Cargo insurance, commonly known as freight or shipping insurance, is a category of insurance that protects the interest of shippers against financial losses associated with the transportation of goods. It covers the risk of loss or damage to commodities during shipment, whether by sea, land, or air.
Importance of Cargo Insurance
Businesses increasingly find themselves needing to transport goods over long distances, often crossing international borders. While these businesses may take every precaution to ensure a smooth shipment process, accidents, natural disasters, theft, and other unforeseen circumstances can result in the loss or damage of goods. This is where cargo insurance steps in.
Without proper coverage, businesses could face significant financial loss if their shipment were to be damaged or lost. The loss of goods could not only impact the company’s bottom line but could also harm its reputation, especially if it results in delays or non-delivery to customers.
Types of Cargo Insurance
This can be categorized into several types, based on the coverage they provide:
- All-Risk Coverage: This is the most comprehensive type, covering all physical loss or damage from any external cause. However, it doesn’t cover losses due to rejection by customs, employee dishonesty, or losses due to delays.
- Free of Particular Average (FPA): This is a more limited form of coverage, protecting against total loss of the shipment, or losses due to natural disasters, sinking, or collision of the vessel.
- With Particular Average (WPA): WPA coverage extends beyond FPA, covering partial losses incurred during the main transit, such as from a fire or water damage.
What Does It Cover?
Cargo insurance typically covers risks such as damage or loss of goods during transit caused by poor handling, collisions, derailment, theft, non-delivery, fire, natural disasters, war risks, and strikes. However, the extent of the coverage depends on the specific policy. For example, ‘warehouse to warehouse’ coverage insures goods from the moment they leave the initial storage location until they arrive at the final storage place, whereas ‘port to port’ coverage only insures goods during the main sea or air journey.
How to Acquire It?
Cargo insurance can be purchased from insurance companies specializing in transportation insurance, from brokers who specialize in arranging cargo insurance, or directly from shipping lines or freight forwarders. Cargo insurance cost depends on the nature of the goods, their value, the shipping route, and the type of coverage chosen.
Bottom Line
As international trade continues to expand, the significance of cargo insurance grows proportionally. Understanding the nuances of cargo insurance, the types of coverage it offers, and the importance of each can go a long way in helping businesses safeguard their interests and secure their bottom line. Ultimately, the peace of mind that it provides is often worth the investment.
Additional Resources for Trucking Companies:
