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Transport insurance for your shipments

Transport insurance for your shipment

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This English translation is provided for your convenience. The German version is legally binding.

Transport insurance at transportami

Transport insurance gives your shipment more comprehensive protection than statutory liability through all-risks cover. It is based on the conditions of the DTV cargo insurance 2008 (DTV-Güterversicherung); the scope and exclusions are governed solely by the insurer's conditions. In the event of a claim, settlement is usually simpler than via the freight forwarder's statutory liability, because the requirements are lower than in recourse proceedings.

  • Private customers: for pickups in the EU, transport insurance is always included automatically and already factored into the price.
  • Business customers: transport insurance is preselected when you book and can be deselected.
  • Value of goods: online, you insure goods worth up to €15,000 directly when booking.
  • Switzerland: for pickups in Switzerland, transport insurance cannot be booked online.

What does transport insurance cost?

The price of the transport insurance depends on the value of the goods you enter when booking. You see it in the booking process before you complete the order. For private customers it is already included in the price shown.

Do I need transport insurance?

Transport insurance is not mandatory, but it can save you a lot of trouble in the event of a claim. Without insurance, only the freight forwarder's statutory liability applies, and it is usually low: it depends on the weight of the goods, not on their value. In addition, many risks are excluded from liability.

Calculating statutory liability: the formula

Under section 431 of the German Commercial Code (HGB) and section 23 of the ADSp, the freight forwarder is liable for damage to goods up to a maximum of 8.33 special drawing rights (SDR*) per kilogram of the gross weight of the shipment:

Liability = weight in kg × 8.33 SDR

For multimodal transports involving carriage by sea and where the place of damage is unknown, it is only 2 SDR per kilogram. For transports within Switzerland, the carrier liability provisions (FFHB) apply, and within the Netherlands the AVC.

Example:

A new bicycle worth EUR 3,000 is transported from Aachen to Munich. The shipment weighs 40 kg. During transhipment it suffers a total loss.

  • Statutory liability (HGB): 40 kg × 8.33 SDR = 333.2 SDR, i.e. around EUR 400
  • Transport insurance: up to EUR 3,000 (insured value of goods, in accordance with the insurance conditions)

* The special drawing right (SDR) is a unit of account of the International Monetary Fund and is set anew every day. You can look up the current rate online; in recent years it has been around EUR 1.20 per SDR.

What do I need to bear in mind for the transport insurance to pay out in the event of a claim?

For the transport insurance to cover damage or loss, a few points are important:

  1. The goods must be packed appropriately and securely for transport. If the packaging is inadequate, the transport insurance will not pay. You can find tips on this in the guide Packing properly.
  2. Externally visible damage must be noted on the delivery note immediately on delivery and acknowledged by the driver. Report hidden damage immediately after you discover it, but no later than 7 days after delivery. Send meaningful photo documentation to our customer service.
  3. In the event of a claim, it must be possible to prove the value of the goods beyond doubt, for example with an invoice.

Which goods can I insure?

You can ship many goods with us, but there are exceptions. Our terms and conditions list goods that must not be transported with transportami, for example dangerous goods, household removal goods or works of art. These goods must not be handed over to us for transport; liability and insurance are excluded for them.

What value of goods should I state for the insurance?

When booking, state the value of the goods in your shipment. The sum insured always refers to all the goods in a shipment. It is not possible to insure partial amounts or only some of the goods.