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Financing and insurance for heavy haul and oversize loads

Lowboys, RGNs, and specialized trailers, permits for each route, and high-value equipment on the deck.

Short answer

Three things usually come first for a heavy haul carrier. One is paying for specialized trailers and the heavy-spec tractors that pull them. Another is cash to carry permits, escorts, and fuel while customers pay on terms. The third is cargo coverage that matches machinery worth far more than an average load. Oversize and overweight loads move under state permits, so every route comes with its own conditions. Providers and insurers decide what they offer, not us.

Which financing products do heavy haul carriers usually look at?

Heavy haul equipment is specialized, and a multi-axle lowboy or RGN can cost more than the tractor. Specialty trailers can have fewer providers, and the ones who finance them look closely at the equipment and your experience.

  • Equipment financing

    Lowboys, RGNs, multi-axle trailers, and heavy-spec tractors. Specialty trailers can have fewer providers, so ask early.

  • Working capital

    Permits, escorts, and fuel for a big job before the customer pays. Add up the total you would repay.

  • Line of credit

    Permit and escort costs that come with every job, if you have the history providers look for.

  • Factoring

    Contractors and equipment dealers may pay on terms. Ask how a factor handles permit and escort charges on the invoice.

  • SBA loans

    7(a) loans for trucks and trailers, and 504 loans for a yard.

  • Fuel cards

    Network coverage along permitted routes and fuel records for IFTA. We do not currently route fuel card requests.

Accounts receivable financing and asset-based lending tend to suit larger heavy haul carriers with steady receivables and valuable equipment to borrow against.

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Which insurance lines do heavy haul carriers usually ask about?

A single load of construction or industrial equipment can be worth more than the rest of your year's freight. Cargo limits, how loading and unloading are treated, and how permits and routes are described all matter. Policies vary, so read the declarations, definitions, and exclusions.

  • Motor truck cargo

    Machinery worth far more than an average load. Match limits to your most valuable job, and read the loading and unloading terms.

  • Primary auto liability

    Oversize loads on public roads, often with permit and contract requirements on top of the federal floor.

  • Physical damage

    Specialized trailers can be worth as much as the tractor. List both at their full value.

  • General liability

    Loading and unloading at job sites, where damage to the site or other property can fall outside auto coverage.

  • Commercial umbrella

    Contractors and project owners often ask for higher total limits than a primary policy carries.

  • Occupational accident

    Chaining heavy machinery is hands-on work, and owner-operators often lack an employer's coverage.

Also worth a look: inland marine for chains, binders, ramps, and other gear you carry, workers' compensation for employee drivers and crew, and trailer interchange if you pull trailers you don't own.

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What makes heavy haul different?

Oversize loads move by state permit. On the Interstate System, the federal maximum gross vehicle weight is 80,000 pounds unless the bridge formula sets a lower limit. States may issue special permits beyond the axle, gross, and bridge formula limits for nondivisible loads, meaning loads that would lose their use or value, or take more than 8 work hours to take apart, if split up. Each state sets its own permit conditions, such as routes, travel times, and escort vehicles, so plan the whole route before you price the job.

Securement for machinery has its own rule. Heavy equipment of 10,000 pounds or more on wheels or tracks must be restrained with at least four tiedowns, as close as practical to the front and rear or at designed mounting points. Accessory equipment such as buckets and booms must be lowered and secured, and articulated machines must be kept from articulating.

Match cargo limits to the machine, not the average load. A cargo limit that covers most of your loads may fall short on one excavator or transformer. Ask your agent how limits apply per load, how loading and unloading are treated, and whether a customer's own coverage is expected to respond.

Escorts are part of the job. Many permits call for escort vehicles, so line up pilot cars early and know who pays for them. The broader OTR and local haul and small fleets pages cover more ground.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as a nondivisible load?

Under the federal definition, a load or vehicle over the length or weight limits that, if split up, would no longer do its job, would lose its value, or would take more than 8 work hours to take apart. States issue special permits for those loads, and the permit applicant has to show the work hours if that is the reason.

Who issues oversize and overweight permits?

The states. Federal rules let states issue special permits beyond the axle, gross, and bridge formula limits for nondivisible loads, and each state sets its own conditions. A load crossing several states usually needs a permit from each one.

How many tiedowns does an excavator need?

Heavy equipment of 10,000 pounds or more on wheels or tracks needs at least four tiedowns, placed as close as practical to the front and rear or at designed mounting points. Attachments must be lowered and secured. The working load limits of the tiedowns are covered by other parts of the securement rules.

Can I finance a used lowboy?

Specialty trailers are financed through equipment financing, but fewer providers may know how to value them. Expect questions about the deck, axles, and condition, and your experience hauling heavy loads. Whether to work with you is the provider's decision.

Does my cargo policy cover a machine damaged while unloading?

It depends on the policy. Some cover loading and unloading, some limit or exclude it, and damage to the job site may fall under general liability instead. Ask your agent to show you the wording. See motor truck cargo.

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