Missouri Tow Truck Insurance

Missouri towing requirements and operating authority

Missouri’s operating-authority law includes an exemption for tow trucks and wreckers designed and used exclusively to assist abandoned, disabled or wrecked vehicles. Other vehicle transport, such as hauling running vehicles between locations, can require a different review. Missouri Revised Statutes, section 390.030.

For operations that need Missouri intrastate authority, MoDOT requires an application, a USDOT number and proof of insurance submitted by the insurer. Review your services with MoDOT Motor Carrier Services to determine which rules apply.

An operating-authority exemption does not remove every insurance obligation. Your vehicle coverage, local permits, police-rotation agreements and customer contracts still need to fit the business. Send your agent the current insurance requirements for any organization you plan to work with.

Coverage for your trucks and customer vehicles

• Commercial auto liability helps cover injuries and damage you cause to others in an accident involving an insured truck.
• Physical damage helps pay for covered damage to the tow truck itself. Review the truck’s value, equipment, deductible and any lender requirements.
• On-hook towing coverage helps cover damage to customer vehicles while being towed or transported.
• Garagekeepers legal liability helps cover damage to customer vehicles at an insured storage or service location when your business is legally responsible.
• General liability or garage liability helps cover certain claims arising from your business operations, such as a customer injury at your premises.
• Workers’ compensation helps cover employees’ work-related injuries and illnesses.

If you store vehicles after a tow, review on-hook and garagekeepers coverage together. The number and value of vehicles in your care can help determine appropriate limits for towing and storage.

Does a Missouri towing business need workers’ compensation?

Missouri generally requires workers’ compensation when a business has five or more employees; construction has a separate one-employee rule. Part-time and family-member employees count. LLC members and corporate officers also count toward the threshold, while sole proprietors and partners do not. Missouri Department of Labor coverage rules.

A smaller towing company may still choose coverage or need it for a customer contract. Review drivers, helpers, dispatchers, ownership and work in other states so the policy reflects your team.

Towing across Missouri state lines

Regular calls across the Missouri–Illinois or Missouri–Kansas border can affect your insurance and registration requirements. Describe emergency tows, later transfers, auction transport and multi-vehicle hauling separately when requesting coverage.

FMCSA distinguishes emergency towing from secondary vehicle movements when determining financial-responsibility requirements. Review the federal towing guidance and insurance filing requirements for your operation.

Roadside-network and customer insurance requirements

Agero, HONK, Allstate Roadside, GEICO, AAA and Nation Safe Drivers each have provider requirements. Copart and other auction customers may request coverage suited to vehicle transport.

Review the required limits, customer-vehicle coverage, workers’ compensation and additional-insured endorsements before applying. Our network requirements directory explains the documents to check and links to official provider resources.

Insurance for new Missouri towing businesses

Your company may be new even if you have years of towing experience. Include your previous towing work, licenses, training and driving history in the application. Insurers also consider your equipment, services and the business’s own insurance history.

Coverage is available for qualifying new businesses, with options depending on the insurer. Review any plans for heavy recovery, repossession, private-property towing or multi-car transport before adding those services.

How much does Missouri tow truck insurance cost?

Your premium depends on truck values, driver records, claims, location, travel radius, services and coverage limits. A one-truck roadside business may have different costs from a fleet with a storage yard and heavy-recovery equipment.

Compare the same limits and deductibles across quotes. Then review the full premium, first payment and installment schedule. Eligible telematics, prior-insurance and multi-policy discounts may help reduce the cost.