HDVI Review 2026

Quick Answer

HDVI (High Definition Vehicle Insurance) writes commercial trucking coverage built around telematics from day one. Your policy is repriced every month based on driving data pulled from your ELD or HDVI's installed device. Safe carriers can capture up to 20% in monthly discounts.¹ Primary liability for a single-truck owner-operator runs roughly $7,500 to $15,000 annually. The catch: your premium moves up as well as down each month, complicating budgeting. Best for safety-focused fleets willing to share data.

Company Background

HDVI launched in 2019 in Chicago as a managing general agent (MGA) focused on commercial trucking insurance with a telematics-first underwriting model.² The company is not a balance sheet insurer. They distribute, underwrite, and service policies, but the actual paper sits with rated reinsurers behind them. HDVI's primary capacity providers include Munich Re Specialty Insurance (A+ AM Best) and Spinnaker Insurance Company (A- AM Best).³ That backing satisfies FMCSA filing requirements and most shipper contracts.

In 2024, HDVI closed a $40 million funding round and expanded reinsurance capacity, bringing total capital raised to over $80 million.³ The same year they were named Standout MGA of the Year at the Excellence in Insurance Awards.⁴

The thesis behind HDVI is straightforward. Traditional commercial trucking insurance prices once a year based on annualized risk factors: loss history, fleet size, radius, commodity, MVRs, equipment. The pricing then sits for 12 months. A driver who tightens up in March waits until next March to see any benefit. HDVI compresses that cycle by repricing monthly based on telematics data, so a fleet that runs cleaner sees the bill drop within 30 days.

For small fleet owners, this matters because the legacy market does not differentiate well within the 1-to-20-truck segment. A safety-conscious operator running governed trucks gets quoted similar rates to riskier operations in the same bucket. HDVI's data-driven model is built to pull clean operators out of the pool.

Coverage Offerings

HDVI writes the standard commercial trucking insurance package, with most lines available bundled or stand-alone.

Primary Auto Liability. Limits commonly written at $750,000 or $1 million CSL to satisfy FMCSA minimums under 49 CFR Part 387.⁶ Higher limits up to $2 million available for shipper contracts. HDVI handles BMC-91 filings directly. This is the line where monthly telematics adjustments hit hardest, since auto liability is typically the largest part of a trucking insurance bill.

Physical Damage. Comprehensive and collision on power units and trailers. Agreed value and actual cash value (ACV) options available. Deductibles typically $1,000 to $5,000.

Motor Truck Cargo. Standard $100,000 limit on general freight. Reefer breakdown endorsement available. Loading and unloading coverage included on most policies. Specialty cargo (hazmat, household goods, high-value targeted commodities) may be declined or written with restrictions.

Non-Trucking Liability and Trailer Interchange. NTL covers the truck when not under dispatch (required by most leased-on agreements). Trailer interchange covers non-owned trailers under written interchange agreements common in dry van and refrigerated work.

General Liability. Premises and operations for the business entity. Bundled with auto at modest additional cost.

HDVI does not compete heavily in the very large fleet space above 100 units, where direct relationships with legacy players (Great West, Northland, Sentry) tend to win. They also decline specialty operations like heavy haul, household goods, auto transport, and tow.

Rates and Pricing

Carrier reports place primary liability quotes for a single-truck owner-operator with six or more months CDL experience and a clean MVR in the $7,500 to $15,000 range annually at $1M CSL. Multi-truck fleets see per-unit costs come down with scale. Physical damage runs roughly 4% to 8% of stated tractor value annually.

What makes HDVI different is what happens after binding. The base rate is calculated using conventional underwriting factors. Once the telematics device is installed or ELD integration is verified, monthly billing reflects the previous month's driving performance. Drivers who keep speeding violations, hard braking events, and hours of service infractions low can see cumulative discounts up to 20% off the base rate.¹ Drivers running outside the safe envelope may see their monthly premium climb above base.

The system is transparent. You can see the metrics that drive your score and adjust. Hard braking, hard acceleration, speeding above posted limits, distracted driving alerts, and hours of service compliance all feed into the model. HDVI does not publish a public rate calculator. Quote turnaround tends to run within a business day or two for clean accounts.

Pros Explained

Immediate rewards for safe driving. The monthly billing cycle means a fleet that tightens up sees the benefit within 30 days, not 12 months. For owner-operators and small fleets running disciplined operations, meaningful savings land in the bank account quickly rather than waiting for the next annual renewal.

Transparent pricing tied to behavior. The scoring metrics are visible. You know what HDVI is measuring and what behaviors drive your rate up or down. That transparency is rare in the legacy market, where rate increases at renewal often arrive with vague explanations about "market conditions."

Modern digital-first experience. Online quoting, mobile app for driver scoring, portal-based policy management, and digital certificates work the way modern software should. Compare that to legacy carriers where you still email PDF endorsement requests and wait three days.

Accepts newer operators. HDVI writes drivers with six or more months CDL experience, more permissive than carriers requiring two or more years of authority. That opens the door for newer entrants who otherwise struggle to find affordable coverage.

Competitive base rates before discounts. Base rates tend to be in line with other specialty trucking carriers. The telematics discount is additive, not a discount applied to an inflated starting price.

Cons Explained

Telematics is mandatory. You cannot opt out of data sharing and still get a competitive rate. Fleets running older trucks without compatible telematics may need to install HDVI's device, which carries its own cost. Drivers who object to constant scoring may push back.

Monthly premium swings complicate budgeting. Most carriers like the predictability of a fixed monthly bill. HDVI's model means your insurance line item can move 10% to 20% from month to month depending on driving behavior. For small fleets on thin margins, that variability adds noise to cash flow planning.

Less track record than legacy carriers. HDVI has been writing policies for roughly six years. The capacity providers behind them have decades of history, but HDVI's own claims handling, dispute resolution, and renewal practices are younger than Great West Casualty or Northland. Insurtechs in adjacent commercial lines have run into reserve adequacy issues as claims developed beyond initial projections.

Rates can climb above base for high-risk behavior. The flip side of the discount. Drivers who score poorly may see monthly premium increases above the base quote, sometimes substantially. Not hidden, but it surprises operators who expected only downside.

Limited specialty coverage. HDVI focuses on standard general freight. Heavy haul, hazmat above Class 3, household goods, auto transport, and tow operations typically get routed elsewhere.

Who It Is Best For

HDVI fits owner-operators and small fleets running 1 to 50 trucks where the operation is safety-focused, drivers will accept telematics monitoring, and the fleet can absorb monthly variability in the insurance bill. The carrier works particularly well for operators who already have ELDs from compatible vendors (Verizon Connect⁵, Samsara, Motive, Geotab), since integration is straightforward.

Newly-authorized operations with six or more months of CDL experience can fit too, more flexible than carriers requiring two-plus years of authority. Fleets running newer trucks with modern telematics stand to capture the discount most quickly.

Where HDVI does not fit: large fleets above 100 units that benefit from direct carrier relationships, specialty operations (heavy haul, household goods, auto haulers), fleets running older equipment without compatible telematics, drivers who refuse scoring monitoring, and operators who need fixed-rate budgeting predictability.

FAQ

Does HDVI accept new authorities?

Yes. HDVI writes new authority operations where the driver has at least six months of CDL experience and a clean MVR. More permissive than carriers like biBERK that require two or more years of operating authority.

What AM Best rating backs HDVI policies?

HDVI is an MGA. Capacity is provided by Munich Re Specialty Insurance (A+) and Spinnaker Insurance Company (A-).³ Both ratings are investment-grade and acceptable for FMCSA filings.

Is a telematics device required?

You need either a compatible ELD with data sharing enabled or HDVI's installed device to get the full benefit of the monthly discount model.

How quickly do telematics-based discounts start?

The first billing cycle uses the base quoted rate. After 30 days of data collection, monthly adjustments begin. Cumulative discounts toward the 20% maximum build over multiple months.

Can my premium actually go up under this model?

Yes. The monthly adjustment moves both directions. Drivers who score below the threshold may see premiums climb above base.

Does HDVI handle BMC-91 filings for FMCSA?

Yes. HDVI files the BMC-91 directly with FMCSA for primary liability at the federal minimum or higher limits. Active filings appear in the FMCSA SAFER system after binding.

Verdict

HDVI earns a 4.1 out of 5 and our Telematics Pioneer badge. For owner-operators and small fleets running safety-focused operations with compatible telematics already in place, the monthly repricing model delivers benefits the legacy market cannot match without an annual rate review. The A+ and A- rated capacity is solid, the tech stack is modern, and the willingness to write newer authorities sets HDVI apart from competitors requiring two-plus years.

The tradeoffs: monthly variability, shorter operational track record, and the upside-and-downside nature of telematics-based pricing. Insurance is a YMYL decision. Get quotes from at least two other markets and run the decision past a licensed commercial agent before binding.