The short version
The MCS-90 is an endorsement attached to your liability policy. It exists to satisfy federal financial-responsibility rules for for-hire interstate carriers hauling non-exempt property.
Here's the part that surprises people: the MCS-90 is not coverage for you. It is a guarantee to the public. If someone is injured and your policy would not have covered the loss, your insurer still has to pay the injured party — and then you owe that money back to your insurer.
How it actually works
- An accident happens and a third party is injured.
- Your policy, for whatever reason, doesn't respond — maybe the operation was excluded, maybe a condition wasn't met.
- Because of the MCS-90, your insurer must still pay the injured party, up to the federal limit.
- Your insurer then has the right to seek reimbursement from you for every dollar it paid.
So the MCS-90 protects the public from an uninsured or underinsured motor carrier. It does not expand your own coverage — it creates a potential debt.
What limits apply
The MCS-90 limit tracks the federal minimums: generally $750,000 for most general freight, and $1,000,000 or $5,000,000 for certain hazardous materials, depending on what's being hauled.
Why this matters for how you buy insurance
The practical lesson: never treat the MCS-90 as a safety net. If you're relying on it, something has already gone wrong. What actually protects you is a policy that genuinely covers the way you operate:
- Make sure your policy reflects your real radius, commodities, and operations. Misstating them is exactly how a claim gets denied and the MCS-90 gets triggered.
- Understand your exclusions before you need them, not after.
- If you're leased to a carrier and drive off-dispatch, you likely need non-trucking liability — the MCS-90 won't help you there.
Common misunderstandings
- "I have an MCS-90, so I'm covered." No — it's a public guarantee, and you may owe the money back.
- "It's a separate policy." No — it's an endorsement attached to your liability policy.
- "It covers my truck and my cargo." No — it addresses bodily injury and property damage to the public, not your equipment or freight.
Common questions
Does the MCS-90 protect the trucker?
No. The MCS-90 is a guarantee to the public. If your insurer pays a claim under the MCS-90 that your policy would not otherwise have covered, the insurer can seek full reimbursement from you.
Is the MCS-90 a separate insurance policy?
No. It is an endorsement attached to your existing commercial auto liability policy, required for for-hire interstate carriers hauling non-exempt property.
What are the MCS-90 limits?
The limits follow the federal minimums — generally $750,000 for most general freight, and $1,000,000 or $5,000,000 for certain hazardous materials.
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