insurance in Illinois
Free FMCSA check · New authority checklist
Protec Consulting Group is a licensed insurance agency in Illinois.
Sources: Illinois Commerce Commission, Motor Carrier Property FAQ · Illinois Commerce Commission, Application for Public Carrier Certificate (Form PCC-1, rev. 10/27/2021) · Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Freight and Rail · 49 CFR 387.9, schedule of limits (Cornell LII) · 49 CFR 390.5, definition of interstate commerce (Cornell LII) · FMCSA, Insurance Filing Requirements · USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2020, Crushed Stone (2019 data) · Illinois Commerce Commission, Household Goods Applicant's Handbook · Illinois Commerce Commission docket transcript, South Kedzie viaduct · City of Chicago, Chicago Sustainable Industries (viaducts and truck route classes) · CDOT, Posted Viaduct Clearances · State of Illinois, Designated Truck Route List (IDOT) · IDOT, OPER 993 Special Vehicle Movement permit form · City of Chicago 311, Parking pickup trucks and commercial vehicles · USDA, 2022 Census of Agriculture Highlights: Illinois and Missouri. Reviewed: 2026-11-03.