Bus and shuttle charter insurance
Protection for charter, tour, airport and transit operators across Washington and Oregon, built around passenger exposure and DOT compliance that a standard commercial auto policy doesn't address.
Passenger-carrier markets · MCS-90 and BMC-91 filings
One accident, many passengers
Bus and shuttle operators carry passengers every day, and a single accident can injure dozens at once, generating claims that easily exceed standard limits. Whether you run charter coaches, airport shuttles, tour buses, school transportation or corporate shuttles, a standard commercial auto policy isn't built for carrying 15, 40 or 55 passengers at a time.
First Underwriters has insured Pacific Northwest passenger-transportation operators since 1992. For federal requirements, see the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation.
How a single incident escalates
Illustrative examples of how one passenger-transport incident grows when coverage or limits fall short, and what closes the gap.
A charter bus rear-ends a stopped vehicle
A charter bus rear-ended a stopped vehicle on the highway. Thirty-five passengers were injured, from whiplash to broken bones: thirty-five separate claims from a single event. Passenger transport concentrates exposure, and dozens of simultaneous bodily-injury claims can quickly exceed a standard commercial auto limit.
- Passenger medical bills$1,450,000
- Lost wages$520,000
- Pain and suffering settlements$650,000
- Legal defense$180,000
Illustrative example. Real outcomes depend on the facts and your policy terms.
Build the right program for your fleet
Every operator starts with commercial auto liability, physical damage and general liability. Tell us how you run and we'll show what else typically applies. A starting point for your quote; no contact details needed.
Your operation
Select everything that applies.
Coverage that typically applies
8 coverages — a starting point for a conversation, not a quote.
- Commercial Auto LiabilityBodily injury and property damage from your vehicles.
- Physical DamageCollision and comprehensive on your fleet.
- General LiabilityTerminal, boarding and premises injuries.
- Workers' CompensationDriver injuries, loading and assaults.
- Employment Practices LiabilityDiscrimination, harassment and termination claims.
- Passenger BaggageLost or damaged luggage in your care.
- Umbrella / Excess LiabilityCatastrophic limits above primary policies.
- Federal Filings (MCS-90/BMC-91)Filings for interstate and 16+ passenger carriers.
From fleet review to federal filing
Understand your operation
Your fleet and values, routes and passenger capacity (charter, tour, airport, school or corporate), interstate or intrastate mix, driver roster, safety record, operating authority and prior claims, so the program matches your real exposure.
Match to transport markets
We approach carriers that specialize in passenger transportation, with options across more than 50 markets and fair pricing for strong safety programs, rather than general commercial auto markets that exclude or misprice bus and shuttle risk.
Set limits and file federally
Liability limits matched to passenger capacity, stated or agreed value on the fleet, an umbrella over the whole program, and the MCS-90 and BMC-91 filings that keep interstate authority in good standing.
Compliance and claims
DOT-compliance support across driver qualification, drug testing, hours of service and ELDs, vehicle maintenance and CSA-score review, plus claims support from first notice.
Every coverage a bus or shuttle operation may need
Filter by type or search to see the coverage we place for charter, tour, airport and transit operators.
Commercial Auto Liability
The foundation of bus and shuttle insurance: bodily-injury and property-damage liability when your vehicles cause harm, with federal $5 million minimums for interstate passenger carriers and defense costs included.
Physical Damage
Collision and comprehensive for motorcoaches, shuttle buses and vans that can cost $100,000–$600,000+ each, with stated or agreed value options and rental reimbursement.
Hired & Non-Owned Auto
Covers rented vehicles used for peak demand and employee-owned vehicles used for company business, a gap standard fleet policies leave open.
General Liability
Non-auto exposures: terminal and office injuries, boarding and exiting accidents, waiting-area injuries, customer property damage and advertising injury.
Passenger Baggage
Damage to or loss of passenger luggage and personal belongings in your care, essential for tour and charter operations.
Umbrella / Excess Liability
Additional limits ($5M–$25M+) above auto and general liability for accidents that can generate multi-million-dollar, multi-claimant claims.
Workers' Compensation
Driver injuries from accidents, loading and unloading, passenger assaults, slips and repetitive strain. Required for all Washington employees.
Employment Practices Liability
Claims by employees alleging discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, wage-and-hour disputes or retaliation across a diverse driver pool.
Crime / Employee Dishonesty
Employee theft, cash-handling losses, fare-box theft, credit-card fraud and passenger-property theft in field operations.
Garage Liability
For operators who maintain their own fleet or run a shop: maintenance operations, vehicles in your care, shop-employee injuries, fuel storage and environmental exposure.
Cyber Liability
Data breaches, credit-card theft, reservation-system hacks, ransomware and business interruption for connected operations.
Federal Filings (MCS-90/BMC-91)
We prepare and file the MCS-90, BMC-91 and other federal forms interstate and 16+ passenger carriers must maintain to keep operating authority in good standing.
Passenger-transport operations we cover
From charter coaches and airport shuttles to school, medical, senior and event transportation.
Charter bus companies
Group charters for events, sports, weddings and corporate outings.
Airport shuttles
Scheduled and on-demand airport transportation.
Hotel shuttles
Hotel and resort guest transportation.
Tour operators
Sightseeing, wine tours and destination experiences.
School transportation
Private buses, field trips and activity transport.
Corporate shuttles
Employee and corporate-campus transportation.
Church & ministry buses
Congregation and ministry-activity transport.
Medical transportation
Non-emergency medical and wheelchair vans.
Senior transportation
Senior-center and adult-daycare shuttles.
Casino shuttles
Casino-patron transportation services.
Executive transportation
Executive vans, sprinters and luxury transport.
Event transportation
Concert, festival and special-event shuttles.
Brokers who understand passenger-transport risk
Passenger-transport experience
We understand bus and shuttle operations, the regulatory requirements and passenger exposure, and we work with carriers that specialize in passenger transportation.
Coordinated programs and filings
Auto liability, physical damage, general liability and specialty coverages packaged to meet federal requirements, with MCS-90, BMC-91 and other filings handled correctly and on time.
Market comparison and claims support
As a broker, we compare options across the market for the right balance of protection and price, and we coordinate your recovery from the first notice of a claim.
Ready to protect your operation?
Request an insurance review to identify limit shortfalls, fleet-valuation gaps and DOT-compliance needs. No obligation. Or email info@firstunderwriters.com.
Coverage descriptions are general summaries for education. They are not legal, tax or coverage advice, a statement of coverage, an offer or a binder; the coverage builder is a starting point for discussion, not a quote. Scenarios and dollar figures are illustrative examples, not representations about any business. Federal filing requirements, limits and coverage terms vary by policy, vehicle capacity, route and jurisdiction. Coverage, limits and eligibility are governed by the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policies issued and are subject to underwriting.