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Work out for yourself what it would cost.
Enter your details; you will receive a proposal within one working day.
We compare the offerings of several insurers
An adviser checks whether the cover suits your activities
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
A road carrier's liability is calculated not on the value of the cargo but on its weight: under the CMR Convention 8.33 SDR per kilogram, under the AVC conditions a fixed amount per kilogram. With laptops, telephones, server components, medical equipment and network hardware a full pallet weighs little and the contents are worth a great deal. The result of that sum is the same on every electronics consignment: the limit covers a fraction.
On top of that, electronics are stolen to order. This is the one kind of cargo where the thief knows in advance what is in the trailer and can sell it on. Insurers translate that into clauses about parking, routes and leaving the vehicle unattended, and those clauses are stricter than for any other cargo.
The third point is specific to these goods: part of the loss is not physical. Loss of configuration, data and licences falls outside every goods policy, however complete the cover on the hardware.
What does transport insurance for electronics cover?
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
The basis
Actual value
What the cargo is actually worth.
Not capped per kilogram
Regardless of who is liable
Including freight and costs
The difference
Liability
What a carrier bears at most.
CMR: 8.33 SDR per kilo
AVC: € 3.40 per kilo
Rarely the actual value
Optional
Type of cover
From limited to all risks.
All external perils
Limited perils
Storage in transit
What is covered
Situation
Carriers' liability
Goods in transit
Damage from an accident, up to the weight limit
Yes
Yes
Damage above the weight limit
No
Yes
Theft of the cargo
Sometimes
Yes
Damage with no identifiable fault
No
Yes
Storage during the journey
No
Sometimes
Inherent defect or inadequate packaging
No
No
This overview is general in nature and is not personal advice. What is actually covered, including exclusions, limits and the excess, is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) of the insurer; you receive both before you take out cover. Taking out cover without advice? Then read what execution only means for you.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that make the difference between a policy that pays out and one that does not.
Work out the limit per consignment, not per year
Take the heaviest and the lightest consignment you carry in a normal month and set the weight and the invoice value beside them. Divide the value by the weight and compare that with the limit per kilogram. With electronics that ratio is so far apart that carriers' liability produces no realistic compensation. That calculation is the only argument you need to take out a goods policy.
Theft here is targeted, not accidental
Policies for electronics often contain a valuable consignments clause: driving with two drivers, parking only at secure locations, not stopping within a certain number of kilometres of loading, no details of the cargo on the outside of the vehicle. If those are not complied with, the theft cover lapses, even where the rest of the journey went faultlessly. Include the clause in your drivers' instructions.
Moisture, shock and static
Equipment that comes out of the box without visible damage but no longer starts up always causes argument. Antistatic packaging, shock indicators and moisture indicators on the pallet make it possible to show afterwards what happened. Without those indicators, the defence is almost invariably that it is an inherent defect or insufficient packing, and both are excluded. Condensation where there is a large temperature difference between the loading and unloading points is a real risk.
Data and software are never paid for
The policy covers the device, not what is on it. Loss of configuration, customer data, operating software or licence keys falls outside every goods in transit policy, as do the costs of setting a system up again at your buyer. A fall in value because a new model has come onto the market in the meantime is not insured loss either. For data loss at your customer, look at liability and cyber cover.
What does your premium depend on?
Value per consignment and per vehicle. Insurers set a maximum per vehicle; above that amount, heavier requirements or separate arrangements apply.
Type of equipment. Consumer electronics are stolen more selectively than industrial control cabinets or medical equipment.
Security of the vehicle. An alarm, a kill switch, a tracking system and a closed body all count in acceptance and premium.
Parking and route arrangements. Driving via secure lorry parks and avoiding known high-risk routes lowers the theft risk.
Countries and routes. Certain corridors in Europe carry a considerably higher risk of cargo theft than others.
Excess in the event of theft. For theft there is almost always a different excess, separate from the one for damage.
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
How we arrange it
You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, your risk and your 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.
Customers rate our service on four aspects: personal service, service delivery, availability and the outcome. The reviews are collected and published by NH1816 and come from customers who have actually taken out a policy with Finass Advies B.V. or reported a claim.
Why does the liability limit cover so little here?
Because that limit is calculated per kilogram and not per euro. The conventions were written at a time when weight and value still had some connection. With electronics that connection has gone: the cargo is light and valuable. As a result, payment per kilo consistently produces a small part of the actual loss for these goods.
Is theft from an unattended vehicle covered?
Usually not, or only subject to strict conditions. Virtually every policy for valuable cargo excludes theft where the vehicle stood unattended in an unsecured place. What counts as unattended and which car park is regarded as secure is set out literally in the clause. Read that text before you plan a route and a rest stop.
Are data loss and reconfiguration included?
No. Goods in transit insurance pays for the physical item and the cost of replacing it. Data, settings, software licences and setting equipment up again at your buyer fall outside it. If you are held responsible for those, that ends up with your professional indemnity insurance (BAV) or public and employers' liability insurance (AVB), provided that cover is set up for it.
Should I record serial numbers?
Yes, and preferably per package. With electronics the serial number is the only way to show after a theft which devices have gone and to recognise them if they surface. Insurers ask for the list when handling a claim. Without a specification the discussion sticks on exactly what was in the consignment.
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.
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