The three policies
**Auto liability** (BIPD — Bodily Injury and Property Damage). Federal minimums:
- $750,000 for general freight
- $1,000,000 for hazardous materials
- $5,000,000 for certain hazmat tank loads
Most shippers and brokers contractually require $1,000,000 minimum even for general freight, since the federal floor is dated 1985 and hasn't been increased.
**Cargo insurance**. No federal minimum for general freight (FMCSA dropped the requirement in 2008), but every reputable broker requires it contractually. Industry standard is $100,000 minimum; specialty freight (electronics, pharmaceuticals, high-value) usually requires $250,000–$1,000,000.
**General liability** (CGL). Sometimes required by warehouses and shippers for premises coverage during pickup/delivery. Standard is $1,000,000 occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate.
GetHaulDirect's minimums: auto liability $750,000, cargo $100,000. Higher minimums apply to specialty equipment.
What a valid COI must show
A Certificate of Insurance (COI) is the document the carrier's insurance broker issues to prove coverage. To be accepted on GetHaulDirect (and most reputable platforms), the COI must show:
1. **Insured name** matching the carrier's legal name on FMCSA SAFER
2. **Policy effective dates** with the upload date inside the coverage window (no expired policies)
3. **Auto liability** (commercial auto) at ≥ $750,000 limit
4. **Cargo** at ≥ $100,000 limit, with the carrier listed as insured
5. **Certificate holder** field naming the broker (GetHaulDirect / CVS Logistics LLC) — this is what makes the carrier obligated to notify us of cancellation
6. **Issuer signature** from the insurance broker
7. **Producer information** (the agent who issued the COI)
COIs without an explicit certificate-holder line, or where the policy expires within 30 days, are flagged for re-upload.
How to read a real COI
ACORD 25 is the standard form (vast majority of US insurance brokers use it). Read it top to bottom:
- Top-left: PRODUCER (the agent who sold the policy) — phone, address, contact
- Top-center: INSURED (the carrier) — must match SAFER carrier name
- Mid-section: COVERAGES table — Type of Insurance, Policy Number, Effective Date, Expiration Date, Limits
- Bottom: CERTIFICATE HOLDER — who must be notified of cancellation
- Bottom-right: AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE signature
Red flags: missing certificate holder, expiration in past, mismatched insured name, "additional insured" listed without endorsement on file. Any of these and the document doesn't legally bind the insurer to honor a claim from the broker.
What happens when a carrier's COI lapses
On GetHaulDirect, the document upload includes an expiry date. The system flags carriers 30 days before expiry and again at 7 days. After expiry the carrier is auto-removed from the matching pool — no new offers route to them — until a fresh COI is uploaded.
A carrier who delivered a load while their COI was lapsed creates a real legal exposure for the shipper. Industry data shows ~3-5% of motor carriers operate uninsured at any given moment due to non-payment of premium. GetHaulDirect's expiry monitoring closes that window.