Hull · liability · cargo

Insurance for sea shipping, inland shipping and aviation

Transport by water and by air has its own policies and its own liability rules. Below you can read how hull, liability and cargo cover relate to each other.

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Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Verzekeringen voor zee-, binnen- en luchtvaart.

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In brief

In this sector the cover runs along three tracks. The hull track insures the means of transport itself: the seagoing vessel, the inland waterway vessel or the aircraft, usually on an agreed value. The liability track covers damage you cause to third parties, from collisions and bank damage to injury and environmental damage. In shipping this traditionally runs through P&I cover. The cargo track, marine cargo insurance, insures the cargo itself and is independent of the question of who is at fault.

That last distinction is the heart of the matter. The carrier's liability is limited by law. Book 8 of the Dutch Civil Code and the carriage conventions — the Hague-Visby Rules for carriage by sea, the CMR convention for carriage by road and the Montreal Convention for carriage by air: set limits that are almost always lower than the actual value of the cargo. A cargo owner who relies on the carrier alone is therefore left with part of the loss. Separate marine cargo insurance, often placed on market conditions, covers the cargo regardless of those limits.

The same track system applies to businesses on shore. Anyone who stores or transships goods needs, alongside business contents and goods insurance, cover for third-party property, because the care, custody and control exclusion on public and employers' liability insurance (AVB) excludes those goods. If you work with a freight forwarder, its conditions determine what you can recover. So always record who bears the risk on which part of the journey, preferably through an Incoterm in the contract.

Cover
Points to note
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Frequently asked questions
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The three tracks

The means of transport, liability and cargo are three separate covers that do not replace one another.

Track 1

Own-damage cover

Insures the vessel or aircraft itself, usually on an agreed value.

Collision, grounding, fire and sinking
Machinery damage often with its own clause
The trading area appears on the policy
Agreed value under Article 7:960 of the Dutch Civil Code

Track 2

Liability

Covers damage to third parties: other vessels, banks, cargo owners and injury.

Shipping usually through P&I
Wreck removal and salvage arranged separately
Environmental damage with its own limits
Crew and people on board can be included

Track 3

Goods

Insures the cargo itself, independently of fault and of the carrier's limits.

Often placed on market conditions
Door to door or per consignment
Storage and transshipment named separately
War and strikes risk as an extension

What is covered

Situation	Own-damage cover	Goods cover
Damage to the vessel or aircraft itself	Yes	No
Loss of or damage to the load	No	Yes
Liability towards third parties after a collision	Provided that	No
Wreck removal and salvage costs	Provided that	No
War, strikes and piracy risk	Provided that	Provided that
Delay losses and lost turnover	No	No

The trading area, the type of cargo and the set of conditions chosen determine the actual extent. Those appear on the policy schedule and in the clauses.

Two points about transport by water and by air

The carrier's liability is limited; anyone who does not insure the cargo themselves bears the difference.

The carrier's limits

Transport law has liability limits that differ from one convention to another and are calculated per kilogram or per package. The Hague-Visby Rules apply to carriage by sea under a bill of lading, the CMR Convention to international carriage by road and the Montreal Convention to carriage by air; Book 8 of the Dutch Civil Code also governs domestic carriage. For valuable or light cargo — electronics, pharmaceuticals, machine parts &mdash. The limit is far below the actual value. On top of that, the carrier can rely on force majeure and on inherent defects in the cargo. Separate marine cargo insurance pays out regardless of that discussion and then pursues the recovery from the carrier itself.

What falls outside the cover

Even on broad market conditions, important causes are excluded. Not covered is damage caused by insufficient or unsuitable packing and stowage, by inherent defect, deterioration and normal loss of weight or volume, and by wear and tear, corrosion and insect damage. For hull cover there is an exclusion for unseaworthiness and poor maintenance and for sailing outside the agreed trading area or outside class. Loss due to delay is excluded almost everywhere, even where the delay arises from a covered cause. War, strikes, riot and piracy are not included as standard and are only covered after an express extension. Intent and recklessness fall outside the cover under Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code, and you report a loss as soon as reasonably possible (Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code).

What does your premium depend on?

Type and age of the vessel or aircraft: seagoing vessel, inland waterway vessel or aircraft
Sailing or flying area: coastal, worldwide, risk zones
Nature of the load: value, fragility, attractiveness to thieves
Insured value: agreed value or per consignment
Claims history and class: certification and state of maintenance
Excess and extensions: war, strikes, storage and transshipment

Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.

How we arrange it

You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, risk and wishes.
We compareseveral insurers, on premium as well as conditions.
You receive a proposalWith an explanation of the differences and the exclusions.
We arrange the switchIncluding cancellation, so there is no gap in cover.

Request a quote

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Frequently asked questions

This is what people ask us most.

Is my cargo covered by the carrier's insurance?

Only to a limited extent. The carrier is liable within the limits of Book 8 of the Dutch Civil Code and the applicable conventions, calculated per kilogram or per package. For valuable or light goods that payment is far below the actual value, and the carrier can also rely on force majeure. Separate marine cargo insurance covers the cargo itself, regardless of fault.

What is the difference between hull cover and P&I?

Hull cover insures the vessel itself: damage to the hull, machinery and equipment. P&I covers the liability connected with operating the vessel: injury to crew and people on board, cargo claims, environmental damage, wreck removal and fines where those can be insured. The two complement each other; neither replaces the cargo owner's marine cargo insurance.

Who bears the risk during transport?

That follows from the contract, usually through an Incoterm. It determines the point at which the risk passes from seller to buyer and who arranges the insurance. If nothing is agreed about it, a dispute arises after a loss about who should have been insured. So record the Incoterm expressly and match the period of cover on your policy to it.

Are war and piracy risks included?

Not as standard. War, strikes, riot, terrorism and piracy are excluded in the basic conditions and are only covered after an express extension, often for a separate premium and with a list of excluded areas. If you sail through or to an area designated as high risk, report that in advance; without notification there may be no cover there at all.

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Transport, hull and cargo properly covered?

Ask for advice without obligation. We assess the trading area, the type of cargo and how your policies fit together.

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Prefer to call? 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 09:00–17:00.
Claim on the road? Emergency line 06 - 55 20 40 72.

About our service

Finass Verzekert is a trading name of Finass Advies B.V. We advise on and arrange non-life insurance on the basis of an objective analysis of several insurers, and receive commission for this from the insurer, which is included in the premium. You pay no separate advice fee. Before you take out cover, we establish your wishes and needs.

You will find our licence, KvK and Kifid details and our complaints procedure at the foot of every page.

This page was written and checked by an adviser at Finass Verzekert. Last updated on 15 August 2026.

The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.

Insurance for sea shipping, inland shipping and aviation

In brief

The three tracks

Own-damage cover

Liability

Goods

Two points about transport by water and by air

The carrier's limits

What falls outside the cover

What does your premium depend on?

How we arrange it

Frequently asked questions

Read more

Within Branche

Similar pages

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Transport, hull and cargo properly covered?

About our service

Insurance for sea shipping, inland shipping and aviation

In brief

The three tracks

Own-damage cover

Liability

Goods

Two points about transport by water and by air

The carrier's limits

What falls outside the cover

What does your premium depend on?

How we arrange it

Frequently asked questions

Read more

Within Branche

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Service

Transport, hull and cargo properly covered?

About our service

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