A Short Glossary Before the Details
- MCS-90
- An endorsement the FMCSA requires on liability policies for most for-hire interstate motor carriers. It attaches to your trucking liability policy rather than standing on its own.
- The public
- Other drivers, pedestrians, and property owners injured or damaged by your truck. They are the people this endorsement is written for.
- Reimbursement
- The insurer’s right to recover money from the carrier after paying a claim the policy itself did not cover.
What It Does Not Do
The MCS-90 does not repair your tractor, replace your cargo, or broaden your coverage. It also does not replace the separate intrastate filings Texas handles through TxDMV. Owner-operators working with AlphaSure Affordable Insurance Services in San Antonio, TX are often surprised to learn it offers them no direct benefit at all.
Where It Can Cost a Carrier Money
Suppose a claim arises involving a driver or unit the policy does not list. The MCS-90 may still require the insurer to pay the injured party up to federal minimum limits. The insurer can then turn to the carrier to be paid back. That is why keeping every truck and driver properly scheduled matters so much.
Three Habits That Keep This From Becoming a Problem
- Report every new unit and hired driver before the first dispatch
- Remove sold or parked trucks promptly so records stay accurate
- Review your schedule of vehicles at each renewal
For more on how liability limits are set in Texas, see our trucking liability coverage guide, or read about long haul liability versus bobtail coverage. Questions about your own filings? The team at AlphaSure Affordable Insurance Services in San Antonio, TX can review your policy and endorsements line by line.
