The Chicago intermodal reality
Illinois trucking is dominated by one fact: Chicago is where the nation's rail network meets its highway network. More rail lines converge there than anywhere else on the continent, which makes it the center of American intermodal freight — containers coming off trains and onto chassis, moving to warehouses and back.
Layer on the interstate convergence — I-80, I-90, I-94, I-55, I-57 — and you get enormous freight volume in dense, congested conditions.
Why drayage changes your insurance
If you're pulling containers on chassis you don't own, trailer interchange coverage stops being optional. Interchange agreements make you responsible for equipment that belongs to someone else, and a standard policy without interchange coverage leaves you exposed for damage to that chassis or container.
This is the single most commonly under-covered exposure we see in Illinois operations.
What that means for your coverage
- Trailer interchange. If you touch containers or drop-and-hook equipment you don't own, confirm you have it and confirm the limit.
- Urban liability frequency. Dense metro driving means more incidents, even minor ones. Frequency drives your renewal pricing as much as severity does.
- Short radius, high cycles. Drayage means many short runs a day rather than few long ones. That operating pattern should be described accurately when you're quoted.
- Cargo in a theft corridor. High-volume freight hubs attract cargo theft. Know your policy's unattended-vehicle language before you need it.
Who we write in Illinois
Drayage and intermodal carriers, owner-operators, small and mid-size fleets, regional and long-haul operations, and new authority. Leased on to a carrier? Check whether you have non-trucking liability.
Common questions from Illinois operators
Do I need trailer interchange coverage for drayage work?
If you pull containers or chassis you do not own under an interchange agreement, yes. That agreement makes you responsible for equipment belonging to someone else, and a standard policy without trailer interchange coverage will not pay for damage to it.
Does trailer interchange cover the cargo inside the container?
No. Trailer interchange covers damage to the trailer or chassis itself. The freight inside is covered by motor truck cargo insurance. They are two separate coverages and you generally need both.
Why is Chicago-area trucking insurance more expensive?
Frequency. Dense urban driving produces more incidents, including minor ones, and claim frequency affects your renewal pricing as much as claim severity does. Cargo theft exposure in high-volume freight hubs is also priced in.
Let's get you covered.
Tell us how you run and we'll shop it across our carriers — or just ask a question first.