Trailer Interchange Agreements: What to Check Before You Sign
When you hook up to a trailer you don’t own, there’s usually a piece of paper behind it: a trailer interchange agreement.
Most drivers sign it at the gate without reading it. But that agreement decides who pays if the trailer gets damaged, stolen, or wrecked while it’s with you.
Here’s what to look at before you sign, and how your insurance fits in.
If you’re looking for the difference between the two coverages for trailers you don’t own, start with my Trailer Interchange vs Non-Owned Trailer Coverage guide. This article focuses on the agreement itself.
What Is a Trailer Interchange Agreement?
A trailer interchange agreement is a written contract that lets you take possession of someone else’s trailer, chassis, or container. It spells out who’s responsible for that equipment while you have it and what condition it has to come back in.
You’ll see them with drop-and-hook freight, power-only loads, and shipper or broker trailer pools. In intermodal, most carriers sign the UIIA (Uniform Intermodal Interchange and Facilities Access Agreement), the industry’s standard version.
The agreement matters for insurance too. Trailer interchange coverage is built around a written interchange agreement. Without one, you may need non-owned trailer coverage instead.
Who Pays If the Trailer Gets Damaged?
In most interchange agreements, the carrier in possession of the trailer is responsible for damage that happens while it has the trailer. The UIIA, for example, has the motor carrier pay reasonable repair costs for damage during its possession.
That responsibility doesn’t stop when you unhook. If you drop the trailer at a yard and it gets broken into or damaged by a storm before it’s returned, the agreement may still put that on you.
Say you sideswipe a guardrail and crush the side of a trailer. The repair bill comes to $14,000. Under a typical agreement, that bill is yours, whether or not you have insurance to pay it.
What Should You Check Before You Sign?
Every agreement is a little different. Before you sign, these are the parts I look at so your insurance lines up with what you're agreeing to:
When your responsibility starts and ends — usually from pickup until the trailer is returned, including time it sits at a drop yard. Your coverage needs to be in place for that whole window.
The insurance it requires — the trailer interchange limit, the deductible, and whether the equipment owner has to be listed on your certificate.
Daily or loss-of-use charges — some agreements charge a daily fee while a trailer is out of service. Most standard policies don't include this, so it's worth asking about up front.
Return deadlines — know when the trailer has to be back and what a late return costs.
Extra responsibility language — some agreements add indemnity or hold-harmless terms. Those are contract questions, so have them reviewed if you're unsure. My job is making sure your insurance matches.
Send me the agreement before you sign it. I'll check it against your policy so your limit, deductible and certificate match what the equipment owner is asking for.
Does Your Trailer Interchange Limit Actually Cover the Trailer?
Trailer interchange coverage pays for physical damage to a trailer you don’t own while it’s in your care under a written agreement — things like collision, fire, theft, and vandalism.
But it only pays up to your limit. Say your policy carries a $25,000 trailer interchange limit, and you’re pulling a newer trailer worth $45,000. If that trailer is totaled, you could be on the hook for the $20,000 difference, plus your deductible.
Two more things to know:
A higher limit doesn’t mean a bigger check — on a total loss, the policy generally pays what the trailer was actually worth, not the full limit.
Loss-of-use charges usually aren’t covered — standard trucking policy forms exclude loss of use. If your agreement charges daily fees while the trailer is down, ask whether your policy adds that coverage.
That’s why I want to know the value of the trailers you actually pull, not just the minimum a load board asks for. My Physical Damage Insurance page explains how coverage for your own truck and trailer works.
What Does Amazon Relay Require?
Amazon Relay is one of the most common places truckers run into interchange requirements. According to Amazon Relay, carriers running semis need $50,000 in trailer interchange coverage, on top of its liability and cargo requirements.
Read the trailer terms in your Relay account before you haul, and make sure your certificate of insurance shows the trailer interchange limit. Amazon can change its requirements, so check the current ones in Relay rather than relying on an old screenshot.
For the full list, read my Amazon Relay Insurance Requirements article.
What If There’s No Written Agreement?
Sometimes you pull a trailer you don’t own with nothing signed. In that case, trailer interchange coverage may not respond, because it’s built around a written agreement.
That’s where non-owned trailer coverage can come in. It usually applies only while the trailer is hooked to your truck, so it’s narrower. Which one you need depends on how you get your trailers and what your customers require.
What I Need to Review Your Trailer Coverage
The interchange agreement you’re being asked to sign
Who you pull trailers for (Amazon Relay, brokers, shippers, intermodal)
The type and approximate value of the trailers you pull
Your current trailer interchange or non-owned trailer limit and deductible
How Can Alex Help?
When you send me an interchange agreement, I look at what it makes you responsible for and compare it with the trailer coverage on your policy. If there’s a gap in the limit, the deductible, or the type of coverage, I’ll show you the options available.
I’m not an attorney and can’t give legal advice on the contract itself, but I can help you make sure the insurance side matches what you’re signing.
Related Resources
Coverage depends on the specific policy, insurer, and agreement, including limits, deductibles, and exclusions. This article explains insurance implications only and is not legal advice about any contract.
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