What is Cargo Insurance?
Cargo insurance is insurance that covers damage to goods during transport. Whether you’re shipping goods by truck, ship, train, or plane: there are always risks. Think of theft, damage due to weather conditions, improper loading, or accidents en route.
Although carriers have legal liability, that liability is limited. This means that you often only get compensated for a fraction of the actual value of your goods. Cargo insurance protects your business against that financial risk.
Why Cargo Insurance is Important
Transport is a crucial link in the supply chain, but a lot can happen along the way. Containers can shift, pallets can get damaged, and shipments can be delayed due to external factors. The blockage of the Suez Canal, for example, showed how vulnerable global supply chains are.
Read more about this in our blog:
https://vanderhelmlogistics.com/blog/suez-kanaal
In all these situations, you want certainty. With cargo insurance, you prevent damage from directly impacting your business operations.
What Does Cargo Insurance Cover
The exact coverage differs per type of insurance, but usually cargo insurance offers protection against:
- Theft or loss
- Damage during loading, unloading, or transport
- Damage due to severe weather
- Traffic accidents
- Unforeseen external circumstances
Additional coverage can be taken out for valuable goods or temperature-sensitive products.
Limited Liability of Carriers
Many companies assume that the carrier is automatically responsible for damage. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Carriers apply international liability limits – often based on weight rather than value.
This means that a carrier might only have to compensate a few euros per kilo, even if the actual damage is much higher. For valuable goods, the difference can be enormous.
Cargo insurance ensures that you can claim the full value of your shipment, without lengthy discussion.
When is Cargo Insurance Wise?
Cargo insurance is always wise when you’re shipping goods that:
- represent a high value
- are vulnerable or fragile
- are shipped internationally
- depend on strict delivery times
- are under customs supervision
For international shipments, the combination with an AEO-certified partner is a big advantage. This makes customs clearance faster and with fewer risks.
Read more about this in our blog:
https://vanderhelmlogistics.com/blog/aeo-certificering-voordelen
Why Choose a Specialized Logistics Partner?
A logistics partner experienced in risk management and customs processes helps you choose the right cargo insurance and prevent errors.
At Van der Helm, we combine transport, warehousing, customs, and documentation under one roof. This allows us to advise on the right coverage per route, per product, and per destination.
Trends such as the growing container volumes in Rotterdam also show that congestion and delays are becoming more common. Cargo insurance protects you against damage caused by circumstances beyond your control.
Read more about this:
https://vanderhelmlogistics.com/blog/containervolumes-rotterdam
Additionally, safety and digitalization are playing an increasingly important role. Innovations such as the digital Trust Chain ensure more transparency and less fraud in container logistics.
Read more about this:
https://vanderhelmlogistics.com/blog/geen-pincodes-meer
Conclusion: Security for Every Shipment
Cargo insurance is not a luxury, but a necessary protection for your goods and your business. The limited liability of carriers does not cover all risks, meaning that damage without insurance can quickly cost thousands of euros.
At Van der Helm, we help you make the right choices. We combine logistics expertise with personal advice, ensuring that every shipment is well insured and protected on its way.
Want to know which cargo insurance suits your goods and routes?
Get in touch with our team via https://vanderhelmlogistics.com/contact we’re happy to think along with you.