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221.141 INSURANCE OR BOND.
    Subdivision 1. Financial responsibility of carriers. (a) No motor carrier and no interstate
carrier shall operate a vehicle until it has obtained and has in effect the minimum amount of
financial responsibility required by this section. Policies of insurance, surety bonds, other types
of security, and endorsements must be continuously in effect and must remain in effect until
canceled. Before providing transportation, the motor carrier or interstate carrier shall secure and
cause to be filed with the commissioner and maintain in full effect, a certificate of insurance
in a form required by the commissioner, evidencing public liability insurance in the amount
prescribed. The insurance must cover injuries and damage to persons or property resulting from
the operation or use of motor vehicles, regardless of whether each vehicle is specifically described
in the policy. This insurance does not apply to injuries or death to the employees of the motor
carrier or to property being transported by the carrier.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the insurance required of a motor
carrier of passengers must be at least that amount required of interstate carriers under Code of
Federal Regulations, title 49, section 387.33, as amended.
    Subd. 1a. Cancellation. Insurance, bonds, endorsements, certificates, and other evidence of
financial responsibility issued to satisfy the requirements of this section may be canceled on not
less than 30 days' written notice to the insured and to the commissioner.
    Subd. 1b. Amount. Except as provided in subdivision 1d, the amount of insurance, bond, or
other security required for motor carriers is the amount prescribed by order of the commissioner.
The amount prescribed may from time to time be reduced or increased by order of the
commissioner. The commissioner may, if desired by the petitioner, prescribe in lieu of the bond or
insurance some other form of security as may be satisfactory. Each policy of insurance, surety
bond, or other evidence of financial responsibility issued to a motor carrier or to an interstate
carrier must be amended by attachment to the policy of the Uniform Motor Carrier Bodily Injury
and Property Damage Liability Insurance Endorsement (Form F) prescribed in Code of Federal
Regulations, title 49, part 1023, or must by its terms provide coverage that conforms to the terms
and conditions of that endorsement.
    Subd. 1c. Interstate carrier. An interstate carrier must obtain insurance or bond in the
minimum amounts prescribed in Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, section 1043.2, paragraphs
(a) and (b).
    Subd. 1d. Motor carrier of hazardous cargo. A motor carrier that transports property
described under (2) and (3) of the schedule of limits in Code of Federal Regulations, title 49,
section 387.9, must obtain insurance or bond in the amounts prescribed in those regulations.
    Subd. 1e. Insurer must be authorized. A policy of insurance, bond, or other evidence of
financial responsibility does not satisfy the requirements of this section unless the insurer or surety
furnishing the evidence of financial responsibility is authorized or registered by the Department of
Commerce to issue the policies, bonds, or certificates in this state.
    Subd. 1f. Financial responsibility defined. "Financial responsibility" means a policy of
insurance, surety bond, or other financial undertaking sufficient to pay liability amounts required
by this section.
    Subd. 2.[Repealed, 1983 c 371 s 44]
    Subd. 3. Replacement certificate of insurance; effective date. Certificates of insurance
which have been accepted by the commissioner under subdivision 1 may be replaced by other
certificates of insurance and the liability of the retiring insurer under the certificate of insurance
is considered terminated as of the effective date of the replacement certificate, provided the
replacement certificate is acceptable to the commissioner.
    Subd. 4. Household goods mover. A household goods mover shall maintain in effect cargo
insurance or cargo bond in the amount of $50,000 and shall file with the commissioner a cargo
certificate of insurance or cargo bond. A cargo certificate of insurance must conform to Form H,
Uniform Motor Cargo Certificate of Insurance, described in Code of Federal Regulations, title 49,
part 1023. A cargo bond must conform to Form J, described in Code of Federal Regulations, title
49, part 1023. Both Form H and Form J are incorporated by reference. The cargo certificate of
insurance or cargo bond must be issued in the full and correct name of the person, corporation, or
partnership to whom the household goods mover permit was issued and whose operations are
being insured.
    Subd. 5. Passenger transportation. For purposes of this section, "motor carrier" includes
any person who transports passengers for hire in intrastate commerce. This section does not apply
to an entity or person included in section 221.031, subdivision 3b, paragraph (b).
    Subd. 6. Armored carrier. An armored carrier must maintain in effect cargo insurance,
cargo bond, or moneys and securities insurance coverage in a minimum amount of $300,000
per incident and must file, or its insurer must file, with the commissioner a cargo certificate of
insurance, cargo bond, or certificate of moneys and securities coverage. A cargo certificate of
insurance must conform to Form H, Uniform Motor Cargo Certificate of Insurance, described in
Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, part 1023. A cargo bond must conform to Form J described
in Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, part 1023. A certificate of moneys and securities coverage
must conform to either Form H or Form J with such variances as the commissioner may allow to
accommodate industry practice. Form H and Form J are incorporated by reference. The cargo
certificate of insurance, cargo bond, or certificate of moneys and securities coverage must be
issued in the full and correct name of the person, corporation, or partnership to whom the armored
carrier permit was issued and whose operations are being insured.
    Subd. 7. Electronic filing of form. The commissioner may permit the electronic filing
of insurance, bonds, endorsements, certificates, and other evidence of financial responsibility
required in this section or rules adopted under this section. The electronic filing of a document
imposes the same obligations on the person filing the document and has the same legal effect as if
the document had been filed on a prescribed form.
History: Ex1957 c 17 s 14; 1965 c 523 s 3; 1969 c 1031 s 6; 1971 c 25 s 67; 1971 c 73 s 1;
1973 c 754 s 6; 1975 c 313 s 10; 1975 c 317 s 1; 1976 c 166 s 82; 1977 c 122 s 1; 1978 c 674 s
60; 1980 c 534 s 68; 1983 c 371 s 28,29; 1988 c 544 s 15; 1989 c 318 s 14,15; 1992 c 568 s 3;
1992 c 600 s 29; 1993 c 213 s 7; 1996 c 387 s 5; 1999 c 238 art 2 s 56

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes