Protect your goods in transit by land, sea, or air. Comprehensive cargo insurance coverage for shippers, freight forwarders, and logistics companies ensuring your valuable shipments are protected from origin to destination.
Cargo insurance protects your goods against loss or damage during transit, whether shipped by truck, rail, ocean vessel, or aircraft. Standard carrier liability often provides minimal protection, leaving you exposed to significant financial loss if your cargo is damaged, stolen, or destroyed.
First Underwriters works with specialized marine and transportation insurers to provide comprehensive cargo coverage tailored to your shipping needs. Whether you're moving a single high-value shipment or managing complex global supply chains, we have solutions to protect your goods.
Comprehensive protection options for every shipping need and mode of transport
Coverage for goods shipped by sea including containerized cargo, bulk shipments, and project cargo. Protection against perils of the sea, theft, and general average.
Protection for high-value, time-sensitive shipments transported by air. Covers damage during loading, flight, unloading, and airport handling.
Coverage for goods transported by truck including LTL and FTL shipments. Protection for truckers and freight brokers against cargo loss or damage claims.
Owner's cargo insurance that protects the shipper's financial interest in goods regardless of carrier liability. Coverage follows the cargo door-to-door.
Coverage for freight transported by rail including intermodal containers, boxcars, and tank cars. Protection against derailment, collision, and handling damage.
Seamless coverage from manufacturer to final destination including storage at warehouses and distribution centers. Eliminates gaps between marine and property policies.
We provide cargo coverage solutions for all participants in the supply chain
Protect finished goods and raw materials in transit
Motor truck cargo for goods you haul
Contingent cargo for arranged shipments
International cargo protection worldwide
Coverage for inventory in motion
Stock throughput from vendor to store
Warehouse legal liability and cargo
Contingent coverage for brokered loads
From general merchandise to highly specialized cargo, we arrange coverage for virtually any type of commodity being shipped. Our experienced underwriters understand the unique risks associated with different cargo types and can structure appropriate coverage.
Let us help protect your cargo with comprehensive coverage tailored to your shipping needs.
Get a Quote OnlineWe understand international shipping regulations, Incoterms, and how to structure coverage that follows your cargo worldwide.
Access to marine insurers and transportation specialists who understand commodity-specific risks and provide tailored solutions.
Quick turnaround on certificates of insurance when you need proof of coverage for shipments or customer requirements.
Expert guidance through the claims process to help you document losses properly and recover quickly.
Common questions about cargo insurance coverage
Carrier liability is limited by law and often excludes many common causes of loss. For truckers, liability is typically capped at a fraction of the cargo value. Ocean carriers limit liability to very low per-package amounts under COGSA. Air carriers follow the Montreal Convention limits. Cargo insurance provides full value protection regardless of carrier fault.
All-Risk (now often called "Open Peril") coverage protects against all causes of physical loss or damage except those specifically excluded. Named Peril coverage only protects against causes of loss specifically listed in the policy. All-Risk provides broader protection and is typically recommended for most cargo.
Incoterms like FOB and CIF determine when risk transfers between buyer and seller, not whether insurance is needed. With FOB, the buyer assumes risk once goods are on the vessel. With CIF, the seller must provide insurance but often at minimum levels. You should carry your own cargo insurance covering your risk period rather than relying on trading partner coverage.
Both options are available. Single shipment policies work well for occasional shippers or one-time high-value transports. Annual open cargo policies are more cost-effective for frequent shippers as they automatically cover all shipments up to policy limits without needing individual certificates for each.
To provide an accurate quote, we'll need to know: the type of goods being shipped, annual shipping values, modes of transport used, shipping routes (domestic/international), packaging methods, and loss history. For single shipment coverage, we need the specific shipment details including origin, destination, value, and commodity description.
Get comprehensive cargo insurance coverage tailored to your shipping needs.
First Underwriters Insurance Brokers • Protecting Cargo Worldwide Since 1992
