Insurance is available for just about everything these days, so yes, it is most certainly available for transported goods – for cargo transport, freight transport, heavy haulage and other freight shipping or goods to be transported.

Just like other insurances, there is a vast selection to choose from. Homework is important to make sure you get the best deal and that the insurance that you buy is suited to your needs.

In House

Transport companies deal with other people’s goods every day in the normal course of their business and as such, should always carry some level of insurance. When you are making a booking to have your goods transported, ask the hauliers about insurance, about what they are covered for and what your goods are covered for. All companies will vary, so make sure you read any fine print.

Get Your Own

If you wish to investigate getting your own insurance there are plenty of options. If you are transporting goods that are normally stored in your home then start by checking with your current insurance company. Insurance brokers can give you quotes from different companies and will save you lots of time.

Coverage will vary but following is an idea of what transit insurance may cover:

• Breakage – if your goods are damaged in transit most insurance policies will cover the damage as long as the goods were packaged and transported properly.
• Loss – millions of items are transported around the country every week so every now and then some will go missing. Insurance against accidental loss is available.
• Damage – if your goods in some way cause damage or injury you can get insurance for liability. You may be liable even if you aren’t negligent.
• Business Loss – if your goods are damaged, lost or delayed it may cause losses to your business. As a business you may be able to get insurance to cover these losses.

What wouldn’t be covered?

• Negligence – if damage is caused by your negligence, such as not packing fragile items in protective wrap, you probably won’t be covered.
• Faulty – if the goods were faulty or not in the condition originally stated you may not be covered for loss or damage.
• Illegal – if the item is illegal, or anything else in your package is illegal, you won’t be covered. If the transport is being undertaken illegally you also won’t be covered.
• Inaccurate – if you have overstated the value of the item, given an inaccurate description of the item or overstated the condition of the item you may not be covered.

Insurance on your goods in transit is the same as any other insurance policy and is a legally binding contract. This means that you have to pay for the insurance before it is valid and that if you don’t give all information truthfully and accurately to the best of your knowledge it is also invalid. Many couriers will have insurance for your goods as part of your transport charge but if your items are valuable or essential to your business, you should investigate additional insurance as well.