Amazon Relay Insurance Requirements: What Trucking Companies Need in 2026
Updated: 15 hours ago
Amazon Relay has its own insurance requirements for carriers that want to book and haul Amazon loads. These are contractual requirements for the Relay platform and are separate from the minimum financial responsibility FMCSA may require for your operating authority.
Prefer to watch? Here's my quick video breakdown of the insurance Amazon Relay asks for:
Amazon Relay Insurance Requirements for 2026
$1,000,000 Auto Liability per occurrence
$100,000 Motor Truck Cargo
$1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate Commercial General Liability
$50,000 Trailer Interchange for semi operations
Workers' Compensation meeting applicable requirements
$100,000 Employers Liability per occurrence
These are Amazon's minimums. Your policy may need other coverage based on equipment, financing, contracts, state requirements, or the rest of your operation.
Wondering what all of this costs? Here's my breakdown of how much Amazon Relay insurance costs in 2026.
Auto Liability: $1 Million
Amazon requires at least $1 million in Auto Liability per occurrence. This is the main liability coverage on your trucking policy for bodily injury or property damage you cause to others, subject to the policy.
For many interstate for-hire property carriers hauling non-hazardous freight in vehicles weighing 10,001 pounds or more, FMCSA's federal minimum is $750,000. Amazon wants $1 million. Meeting the federal filing requirement does not automatically mean you meet Amazon's contractual requirement.
Read my Primary Auto Liability Insurance page for a fuller explanation.
Motor Truck Cargo: $100,000
Amazon requires at least $100,000 in Motor Truck Cargo coverage. This covers the freight you're hauling, subject to the policy's terms, exclusions and deductibles.
FMCSA does not generally require cargo insurance for ordinary for-hire property carriers, but Amazon can require it as a condition of hauling its freight. See my Motor Truck Cargo Insurance guide.
Commercial General Liability: $1 Million / $2 Million
Amazon requires $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate in Commercial General Liability. This is separate from Auto Liability and addresses certain non-auto liability exposures of the business, subject to the policy.
Trailer Interchange: $50,000 for Semi Operations
Amazon's February 2026 insurance guidance says semi operations need $50,000 in Trailer Interchange coverage. This is designed for physical damage to a non-owned trailer in your possession under a trailer interchange agreement, subject to the policy.
It is not the same as physical damage on a trailer you own. See Trailer Interchange vs. Non-Owned Trailer Coverage.
Before you sign for a trailer you don't own, read what to check in a trailer interchange agreement.
Workers' Compensation and Employers Liability
Amazon lists Workers' Compensation and at least $100,000 in Employers Liability per occurrence. Its current FAQ says Workers' Compensation is required in jurisdictions where the company operates, while its February 2026 article specifically says companies with W-2 employees need coverage meeting state guidelines.
Workers' Compensation rules vary by state and business structure, so I would not reduce this to a universal W-2 versus 1099 rule.
Amazon Requirements vs. FMCSA Insurance Requirements
FMCSA's filing requirement and Amazon Relay's insurance requirements serve different purposes. FMCSA sets minimum financial responsibility based on factors such as carrier type, vehicle weight and commodity. Amazon can require higher limits or additional coverage as a condition of using its platform.
A trucking company can therefore have active authority and still not have the insurance package Amazon requires.
Once you're approved, Amazon keeps checking. Here's how Amazon Relay verifies your insurance through RMIS and at renewal.
Does Amazon Relay Require Physical Damage?
Amazon's published minimum list does not include Physical Damage for your own truck. That does not mean you do not need it. A lender may require it, and an owner may choose to insure the equipment against covered collision and comprehensive losses.
See my Physical Damage Insurance page.
Box truck operators using Relay should also review my Box Truck Insurance guide for the broader coverage considerations that can apply to their operation.
How Can Alex Help?
If you're planning to haul Amazon Relay loads, I can review the insurance requirements against the trucking policy you're buying and help you compare available options. I focus on the insurance side—limits, coverages and underwriting details before you bind.
Related Resources
Amazon Relay determines its own carrier eligibility and contractual requirements, which can change. I can help with insurance, but I do not provide Amazon onboarding, legal, or DOT compliance services.
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