Truck Physical Damage,
by the day.
Your truck breaks down at 6pm on a Friday and the rental counter wants a certificate with the year, make, VIN, loss payee and lien holder listed. Insurance agents keep banker's hours. CargoLabs doesn't — bind daily physical damage on the substitute unit and email the certificate to the rental company in minutes.
- Coverage by the day, 1–5 days at a time
- Certificate lists year, make, VIN and stated value
- Non-owned & undescribed trailer option
- Buy 24/7 — nights, weekends and holidays
- Term
- Per day, 1–5 days
- Stated value
- Up to $200K
- Deductible
- $1,000 per occurrence
- Paper
- Incline P&C Group
- Trailers
- Non-owned option
- Certificate
- Instant, 2 holders
What it is
What is short-term truck physical damage insurance?
Physical damage insurance pays to repair or replace your own equipment — tractor or trailer — after collision, fire, theft, vandalism or weather. Your annual policy covers the units scheduled on it. It usually does not cover the rental you grabbed after a breakdown, the temporary substitute you're running while yours is in the shop, or a trailer you picked up under interchange.
CargoLabs' Physical Damage – Temporary Substitute product fills that gap by the day. Enter the unit's year, make, VIN and stated value (up to $200,000), choose one to five days, and bind. The $1,000 per-occurrence deductible and the equipment details print on a certificate the rental company or lien holder can accept immediately. Need coverage on a unit you plan to keep? A monthly subscription option is also available.
Why carriers use it
Trucks break down after 5:00 and before 9:00
Truckers work 24/7. Insurance companies work 9–5, Monday to Friday. The rental you need tonight can't wait for an agent to open on Monday.
Rental counters want a very specific certificate
Truck and trailer rentals want the year, make, VIN, loss payee and lien holder provisions listed. Only an agent can endorse those onto a certificate — and they keep banker's hours.
Do it yourself, in minutes
You enter the year, make, VIN and stated value; the certificate is generated digitally and emailed to the rental company from the agent's sales portal — no phone call, no waiting.
How it works
Physical Damage coverage in three steps
From quote to certificate in minutes, not days. Everything is self-service.
Quote
Enter the trip, equipment or driver details. You get a price in seconds — no paper application, no phone call.
Bind
Pick the limit or term you need and pay online. Coverage is bound instantly for exactly that period.
Get certified
Your compliant certificate of insurance is emailed immediately, ready to forward to the broker, shipper or rental company.
Who it's for
Built for the units that aren't on your schedule
Rentals, substitutes and interchanged equipment — covered by the day, certified on the spot.
Motor carriers & owner-operators
Cover a rental or temporary substitute tractor while yours is down. Get the certificate the rental company needs before you leave the lot.
See carrier coverageTrailer interchange & non-owned trailers
Pick up a non-owned, undescribed trailer under interchange and cover it for the days you have it. Sign the interchange agreement in the same flow.
About trailer interchangeEquipment & rental providers
Give carriers a self-service way to insure the unit before it leaves your yard — with the certificate emailed to you as certificate holder.
See equipment coverageCompare
Daily physical damage vs. adding a unit to your annual policy
For a unit you'll only run for a few days, the annual route is slow and expensive. Daily coverage is built for it.
| Daily with CargoLabs | Endorse it onto your annual policy | |
|---|---|---|
| Buy at 6pm on a Friday | Yes | No |
| Time to certificate | Minutes, emailed | Next business day or longer |
| Pay only for the days you have the unit | Yes | No |
| Year, make, VIN and stated value on the certificate | Yes | After agent endorsement |
| Non-owned & undescribed trailer | Yes | Depends on policy |
| Deductible | $1,000 per occurrence | Per your policy |
More per-trip coverage
Every coverage a load can require
The same quote → bind → certificate flow works across the CargoLabs product line.
Excess Single Trip Cargo Insurance
Raise your Motor Truck Cargo limit up to $1MM for one load. Excess over your annual policy, bought per trip.
Learn morePer-Trip Excess Auto Liability Insurance
Add $1MM or $2MM of excess auto and general liability above your $1MM primary — for one trip, not a whole year.
Learn moreOccupational Accident Insurance for Owner-Operators
Monthly occ/acc for 1099 owner-operators and contract drivers — accidental death, medical and disability benefits, with contingent liability included.
Learn moreNon-Trucking Liability Insurance
Liability coverage for leased owner-operators when the truck is off dispatch — $1MM limit, ~$1/day per unit, start online.
Learn moreTrailer Interchange Insurance
Coverage for non-owned trailers in your possession under an interchange agreement. Dedicated per-trip product in development — daily physical damage on non-owned trailers available today.
Learn moreDouble Brokering Protection
Protection for freight brokers and carriers against losses from double-brokered loads. In development.
Learn moreFAQ
Short-Term Truck Physical Damage Insurance, answered
- What does truck physical damage insurance cover?
- It covers loss or damage to the insured unit itself — tractor or trailer — from causes like collision, fire, theft, vandalism and weather. It does not cover cargo (see cargo insurance) or your liability to others (see auto liability).
- How long can I buy daily physical damage for?
- One to five days per purchase, starting on the date you choose. It's designed for rentals, temporary substitute units and short interchange periods.
- What is the maximum stated value and the deductible?
- The daily Temporary Substitute product covers a stated value up to $200,000 with a $1,000 per-occurrence deductible. Both print on the certificate.
- Can I cover a rented or non-owned trailer?
- Yes. Choose the non-owned & undescribed trailer option (trailers only, not tractors) and the certificate is issued for a non-owned, undescribed trailer.
- What information do I need to bind?
- The unit's VIN, year, make and stated value, your named-insured details, and up to two certificate holders — for example the rental company and a lien holder.
- Will the rental company accept the certificate?
- The certificate lists the year, make, VIN, stated value, deductible, insurer, policy number and policy period, with the rental company named as certificate holder, and it's emailed instantly. It's the same information a rental counter asks an agent to endorse.
- Is there a longer-term option?
- Yes. A monthly physical damage subscription is available through participating agencies, with limits up to $1MM and a $10,000 deductible. It is not available in all states — check with your agent.
- Is daily physical damage available 24/7?
- Yes. Quote, bind and certificate are all self-service, so you can buy coverage nights, weekends and holidays.
Need a certificate for a rental or substitute unit right now?
Bind daily physical damage in minutes and email the certificate straight to the rental company.