Carrier Liability
Carrier liability is not the same as marine insurance. Carrier liability is taken out by the shipping line and excludes occurrences like acts of God. Claim settlements are generally not based on the actual valuation of the shipment, but rather on replacement value, package count or the weight of the shipment. This can lead to financial losses for the shipper.
A vast amount of cargo is shipped every year by air, sea or road. Most of the shipments run smoothly but there are no guarantees, and when things go wrong the shipper can be held responsible for large amounts of money. UPS Compass writes that according to SensiGuard an average of 570 containers was lost at sea each year between 2008 and 2016 in non-catastrophic events. There were almost 1 000 catastrophic events (such as a shipwreck) each ear between 2008 and 2016. No one can accurately predict when a natural disaster will occur, and accidents can result in fire or damage. Piracy and theft is another significant risk that shippers face. Shippers can protect themselves against substantial financial losses, damaged or lost cargo by taking out marine insurance. It costs a fraction of the value of the shipment, but when things go wrong, you will be delighted that you have paid the small amount. It is true that carriers take out carrier liability, but this type of insurance is very different from cargo insurance.
General Average
When General Average occurs, all parties are legally obliged,under certain circumstances, to share equally in the loss . The shipper is required to make a cash deposit or post a bond, even when there was no damage or loss to their cargo. The insurance company assumes responsibility if you have taken out marine insurance and assists with the release of your cargo.
Special Services
High-value cargo
When you ship high-value cargo, you need to be aware of the particular risks your cargo face. Even though the greatest care is taken to safeguard your goods, problems that will cause damage or loss may still arise that are beyond our control. You can arrange your insurance through your freight agent, or you can choose to increase the carrier’s limit of liability by declaring a value. If you choose the latter, please note that the carrier is not obliged to pay claims for damage or loss they did not cause or contribute to and you will have to prove negligence on the carrier’s part.
General cargo
Cargo is always worth more at the destination than at the point of origin, because why else would you go to the trouble to ship the cargo in the first place? Protect your shipment against damage or loss by taking our marine insurance. The small insurance premium will give you peace of mind that, if the unexpected happens, your goods can be replaced or repaired minimal additional cost to you.
Personal Effects
If your personal effects are valuable enough to be shipped abroad, then it is certainly valuable enough to be insured. You can protect your personal effects against theft, loss or damage at a fraction of the value of the goods. We are happy to discuss your insurance requirements together with your shipping needs.
Taking special care of your shipments. Always.
Sebenza Freight Services offers marine insurance so that your shipment is adequately insured, from the moment it leaves the point of departure until it reaches the final destination. Different types of cargo insurance are available so that a tailor-made insurance package can be created for your specific needs, such as:
- Annual, open and short-term cargo insurance for domestic and international shipments
- Insurance cover for valuable cargo and fine arts
- Insurance for project cargo, with the option to take cover for consequential loss
- Goods in transit insurance
- Cargo storage insurance
- Ad hoc/single shipment insurance
- Insurance for hazardous and/or non-standard shipments