Insuring your goods in transit — what is actually covered

Two different things go by the same name

When a company says "the goods are insured", that can mean two fairly different things, and it is worth knowing which one you are getting.

Carrier's liability is a statutory obligation. It covers damage the carrier caused, and it is capped by weight. In international road transport the limit is about 8.33 units of account per kilogram — roughly €10 per kilogram. For a box of books that is more than enough. For a 15 kg television it is not.

Goods-in-transit insurance is a separate policy on the actual value of your belongings. It is paid for separately, usually as a small percentage of the declared value, and it covers things the carrier did not cause.

For an ordinary move the first is usually enough. For expensive equipment and valuable pieces it is not, and the extra is worth paying.

What a policy does not cover, as a rule

These exclusions repeat across almost every insurer:

• cash, jewellery, documents and securities — carry them yourself; that is the only safe way;
• goods packed by the owner — if a box was dropped and something inside broke, and you packed the box rather than the crew, the burden of proof is on you;
• pre-existing damage — the scratch that was there before the move;
• internal failure of an appliance with no visible external damage;
• perishables and plants.

The second exclusion leads to a practical conclusion: if something is valuable and fragile, let the crew pack it. It costs little, and it changes who carries the burden of proof if anything happens.

The inventory is your evidence

Without an inventory there is no claim — there is simply no record of what was in the vehicle in the first place.

The list is made before loading and signed by both sides. For valuable items it is not enough to write "television": put down the make, the model and an estimated value. A photograph of the item before packing is worth more than any description and takes ten seconds.

The same list serves for customs, so the work is done once. More on that in customs when moving to the EU.

How to report damage so that it is accepted

The deadlines are short, and missing one is the commonest reason a claim is refused.

• Visible damage goes on the delivery note at unloading, before you sign. A delivery note signed without comment means the goods were received in order.
• Hidden damage is reported in writing, as a rule within seven days of delivery.
• The report goes in with photographs of the damage and the packaging, the inventory and the delivery note.

So: do not sign the delivery note before you have looked through your things. A few minutes at the end of the day is the only chance visible damage will ever be recorded.

What it costs, and when it is worth it

Additional goods insurance usually runs at about one per cent of the declared value. For belongings worth €10,000 that is of the order of a hundred euros on the whole move.

It is worth it when:

• you are moving expensive equipment — professional gear, instruments, computers;
• you have artwork, antiques or a piano;
• the route is long and involves transhipment — a part load has more handling points than a direct run;
• replacing a damaged item would seriously upset your budget.

If you are moving ordinary furniture and boxes, the carrier's statutory liability is as a rule entirely sufficient.

In short, what to do

Four things, none of them long:

• make an inventory with values, not just names;
• photograph valuable items before packing;
• let the crew pack anything valuable and fragile — we supply the materials;
• do not sign the delivery note until you have looked at your things.

For questions about cover on a particular route call +381 66 50-40-30-9 and we will tell you exactly what is in the price and what is extra.

Frequently asked questions