Marine Cargo Insurance

Marine insurance refers to much more than the insurance of ships. Marine insurance includes the movement of cargo via methods including Sea, Air, Road & Rail.

The insurance of hulls includes the cargo they carry, liabilities that may devolve upon ships and ship operators, known as “protection and indemnity” and also the insurance of wharves, ports and harbours, container terminals and even oil platforms and drilling.

All other General Marine Cargo Insurance is often required whether for domestic or international journeys, by sea, air or land. There are three internationally recognised types of cover, known as ‘Institute Cargo Clauses A, B and C’. These have replaced three old covers with antiquated wordings known as All Risks, With Average (WA) and Free of Particular Average (FPA).

The cover under a Marine Cargo policy is defined by these standard policy wordings. While there are numerous clauses and different clauses will apply to different cargoes, normally the widest cover is provided under Institute Cargo Clauses A with more restrictive cover under, Institute Cargo Clauses B and Institute Cargo Clauses C.