Insuring Goods For Shipment
Plan Your Move | Customs Info | Packing Guide | Shipping Terms | FAQs
Shipping your personal belongings overseas is not your typical cross-town or even
cross-country move. International relocation is a move that passes through many hands
and various obstacles from the time your belongings are picked up at your home, shipped
overseas, and delivered to your new residence.
Insurance is available to cover you from door to door, protecting your belongings in the
event of damage, loss, or a catastrophe at sea. You can choose
"All Risk" insurance, where you are covered for any loss or damage occurring to your goods,
or you can choose "Limited Risk" coverage, where you are only insured against loss of the articles insured. In either case, you must prepare a "Declared Value" inventory.
This is a list of all the items you wish to insure stating the replacement value of each item. This inventory has nothing to do with your inventory for customs declaration
or for the items you shipping. It is only for insurance purposes. Remember to state a
replacement value valid in the destination country, as in many countries you will find the
cost of your goods, due to import cost, can be much higher than their original cost in
the U.S. It is very important that your documentation is accurate in order to avoid
complications or delay settlement.
Please note that insurance companies will not issue All Risk insurance for household goods packed by owner. Only Limited Risk insurance is available for household goods packed by owner. Read the small print carefully, and you will find that the insurance policy always requires that the packing be done by a professional company in order for an All Risk claim to be considered.
