How small businesses are insuring their cargo from a surge in thefts
Watch on YouTube ↗  |  February 18, 2026 at 18:04 UTC  |  7:01  |  CNBC
Speakers
Michelle McGinness — CEO of My Cargo 247

Summary

  • Cargo theft is surging, with estimated losses reaching $725 million in 2025.
  • Over 60% of cargo on North American roads—specifically in the spot market—is underinsured or uninsured.
  • A single theft event (e.g., $200,000 loss) can bankrupt small carriers, whereas large incumbents absorb these losses easily, creating a disparity in market resilience.
Trade Ideas
Ticker Direction Speaker Thesis Time
LONG Michelle McGinness
CEO of My Cargo 247
"The larger freight companies have traditional insurance that is great for contracts... a $200,000 loss for a large carrier might be a blip on their balance sheet but it can put out of business a small shipper." The surge in cargo theft creates a "survival of the fittest" environment. Small, underinsured carriers in the spot market face existential risk from a single theft event. This structural fragility favors large, capitalized logistics providers (UPS, FedEx, C.H. Robinson) who possess robust insurance programs and balance sheet depth. Shippers seeking reliability will likely consolidate volume toward these safer incumbents. LONG (Flight to Safety/Consolidation). A broad recession reducing overall freight volumes; "Strategic theft" (identity fraud) evolving to bypass even sophisticated carrier defenses.
WATCH Michelle McGinness
CEO of My Cargo 247
Theft is surging ($725M losses), "strategic theft" (identity theft) is rising, and 60% of freight is underinsured. Widespread theft acts as a hidden tax on the trucking ecosystem, increasing insurance premiums and operational friction. While large players are insulated, the broader sector faces headwinds from "shrink" and liability disputes, potentially squeezing margins across the industry until security solutions scale. WATCH (Sector Headwind). Rapid adoption of new spot-market insurance technologies could mitigate these risks faster than anticipated.