Property & Casualty — Commercial
Global Cargo Insurance
Goods in transit deserve the same protection as goods on your shelf.
Global cargo insurance — also called marine cargo or inland marine coverage — protects your goods, materials, and merchandise while in transit by air, sea, rail, or land. Whether you import finished goods from overseas, export products to international markets, or move inventory domestically, cargo losses from damage, theft, or delay can have significant financial impact. We help you structure the right coverage for your supply chain.
What's Covered
- All-risk coverage for physical loss or damage to goods in transit
- Ocean freight shipments (LCL and FCL container loads)
- Air freight and express courier shipments
- Inland transit by truck, rail, or intermodal
- Warehouse-to-warehouse coverage extending through the entire transit journey
- General average contributions — your share when a ship jettisons cargo to save a voyage
- Refrigerated cargo and temperature-sensitive goods
Why It Matters
Carrier liability under standard freight terms (bills of lading) is severely limited — often as low as $0.50 per pound by default. If your $200,000 shipment is damaged, a carrier might owe you almost nothing under their standard terms. Cargo insurance pays the full insured value of your goods, regardless of who is at fault or what the carrier's tariff allows.
Common Questions
Doesn't the shipping carrier cover my goods?
Only minimally. Carriers limit their liability by law and by contract. Ocean carriers invoking the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (COGSA) cap liability at $500 per shipping unit. Air and truck carriers have similarly limited exposure. Cargo insurance provides the full-value protection that carrier liability cannot.
What is an open cargo policy?
An open cargo policy is a blanket policy that automatically covers all shipments you make over the policy period, without requiring individual declarations for each one. It's the most efficient structure for businesses with frequent or high-volume shipping.
Does cargo insurance cover theft from a warehouse?
Warehouse-to-warehouse policies extend coverage through storage periods that are incidental to transit. However, extended warehousing may require a separate inland marine or warehouse legal liability policy. We'll structure coverage that eliminates gaps between transit and storage.
Ready to get covered?
Talk to one of our advisors about the right policy for your situation. No pressure, no jargon — just honest guidance.