Maritime Industry Briefing: Freight Insurance Costs Surge as Carriers Face Growing Financial Pressure

## Freight Insurance Costs Surge, Raising Concerns Across Transport Sector Freight carriers are facing mounting financial pressure as insurance costs climb sharply, according to a new report from the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), as reported by FreightWaves. The ATRI study documents a substantial jump in truck insurance premiums paid by carriers, even as insurance providers themselves are reportedly operating in the red. The findings underscore a challenging dynamic in the commercial freight insurance market: carriers are absorbing higher costs while insurers struggle to achieve profitability on their underwriting books. Rising insurance premiums represent one of the most significant cost pressures facing freight operators today. For maritime and intermodal logistics businesses — many of which rely on trucking as a critical first- and last-mile component of supply chains — escalating land-side insurance costs can ripple through to overall freight rates and operational budgets. The ATRI report adds to a broader picture of financial stress in the freight sector, where operators are contending with fluctuating fuel costs, driver shortages, and softening spot market rates in some segments. Insurance cost inflation, driven in part by increased litigation costs and rising claims severity, has become a persistent challenge that shows little sign of abating in the near term. For maritime industry stakeholders involved in multimodal logistics, port drayage, or inland distribution, the ATRI findings serve as a timely reminder to review insurance cost structures and assess their downstream impact on freight procurement and contract negotiations. *Sources: FreightWaves, American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI)*