Does your car insurance cover a moving truck?
Often only partly. The truck and what's in it are usually separate questions.
A rental counter will offer you damage waivers and extra liability. Whether you need them depends on your own car policy, and a moving truck is where personal auto policies most often fall short.
What follows is based on a standard ISO personal auto policy. Insurers' own forms differ, and some exclude trucks above a certain size outright, so call your insurer with the truck's size before you rent.
Damage to the truck itself
In the standard form, collision and comprehensive coverage extends to a "non-owned auto", which it defines as a private passenger auto, pickup, van or trailer. A box truck generally falls outside that definition, so damage to the truck is often not covered by your car policy.
That's why the rental company's damage waiver matters more for a moving truck than for a rental car. Some credit cards cover rental cars too, but many exclude trucks.
Liability while you drive it
Liability coverage in the standard form applies to your use of a vehicle you don't own. But many insurers limit it for larger trucks, and a truck you rent for a business move may be excluded. Ask your insurer directly: "Does my liability coverage apply to a rented moving truck of this size?"
Your belongings in the truck
Car insurance doesn't cover your things. The standard form excludes property damage to property you own or are transporting. Your homeowners or renters policy may cover belongings in transit for certain causes of loss, and rental companies sell cargo coverage too.
Towing your car behind the truck
Your car stays covered under your own policy while it's being towed, as long as the policy is in force. Damage the tow dolly or trailer causes is a separate question for the rental company.
Common questions
It often covers liability, but usually not damage to the truck itself, especially larger box trucks. Ask your insurer about the specific truck size, and consider the rental company's damage waiver.
Not by your car insurance. Your homeowners or renters policy may cover them for some causes of loss while in transit. Check your policy or buy cargo coverage.
For damage to the truck, often yes, because personal policies usually don't cover it. For liability, check first what your own policy provides.
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This page is general information, not advice about your specific circumstances. A licensed insurance professional can tell you what’s actually available to you.
Sources
- Personal Auto Policy, form PP 00 01 09 18 (specimen), Insurance Services Office, via the Virginia State Corporation Commission. Checked 23 September 2026.
General information only, not insurance advice. Coverage, availability, and terms vary by insurer and by state, and are subject to underwriting. Quote My Policy LLC connects you with licensed insurance professionals. Nothing here binds coverage.