Cargo insurance in Europe, cover the value, not the carrier's minimum
Carrier liability is not insurance. When a container is lost or a pallet is damaged, standard carrier limits pay a fraction of what the goods are worth. Get matched to European partners whose cargo and stored-stock cover protects the real value of your inventory in transit and in the warehouse, so a loss is a claim rather than a write-off.
La diferencia
Real cover, not default liability
Cargo insurance protects the value of goods against loss or damage while they move and while they are stored, up to the sum insured, rather than the token amount a carrier's standard liability pays by weight. The gap between the two is where brands get caught: a full container lost on a lane can be worth far more than the carrier will ever pay. The matching filters to European partners who can arrange proper cover on transit and stored stock, so the value at risk is the value protected.
Transit and stored-stock cover
Filter to partners who can insure goods both while they move into Europe and while they sit in the fulfilment centre, so there is no uncovered gap between the two where a loss falls entirely on you.
Insured to the value, not the weight
See partners whose cover is written to the declared value of the goods rather than a carrier's per-kilo liability cap, so a claim pays what the stock is worth instead of a fraction of it.
How cargo insurance works
- 01
Set out what needs cover
Tell us the value of the goods you move and store, the lanes they travel and where they are held, so the shortlist reflects partners who can insure that value across transit and storage.
- 02
Compare cover, not just rate
Partners are filtered on the cover they can arrange, the sum insured, the perils included and the excess, then compared so you can see where liability ends and real insurance begins.
- 03
Request an intro
Send your profile so a partner can set out the cover and terms against your real values and lanes, rather than assuming the carrier default is enough.
- 01
In transit
Goods are insured to their declared value while they move, so loss or damage on a sea, air or road leg is a claim paid on value rather than a carrier limit paid by weight.
- 02
In the warehouse
Stored stock is covered against the perils that apply in a fulfilment centre, so inventory sitting on a shelf is not left uninsured between movements.
- 03
At the point of risk transfer
Cover is arranged so it lines up with the Incoterm and who holds the risk at each stage, closing the gap where an uninsured moment would otherwise sit.
Insure the value that is actually at risk
Start from the directory, or publish a store profile and let the matching find a European partner whose cargo and stored-stock cover protects your inventory in transit and in the warehouse.
¿Qué es cargo insurance?
Cargo insurance, also called goods-in-transit insurance, is cover that protects the value of goods against physical loss or damage while they are being transported, up to an agreed sum insured. It exists because a carrier's standard liability is not the same as insurance: under the international conventions that govern sea, air and road freight, a carrier's default liability is capped by the weight of the goods, not their value, and often pays only a small fraction of what a lost or damaged consignment is actually worth. For an ecommerce brand, the exposure is real: a full container or a truckload of stock can represent a large share of working capital, and relying on carrier liability alone can turn a single incident into an uninsured write-off. Proper cargo insurance is written to the declared value of the goods and to the specific perils of the journey, so a claim pays what the inventory is worth. The same principle extends to stored stock: once goods reach a fulfilment centre they can be insured against warehouse perils, closing the gap where inventory would otherwise sit uncovered between movements. Cover should be arranged so it aligns with the Incoterm on a shipment, because the term fixes the exact point at which risk passes between seller and buyer, and a mismatch is how a loss ends up falling on the party who assumed someone else was insured. The essentials to check are the sum insured, the perils covered, the excess, and whether transit and storage are both included or leave an uncovered handover in between.
También llamado: goods-in-transit insurance, freight insurance, marine cargo insurance
Preguntas frecuentes
What is cargo insurance?
Cargo insurance, or goods-in-transit insurance, covers the value of goods against loss or damage while they are transported, up to an agreed sum insured. It pays out on the declared value of the goods rather than the weight-based cap that a carrier's standard liability applies.
Isn't the carrier already liable if my goods are lost?
Only up to a limit, and that limit is set by weight, not value. Under the conventions governing sea, air and road freight, a carrier's default liability often pays a small fraction of what the goods are worth. Cargo insurance closes that gap by covering the real value at risk.
Does cargo insurance cover stored stock too?
Transit cover and stored-stock cover are separate but related. Goods can be insured while they move and, once they reach a fulfilment centre, against warehouse perils while they are held. The point to check is that there is no uncovered handover between transit and storage where a loss would fall entirely on you.
How does insurance relate to Incoterms?
The Incoterm fixes the exact point at which risk of loss passes from seller to buyer, so whoever holds the risk at the moment of loss is the party whose insurance must answer. Cover should be arranged to line up with the term; a mismatch is how a loss ends up uninsured because each side assumed the other was covered.
What should I check when comparing cover?
Check the sum insured against the real value of your goods, the perils included, the excess you would pay on a claim, and whether both transit and storage are covered or leave a gap. Comparing on cover rather than headline rate is what tells you where carrier liability ends and real insurance begins.
Explore further
Incoterms for ecommerce in Europe
The terms that fix who holds the risk your cover must match.
Freight forwarding in Europe
The forwarder that often arranges cover with the movement.
Freight consolidation in Europe
Groupage lanes where per-shipment cover matters.
Fulfilment costs in Europe
Where insurance sits in the true cost of getting stock in.
Browse the directory
Filter every partner by country, platform, carrier, COD and VAT/IOSS.
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