MARINE CARGO INSURANCE IN INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING OF OCEAN FREIGHT FROM THE USA 

The majority of international sea freight shipments shipped with international shipping companies (Freight Forwarders, NVOCCs) arrive to destinations free of damage and loss. However, international shippers should know that direct international ocean freight carriers (VOCC or steamship lines), in even of damage and loss in international shipments, typically would be liable to up to $500 per customary shipping freight unit.

It is very important to understand that in international shipping of ocean freight, a customary shipping freight unit, depending on how it states in ocean freight bill of lading, would be either a shipping box or pallet or whole multimodal sea freight container. Also direct international ocean carrier's (VOCC or steamship line) liability may be limited to up to $1500 per entire international ocean freight shipment.

In order to get an extra protection for your valuable international ocean freight shipment, you MAY REQUEST us to obtain an Insurance Certificate issued by a Marine Cargo Insurance provider(s) to consignee's (recipient's) name on your behalf. Otherwise you may insure your international ocean freight shipment with any Marine Cargo Insurance provider of your choice.

Note: By default we request marine insurance from Marine Cargo Insurance providers to names of consignees (cargo recipients) as stated in shippers booking requests and ocean freight bill of ladings thereafter. If you need to insure your international shipment to other name listed in your bill of lading (shipper's or notify party name for example), then it MUST be requested in a separately email and re-confirmed by us.

IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND!: AMID Logistics, LLC is an U.S. Freight Forwarder, but a marine insurance provider. We hold several accounts with marine insurance providers and, upon customers requests, we may obtain insurance certificates on our customers behalf. Then in event of insurance claim:   

• If an insurance certificate on an international sea freight shipment have been obtained via our account with a marine insurance provider, then the claim will be processed by the marine insurance company's claim settling agent located in the country of destination. Complete contact info of claim settling agents should be available in insurance certificates issued to our customers.
• If an international sea freight shipment supported by us have been insured by a third party marine insurance provider (not via our accounts), then in case of insurance claim, please direct your insurance claim to the insurance provider.
• If an international sea freight shipment have not been insured, then all claims are to be directed to the ocean freight carrier's destination agent indicated in your bill of lading OR to a steamship line (direct carrier, VOCC) used in your international shipping from the USA. See the limit of liabilities of direct carriers above. 

If your request AMID Logistics, LLC to obtain a marine cargo insurance certificate on your behalf then, for international shipping of ocean freight with us, typically, insurance rates vary by type of commodity and service provided:

I. Economy LCL sea freight service:

• Commercial international ocean freight shipments proof packed: $2 per $100 (2%) @ insured value declared
• Commercial international ocean freight shipments self packed: $3 per $100 (3%) @ insured value declared
• Boxed or crated personal effects shipped using international ocean freight service: $3 per $100 (3%) @ insured value declared

II. FCL sea freight service:

• Commercial freight with insured value up to $25,000 -- 1.5% @ value declared
• Commercial freight with insured value up to $50,000 -- 1.3% @ value declared
• Commercial freight with insured value up to $100,000 -- 1.1% @ value declared
• Commercial freight with insured value above $100,000 -- please request an insurance quote in a separate email in advance.
• Household goods and personal effects, regardless of total value declared -- 3% @ insured value declared

III. Shipping cars and other types of vehicles in containers or RO-RO:

• Vehicles with insured value up to $25,000 -- 1.5% @ insured value declared
• Vehicles with insured value up to $50,000 -- 1.3% @ insured value declared
• Vehicles with insured value up to $100,000 -- 1.1% @ insured value declared
• Vehicles with insured value above $100,000 -- please request an insurance quote in a separate email in advance.

$50 minimum per insurance certificate. Deductibles, as a rule, vary from $300 to $500.

IMPORTANT: In order for us to obtain an insurance certificate on your international ocean freight shipment, a Commercial Invoice for commercial sea freight shipments or detailed Valued Packing list for international personal ocean freight shipments MUST be submitted in advance. (THIS DOES NOT APPLY IF SHIPPING CARS OR OTHER TYPES OF MOTOR VEHICLES).

You may email or fax your international shipping document to us OR fill it out online and submit it via this link. This link will be also sent to you in email with our international shipping instructions on your ocean freight shipment upon your booking request in our website.

If you request to obtain a marine insurance certificate to your international ocean freight shipment at a time of booking, then an insurance premium will be added to our final invoice and the marine cargo insurance provider's insurance certificate be attached in PDF file to our final invoice.