How much does bobtail insurance cost in South Dakota? (2026)
Bobtail insurance pricing in South Dakota is shaped by the same state-specific bureau loss-cost filings that govern every commercial policy issued in South Dakota. Below: the most-recent South Dakota filings affecting bobtail operations, cited to the regulator or bureau filings they came from — primary-source, government-held pricing records. Read the full national context on the Bobtail cost guide.
Recent rate-filing activity — 2 state filings across 1 commercial line
Commercial carriers can't charge whatever they want — each state's Department of Insurance must approve loss-cost filings before they take effect. These are primary-source, government-held records available on SERFF Filing Access. Cited below: the most-recent active filings affecting bobtail operations, each cited to the regulator or bureau filing it came from.
| Line | State | Overall change | Effective | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WC | SD | LCM applied to NCCI loss cost — TIERED by underwriting category | Jul 1, 2025 | Filing #SD-DOI-TRAVELERS-CIA-LCM-2025 |
| WC | SD | LCM multiplier applied to NCCI advisory loss cost | Jul 1, 2022 | Filing #SD-DOI-HARTFORD-UND-LCM-2022 |
Source: SERFF Filing Access (filingaccess.serff.com) — the official public-records interface for state Department of Insurance filings. Loss-cost changes shown are the overall bureau-wide change in each state; the actual impact on your quote depends on your class code, payroll, experience modifier, and carrier-specific loss-cost multiplier (LCM). Get a quote for your exact numbers.
Scope note: the filings tabulated above reflect NCCI class 9586 (Barber/Beauty Services) as an illustrative example of WC filing structure. This operation's actual WC class is NCCI 7228 (Trucking — Mail, Parcel and Package Delivery) — long-haul / interstate / parcel-and-package trucking typically maps to 7228; short-haul local operations may instead classify under 7219 (Trucking — Local Hauling NOC); long-haul interstate may also use 7230 (Trucking — Long Haul) depending on operating radius. Trucking + commercial-auto loss costs are jointly bureau-filed (ISO + NCCI); the per-state ranges shown reflect cross-class WC mechanics rather than 7228 rates specifically. Confirm your specific class-code mapping at quote with your underwriter.
National context — Bobtail insurance overview
Bobtail insurance covers an owner-operator's semi-truck when it's being driven without a trailer attached — most commonly between loads when leased to a motor carrier. It's narrow, specialized, and often confused with the related Non-Trucking Liability (NTL) coverage, which fills the gap when you're driving the truck off-duty (personal errands, weekend trips). Most leased owner-operators carry BOTH bobtail + NTL together — the motor carrier's primary liability covers you only when you're under dispatch with a trailer.
Pricing is tight and predictable: typically $300-$800/year for bobtail alone, and $400-$1,200/year when bundled with NTL (III commercial-truck-insurance benchmark 2024). Every number on this page traces to a named external publication. Use the calculator below for your range, then get a real quote in 5 minutes.
National benchmark figures
Published cost ranges for Bobtail insurance — useful as a national baseline against which the South Dakota filings above signal local direction.
Industry-typical market ranges (national)
Sourced from III, NCCI, ISO, NAIC, BLS, FMCSA, FDA, NRA — government and bureau publications, not from our quote form
Market ranges from published industry sources:
- Bobtail (deadhead) liability alone: typically $300-$800/year per truck for a leased owner-operator with a clean MVR (III commercial-insurance basics)
- Non-Trucking Liability (NTL) endorsement (when bundled with Bobtail): typically adds $100-$400/year (III commercial-truck-insurance benchmark data, 2024)
- Workers Comp for owner-operators with employees: typically $4-$10/$100 of payroll for NCCI Class Code 7228 (Long-Distance Trucking)
- Physical Damage (Collision + Comprehensive on the tractor): typically $1,500-$3,500/year — separate from Bobtail liability
- MCS-90 endorsement (federal financial-responsibility filing): no premium charge, but required for interstate motor carriers under 49 CFR §387.
State variation is moderate — high-litigation states (CA, FL, LA, NY, NJ) typically run 15-25% above national baseline; Midwest + Plains states run below.
For South Dakota-specific direction, see the filed-rate table above.
Industry context — what published research says about Bobtail coverage
- Bobtail vs HNOA: bobtail liability applies to a commercial truck operating without a trailer; Hired & Non-Owned Auto (HNOA) applies to non-owned vehicles used for business. Different products, often confused. IRMI Glossary.
- Bobtail vs NTL coverage gap: bobtail covers driving without a trailer; NTL covers driving when not under dispatch (off-duty use). The motor carrier's primary liability covers neither — that's why leased owner-operators need both. III commercial-insurance basics.
- FMCSA filing requirements: commercial trucks crossing state lines must carry $750K minimum primary liability ($1M for hazmat). MCS-90 endorsement is the FMCSA-required financial-responsibility certification. FMCSA.
- Lease arrangement matters: most motor carriers (e.g., Schneider, Werner, Knight-Swift) require leased owner-operators to carry bobtail + NTL as a condition of lease. Check your lease for specific limit requirements (usually $1M CSL). IRMI.
- Workers Compensation thresholds: owner-operators with employees need WC from the first non-owner employee in 49 states. Texas is opt-in. Class 7228 (long-haul trucking) is one of the highest WC rate classes in the country. NAIC Workers Comp topic.
How to lower your bobtail insurance cost
General levers that apply nationally — South Dakota operators may also have state-specific levers (e.g. non-subscriber WC, multi-jurisdiction permit consolidation).
Get your actual South Dakota quote in 5 minutes
The data above is regulator-filed direction. Your actual South Dakota quote depends on class code, payroll, experience modifier, and the LCM each carrier files.
Get a free South Dakota quote → 📞 Call 1-833-505-2594More South Dakota rate-filing detail
- All South Dakota commercial rate filings (every line, every recent filing) — the broader rate-data view for South Dakota
- Rate filings by state — directory of all 47+ states with active filings
- National Rate Change Tracker — every filing across every state, sortable
Get a real South Dakota quote for bobtail
The data above shows the regulator-filed direction for South Dakota. For your actual quote — based on payroll, experience modifier, and the LCM each carrier files — request a free quote in under 90 seconds.
Get a free South Dakota quote →Related guides
Sources cited (national context above)
- Bobtail insurance for truck drivers — Insurance Information Institute (III), 2024
- Trucking insurance cost + coverage guide — Insurance Information Institute (III), 2024
- Insurance filing requirements (49 CFR 387) — MCS-90 — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), 2024
- Non-Trucking Liability + Bobtail glossary entries — International Risk Management Institute (IRMI), 2024
- NCCI Scopes Manual Class Code 7228 — Long-distance trucking — National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), 2024