National Indemnity Review 2026

Quick Answer

National Indemnity is the insurer to call when claims-paying certainty matters more than the rate. The Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary writes commercial trucking through independent agents only, with an A++ (Superior) AM Best rating no other major trucking writer matches.²³ Best fit: established fleets (5 to 500 power units) with at least two years of clean authority and an experienced trucking-specialist agent. Expect primary liability roughly $7,000 to $13,000 per power unit for qualifying risks. Tradeoff: conservative underwriting closes the door on new authorities, fresh CDLs, and any operation with a recent at-fault loss or DOT recordable.

Company Background

National Indemnity was founded in 1940 in Omaha by Jack Ringwalt, who built it on a simple thesis: insure risks no one else wanted, but price them honestly.⁴ In 1967, Warren Buffett bought National Indemnity for Berkshire Hathaway, and it has anchored Berkshire's insurance operations ever since.⁴

Today, National Indemnity is one of the largest P&C insurers in the world by surplus, with an AM Best rating of A++ (Superior), the highest available.²³ Almost no other trucking writer sits at the same tier. For a fleet buying a $1 million primary liability policy that may need to respond to a catastrophic loss, that financial backing is the entire point of the purchase.

National Indemnity is headquartered in Omaha and writes through independent agents only.⁵ The company does not market directly to motor carriers and does not quote online. Carriers reach the program through trucking-specialist agents with a National Indemnity appointment.

Distribution discipline is part of the brand. The company does not chase market share by underpricing in soft markets. In hard markets, when smaller writers pull back or exit trucking, National Indemnity has historically remained a presence for established fleets. That consistency matters to operators who have watched insurer after insurer leave the trucking segment.

Coverage Offerings

National Indemnity writes a full commercial trucking package through its agent network, with underwriting that runs distinctly more conservative than specialty MGAs or new-entrant programs.

Primary Auto Liability: Coverage meeting FMCSA financial responsibility requirements, typically $750,000 or $1 million CSL with higher limits available.⁶ National Indemnity handles BMC-91 filings. Underwriting favors fleets with 2+ years of authority, low loss ratios, and modern equipment.

Physical Damage: Comp and collision for tractors and trailers, with actual cash value or stated amount options. Deductibles commonly run $1,000 to $5,000. Stated amount coverage requires supporting valuation documentation.

Motor Truck Cargo: Broad form cargo coverage with refrigeration breakdown available for reefer operations. Commodity-specific endorsements exist, but specialized loads (autos, household goods, hazmat) require additional underwriting and may be declined depending on loss history.

General Liability: Premises and operations coverage for the terminal, yard, and office.

Umbrella / Excess Liability: Higher-limit coverage above the primary layer. With nuclear verdicts pushing trucking settlements into eight figures, fleets running brokered freight increasingly find this essential. National Indemnity writes umbrellas selectively, typically only over its own primary or an A-rated carrier's primary.

Not in the standard menu: occupational accident, workers' comp, or non-trucking liability for leased owner-operators. Fleets needing those coverages typically work with a specialist agent who can place them with affiliated carriers alongside the National Indemnity package.

Rates and Pricing

National Indemnity does not publish rates and does not quote online, so all pricing benchmarks come from agent surveys. Pricing for qualifying fleets tends to land in the middle of the trucking commercial-auto market.

Indicative annual premium ranges for established operators (2+ years authority, clean MVR, modern equipment):

• Primary Liability ($1M CSL): $7,000 to $13,000+ per power unit
• Physical Damage: $2,000 to $5,500+ per unit
• Motor Truck Cargo: $1,200 to $3,500+ per policy

For fleets that meet the underwriting profile, rates are often competitive with or modestly below trucking specialists, because conservative book selection keeps loss ratios low. For everything else, the answer is usually a polite decline.

The A++ AM Best rating²³ is the most important data point in the pricing conversation. Two carriers might quote the same liability premium, but if one is A++ and the other is an unrated MGA, the buyer is not getting the same product. Claims-paying ability is what you are buying.

Hedging note: ranges reflect agent-reported figures. Actual quotes vary by territory, commodity, loss history, driver roster, and equipment age.

Pros Explained

Financial strength no one in the segment matches. A++ (Superior) is the top AM Best rating, held consistently by National Indemnity as Berkshire Hathaway's flagship insurer.²³ For a carrier facing the possibility of a single catastrophic accident, knowing the policy will pay regardless of insurer solvency is real value, not marketing.

Stability through market cycles. Trucking insurance is famously cyclical. In hard markets, smaller writers pull back, exit the segment, or shut down. National Indemnity has been writing commercial auto for decades and does not panic in hard markets. For fleets that prefer not to shop insurers every year, the consistency matters.

Disciplined pricing for qualified risks. Because the company is selective on the book it writes, qualifying fleets often see pricing that holds up against trucking specialists on comparable coverage.

Capacity for large fleets. For fleets in the 50 to 500 power-unit range needing higher liability limits or specialized umbrella structures, the Berkshire Hathaway reinsurance backing means National Indemnity can write capacity smaller insurers cannot. Larger fleet buyers often find the company a natural fit once they outgrow regional or specialty writers.

Cons Explained

New authorities effectively cannot get a quote. Underwriting requires at least two years of authority for most binding scenarios, with clean loss history and experienced drivers.⁵ If your MC number is under 12 months old, this is not your insurer. Specialty new-entrant programs exist at other carriers for a reason.

Conservative underwriting closes the door on non-standard risks. Carriers with a recent at-fault accident, a DOT recordable in the past 24 months, hazmat or oversize operations, or specialty commodity hauling typically get declined or quoted with restrictions. National Indemnity is not a market for distressed or unusual risks.

Agent-only distribution adds friction. No online quote, no direct consumer line, no rate transparency. You need a trucking-specialist agent with a National Indemnity appointment, and that agent's quality determines a meaningful part of your service experience.

Limited menu compared to trucking specialists. Occupational accident, non-trucking liability for leased owner-operators, and workers' comp typically come from separate writers. Fleets wanting the full trucking package under one roof may find a trucking-only specialist a better fit.

Who It's Best For

National Indemnity fits established mid-size to large fleets (20 to 500 power units, though 5-truck operations meeting the profile can qualify) with at least two years of authority, clean loss history, modern equipment, and an experienced trucking-specialist agent. Fleets that prioritize claims-paying certainty over rate optimization will find the A++ rating worth real money.

The carrier also works for established small fleets (5 to 20 power units) running general freight, dry van, reefer, or flatbed in standard territories with experienced drivers.

Not a fit: new authorities under 12 months, owner-operators with thin operating history, carriers with recent at-fault losses or DOT recordables, hazmat or specialty commodity haulers, and anyone needing a one-stop package for occupational accident and non-trucking liability. Those operators are usually better served by Great West Casualty, a trucking-specialty MGA, or a surplus-lines program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is National Indemnity owned by Berkshire Hathaway? Yes. Berkshire Hathaway purchased the company in 1967, and it is one of Berkshire's primary insurance subsidiaries.⁴

Can I get a quote directly from National Indemnity? No. Distribution is exclusively through independent agents and trucking-specialty brokers. You need an appointed agent to get an indication.

Will National Indemnity write a new authority? Generally no. The underwriting program typically requires at least two years of authority with clean loss history. New authorities are usually directed to specialty new-entrant programs elsewhere.

What is National Indemnity's AM Best rating? A++ (Superior), the highest available, consistently held as part of the Berkshire Hathaway insurance group.²³

Does National Indemnity offer occupational accident or non-trucking liability? Not in the standard commercial trucking package in most cases. Those coverages typically come from a separate writer alongside the National Indemnity policy.

How does pricing compare to trucking specialists? For qualifying established fleets, pricing is often competitive with or modestly below trucking-only specialists. For carriers that do not fit the underwriting profile, National Indemnity is not in the conversation at any price.

Verdict

National Indemnity at 4.1 out of 5 reflects a carrier with unmatched financial strength and a deliberately narrow underwriting appetite. For established fleets that meet the profile, the A++ AM Best rating²³ and Berkshire Hathaway backing provide claims-paying certainty no other major trucking writer can match, and pricing for qualifying risks is often competitive.

The agent-only distribution, two-year authority requirement, and conservative underwriting close the door on a wide swath of the trucking population. For new authorities, owner-operators with thin records, or carriers in distress, National Indemnity is not the answer.

Rating: 4.1/5 — Top-tier financial strength and disciplined underwriting for established fleets. Not accessible to new authorities or non-standard risks.