Insuring a tow truck is not like insuring a work van. Towing is high-risk business, so most generalist carriers decline it outright, and the ones that write it price it on the specifics of your operation: truck class, operating radius, driver records, claims history, and the coverage stack you carry. That means the "best" company is not one name. It is the right route for your shop.
This guide keeps it practical. We name the direct carriers worth a quote, the marketplaces that shop several carriers at once, and the specialist and wholesale brokers who write the hard stuff, then tell you which fits a one-truck startup versus a mixed fleet versus a book full of claims. First, one thing to get out of the way.
Why towing needs specialist insurance markets
Towing sits in a risk bucket most insurers avoid. Your trucks are heavy, they work roadside in traffic, and you take temporary custody of other people's vehicles, sometimes damaged ones. A standard commercial-auto policy does not cover the two exposures that define the trade: the customer's car while it is hooked to your truck, and the customer's car while it sits on your lot.
That is why towing insurance is its own specialty. The carriers who write it understand on-hook and garagekeepers coverage, motor-carrier filings, and the rotation and motor-club rules that often demand higher limits than the state floor. A broker who actually shops towing programs will usually beat a solo carrier for anything but the simplest single-truck policy, because they can reach markets a generalist agent cannot.
Quick picks
- Best overall direct carrier · Progressive Commercial
- Best value for small operators · biBERK
- Best marketplace to compare quotes · Insureon
- Best fast online intake · Simply Business
- Best for large fleets · National Interstate
- Best for a rough record · Prime Insurance
- Best specialist / hard-to-place · Amwins / TUMI
How we chose
We weighed each provider on the things that actually decide a towing policy: appetite for towing risk, whether they write on-hook and garagekeepers, financial strength (AM Best rating), fleet-size fit, and how you buy (online in minutes versus an agent who shops the market). We are the publisher and take no commission, so nothing here is pay-to-rank. Pricing and appetite change constantly and every policy is individually rated, so treat names and ranges as a starting point and confirm with each provider.
The best tow truck insurance companies and brokers in 2026
1. Progressive Commercial
Type: direct carrier · online quote · AM Best A+
Progressive is the most widely used commercial tow truck insurer in the country, and it earns the default spot. It has a broad equipment appetite, quotes online in minutes, handles the motor-carrier filings towing operators need, and bundles auto liability, physical damage, on-hook, and other coverages in one place. For a small-to-mid shop with a reasonable record, it is the fastest path to a bindable number.
Pros
- Broad appetite for tow trucks and wreckers
- Fast online quote and easy filings
- Strong financial strength, nationwide
Cons
- Not the cheapest for rough records
- Less hand-holding than a specialist broker
Pick it if you want a strong, bindable baseline quote fast, then compare a specialist against it.
2. biBERK
Type: direct carrier (Berkshire Hathaway) · online quote
biBERK sells business insurance direct to the owner, cutting the agent margin, and markets savings that can run meaningfully below an agent-placed policy for a straightforward operation. It is backed by Berkshire Hathaway, so the financial strength is there. Best fit is a small, clean single-truck or two-truck shop that knows the coverage it needs and wants to buy online without a middleman.
Pros
- Direct-to-owner pricing, often lower for clean books
- Berkshire Hathaway financial backing
- Quick online purchase and management
Cons
- Less suited to complex fleets or claims history
- You self-serve, so you own the coverage decisions
Pick it if you are small, clean, and comfortable choosing your own limits.
3. Insureon
Type: broker / marketplace · multiple carriers
Insureon is an online broker that shops your risk across many carriers, which is exactly what you want when a single direct quote comes back high or gets declined. You submit once and compare several bindable options for towing, including on-hook and garagekeepers. It is the efficient way to see the market without calling ten agents yourself.
Pros
- One application, several carrier quotes
- Agents who understand towing coverages
- Good for comparing the whole stack fast
Cons
- You are still buying a carrier's policy underneath
- Best options depend on which carriers have appetite that week
Pick it if you want to compare several real quotes from one place.
4. Simply Business
Type: broker / marketplace · small-business focus
Simply Business is another broker marketplace, tilted toward small businesses, with a quick online intake that represents many small-business insurers. For a lean roadside or light-duty operator who wants to compare a few options without a long agent call, it is a fast second opinion to run alongside Insureon and a direct quote.
Pros
- Fast, simple online intake
- Represents many small-business carriers
- Good second quote for small operators
Cons
- Small-business tilt, less built for big fleets
- Towing appetite varies by carrier behind it
Pick it if you are small and want a quick, low-friction comparison quote.
5. National Interstate
Type: specialty carrier · fleet programs (often 15+ power units)
National Interstate has built transportation insurance since the 1990s and runs a tow truck program aimed at fleet operations, commonly 15 or more power units. If you run a real fleet and want programs designed around towing and recovery, including options that reward good loss experience, this is a carrier built for your scale rather than a small-shop product stretched to fit.
Pros
- Purpose-built fleet and towing programs
- Options that reward strong safety and loss history
- Deep transportation underwriting experience
Cons
- Aimed at larger fleets, not one-truck shops
- Placed through agents, not instant online
Pick it if you run a sizable fleet and want a fleet-grade program.
6. Prime Insurance Company
Type: non-standard / high-risk carrier · AM Best A (Excellent)
When clean-book carriers decline you, Prime is the market that says yes. It specializes in non-standard and high-risk commercial auto, including towing operators with accidents or claims history, and carries an "Excellent" financial-strength rating from AM Best. You will pay more than a spotless operation would, but you get covered and legal instead of parked.
Pros
- Writes high-risk and prior-claims operations
- Strong financial strength for a non-standard market
- Keeps you insured when others decline
Cons
- Higher premiums (that is the trade)
- Usually placed through a specialist broker
Pick it if a claims history or driver record is getting you declined elsewhere.
7. Amwins / TUMI and local towing specialists
Type: wholesale / specialist broker · program business
Amwins runs a dedicated towing program through its TUMI underwriting team, written on strong paper, and it is the kind of specialist a generalist agent taps for hard-to-place towing risk. Alongside national wholesalers, a good local towing-specialist broker often reaches programs and pricing the retail market cannot, and they speak towing fluently: rotation limits, VSF exposure, on-hook and garagekeepers structure. This is the route when your risk is unusual.
Pros
- Reaches specialist and wholesale programs
- Understands towing-specific coverages deeply
- Good for unusual or larger exposures
Cons
- Accessed through a broker, not direct
- Less relevant for a simple single-truck policy
Pick it if your operation is unusual, larger, or keeps getting declined by direct carriers.
Tow truck insurers at a glance
| Provider | Type | Best for | Online quote? | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive Commercial | Direct carrier | Most small-to-mid shops | Yes | Broad appetite + filings |
| biBERK | Direct carrier | Small, clean operations | Yes | Direct-to-owner pricing |
| Insureon | Broker / marketplace | Comparing several quotes | Yes | One app, many carriers |
| Simply Business | Broker / marketplace | Lean small operators | Yes | Fast online intake |
| National Interstate | Specialty carrier | Fleets (15+ trucks) | Via agent | Fleet-grade programs |
| Prime Insurance | Non-standard carrier | Claims / rough records | Via broker | High-risk appetite |
| Amwins / TUMI | Wholesale specialist | Hard-to-place risk | Via broker | Specialist towing programs |
Carrier vs broker vs specialist: which route fits you
The right way to shop depends on your risk profile more than your budget. Match yourself to one of these three and start there.
Buy direct if you run one or two trucks, your drivers are clean, and your operation is common (light-duty roadside or local tows). Progressive or biBERK can bind you quickly and you keep the agent margin in your pocket.
Use a marketplace or broker the moment it gets less simple: a mixed fleet, an impound lot, motor-club or rotation requirements, or a driver with a ding. Insureon or Simply Business shop several carriers off one application, which beats collecting quotes one call at a time.
Go specialist for a real fleet, unusual exposures, or a claims history. National Interstate for fleet scale, Prime for high-risk placement, and Amwins/TUMI or a local towing wholesaler for anything a retail agent cannot place. New shops, in particular, should read the startup-cost side of this in how to start a roadside assistance business, where insurance is one of the few unavoidable line items.
What tow truck insurance costs (and what moves the number)
Plan on roughly $5,400 to $25,000 per truck per year in 2026, with most single-truck operators landing between $7,200 and $12,000. By the month, a light-duty shop with clean drivers often runs $450 to $700, while a heavy-duty wrecker doing long-distance or repossession work can top $2,000. Once you add on-hook and garagekeepers, a one-to-two-truck operation commonly sits in the $15,000 to $25,000 a year range all-in.
The headline liability limit is the number everyone quotes and the least useful one to compare on. Four coverages carry most of the premium weight, and they are where two "identical" quotes actually differ.
A few realities shape the bill. If you cross state lines with a truck over 10,000 pounds doing emergency moves, the FMCSA requires $750,000 in financial responsibility, and many motor clubs and police rotations demand a $1 million combined single limit plus on-hook and garagekeepers, higher than the state floor. Truck class, operating radius, driver records, and claims history do the rest. State rules also vary, so verify your own requirements before you buy; our private property towing laws by state guide shows how much the details change at the line. For carrier and cost data behind these ranges, see NerdWallet's tow truck insurance overview.
FAQ
Who has the cheapest tow truck insurance?
There is no single cheapest carrier for every shop, because rates are built on your trucks, radius, drivers, and claims. Going direct often shaves the agent margin, so biBERK can run lower for a small, clean operation. For a rough record the cheapest realistic option is usually a specialist broker who can place you with a non-standard carrier, not a name-brand quote you cannot actually get.
Is it better to use a broker or buy directly?
It depends on your risk. A single truck with clean drivers and a common operation can often buy direct from Progressive or biBERK and save the margin. A mixed fleet, an impound lot, a repo book, or any driver with claims usually does better with a broker like Insureon or a towing wholesaler who shops several carriers and reaches programs a generalist cannot.
Can I get tow truck insurance with a bad record or prior claims?
Yes, but you will pay more and likely need a non-standard market. Prime Insurance is built for this and writes high-risk towing operations that clean-book carriers decline. Work through a specialist broker who knows which carriers have appetite for claims history rather than collecting declines from direct quotes.
Does Progressive insure tow trucks?
Yes. Progressive Commercial is one of the most widely used tow truck insurers in the country, with a broad equipment appetite, online quoting, and the filings towing operators need. It is a strong default for a small-to-mid operation, though it is worth comparing a specialist quote before you sign.
What is the best tow truck insurance for a new towing company?
New operators with no claims history usually get the cleanest start from a direct carrier like Progressive or biBERK, or a marketplace like Insureon or Simply Business that shops several carriers at once. Expect to carry auto liability, physical damage, on-hook, and garagekeepers, and budget on the higher end at first because you have no loss history yet.
How many quotes should I get?
At least three, quoting the same coverage and limits so you compare like for like. One direct carrier, one marketplace or broker, and one towing specialist is a good spread. Compare on-hook and garagekeepers limits, deductibles, and exclusions, not just the headline liability number.
Key takeaways
- Most generalist carriers decline towing, so shop the specialist market: a few direct carriers, marketplaces, and towing wholesalers.
- Buy direct (Progressive, biBERK) if you are small and clean; use a broker (Insureon, Simply Business) once it gets complex; go specialist (National Interstate, Prime, Amwins/TUMI) for fleets, claims, or hard-to-place risk.
- Budget roughly $7,200 to $12,000 a year for a single truck, more with on-hook and garagekeepers, which push a small op toward $15,000 to $25,000.
- Compare the whole stack (on-hook and garagekeepers limits, deductibles, exclusions), not the liability headline.
- Insurance is a fixed cost you can only cut so far. The next dollar hides in the calls you miss.