Cargo Insurance

Professional Business Insurances for All Types of Cargo Insurance.

Welcome to Cargo insurance from AIC

Our cargo policy can accommodate all types of goods going anywhere in the world and travelling by any method. We can offer cover for single shipments through to annual policies and project cargo consignments.

Why should I get marine cargo insurance?

Apart from the fact of covering your goods whilst in transit you should be aware of General Average which relates only to ocean & sea voyages. General Average covers the situation where damage or loss of certain goods occurs so that the remaining cargo and voyage are saved. Owners of the cargo that is saved have a liability to contribute to cover the loss of the damaged cargo and this can run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. Suffice to say, our policies automatically include this invaluable piece of cover as standard.

Another reason to insure the goods yourself and not rely on your customers or suppliers, is that you have full control over the policy to oversee they are insured properly and you are not being penalised on the price, if your supplier or customer has a bad claims experience.

What’s included?
  • Cargo policies are written with Institute Cargo Clauses (ICC) which forms the basis of the cover, a copy of the clauses is available here.

    ICC (A), or commonly referred to as ‘All Risks’ cover is the most comprehensive and C being the least cover, with B being in-between. War & Strikes cover is generally included as standard depending on destination(s). If you have any questions relating to your level of cover, please contact us for advice.

    Please see the table below for a comparison of the covers:

    RISKS Institute Cargo Clauses
    (Proximate Cause) A B C
    Stranding, Grounding, Sinking or Capsizing Yes Yes Yes
    Overturning or Derailment of Land Conveyance Yes Yes Yes
    Collision of Ship or Craft with another Ship or Craft Yes Yes Yes
    Contact of Ship, Craft or Conveyance with anything other than Ship or Craft (excludes Water but not Ice) Yes Yes Yes
    Discharge of Cargo at Port of Distress Yes Yes Yes
    Fire or Explosion Yes Yes Yes
    Earthquake, Volcanic Eruption or Lightning Yes Yes No
    Malicious Damage Yes No No
    Theft/Pilferage Yes No No
    General Average Sacrifice Yes Yes Yes
    Jettison Yes Yes Yes
    Washing Overboard (deck cargo) Yes Yes No
    Seawater entering Ship, Craft, Hold, Conveyance Container Lift Van or Place of Storage Yes Yes No
    River or Lake Water entering same Yes Yes No
    Loss overboard during Loading/Discharge (total loss only) Yes Yes No
    Any risks of physical loss or damage not specified Yes No No
  • We are also able to cover high risk cargo and/or going to high risk countries and cover shipments on a regular basis which helps us keep up-to date with the latest reports & statistics and giving us specialist knowledge in this subject. No matter how big or small the consignment we will be glad to help.

  • Whether you need cover for everything or you’re just concerned over one specific piece of cover, we can formulate a bespoke package of insurance around your business.

  • A dedicated account handler will look after you, from sales through to claims, so you’ll always know who you’re dealing with.

  • Our pricing is constantly monitored and from a wide range of insurers, so you’ll always get the best quote.

Need help?

Talk to one of our friendly consultants to assess your needs and find a bespoke insurance solution to suit your business.

How to make a claim

Whilst you normally have an emergency phone number stated on your policy documents, we always recommend talking to your account handler first.

Accreditations and Awards
Frequently Asked Questions
  • We at AIC always recommend to air on the side of caution, and disclose everything to ourselves, and we can help you decide if this information needs to be told to insurers, which normally it does.

    There are different rules to follow from various sources, as an insurer may ask you to declare convictions in the last 10 years, whereas the rehabilitation act may dictate that you don’t need to declare it for more than say 5 years. DVLA may give you a different answer again for motoring convictions! Talk to one of our friendly consultants and let us help you.

  • Using a dedicated insurance broker provides benefits completely unseen when using a comparison site. With AIC, you’re afforded your own dedicated account manager who specialises in the cover you are seeking. Getting to know our clients is paramount to our customer service dedication and getting to know you AND your requirements is part of that. When you use a price comparison website, you are quite literally just a number and just a click-cost.

  • With any type of cover it is important to present insurers with all the information that will or could possibly affect the way they look at the risk. If this is not provided, insurers have the right to walk away from a claim, to change terms at the time of a claim, or reduce an amount paid depending on which law the insurance adheres to.

    A good insurance broker (like AIC) should not be afraid to ask the right questions of a potential policy holder, or suggest ideas that will help in the risk management of the cover in question. Insurance is there to help you in the event of a problem, and it makes no sense to cut corners on something so important. We’re here to help you!

  • We hate call centres as much as you! Our phones will never be answered by a call centre and only by a staff member. You only deal with your allocated account advisor, so you know who you will be dealing with every time you need to reach out to us.

  • There are two main ways you can pay your insurance: the full sum to cover the next 12 months upfront, or in 12 monthly instalments over an annual period.

    The major drawback to monthly payments is paying by instalment usually makes the total cost of cover higher than it would be if you paid in one go. This is because the insurance company is effectively lending you the money to pay the premium, so it will charge you what amounts to interest on the repayments you make across the year.

    By paying In full you are clearing your entire payment all in one go, meaning the insurance company won’t have to lend you the money and you won’t be due any premiums on the loan.

  • Great question and one we can of course help you with! Business insurance premiums are arrived at by the analysis of your likeliness to have a loss. When you apply for coverage, your information will be analysed by an underwriter who is responsible for determining whether or not they will consider writing a policy for you. Each business has completely different circumstances and we highly advise you to get in contact with us so we can understand and advise in the best possible way.

Talk to one of our friendly consultants to assess your needs and find a bespoke insurance solution to suit your business.

01442 24 24 00

7 High St, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 3AA

info@aicinsure.co.uk