Door-to-door coverage
Moving your household belongings internationally involves multiple stages of transportation, handling, and delivery. International moving insurance provides financial protection against covered loss or damage while your possessions are in transit. International Sea & Air Shipping offers door-to-door marine insurance for household goods and personal effects, with coverage beginning when professionally packed goods are picked up and continuing through the ordinary course of transit to delivery at the destination.
Coverage is based on the terms of the applicable marine cargo insurance policy, so understanding what is covered, what is excluded, and how your belongings should be valued can help you select appropriate protection before your move begins.
Covered property
International Sea & Air Shipping’s marine insurance provides coverage for physical loss or damage to insured property, subject to the applicable policy terms and coverage conditions. The available coverage can apply to household goods and personal effects as well as certain specialty items.
Covered property can include:
For professionally packed household goods, the policy provides All Risks coverage for physical loss or damage, subject to the applicable Institute Cargo Clauses and policy exclusions. Owner-packed goods have more limited protection, particularly for breakage and certain forms of physical damage.
Coverage can extend from professional packing and pickup at the origin through customary transportation and transshipment to professional delivery at the destination. The policy also provides specified storage coverage at origin and destination for up to 60 days in an enclosed warehouse, subject to its terms.
Exclusions and limits
Marine insurance does not cover every type of loss or damage. Understanding exclusions is just as important as knowing what the policy covers.
Under the current policy terms, exclusions and limitations include certain damage to owner-packed goods, including breakage, scratching, denting, staining, and tearing. Missing contents from owner-packed cartons can also require a complete itemized and valued inventory to support a claim.
Other exclusions include:
Specific limits also apply to certain high-value or specialty items. For example, jewelry and furs are subject to a stated limit unless declared and valued, while artwork valued above $10,000 per item requires prior approval.
Because exclusions and conditions can affect a claim, the complete policy terms should be reviewed before coverage begins.
Premiums and valuation
The cost of international moving insurance depends on the value of your shipment, the coverage selected, the type of goods, packing method, route, and other underwriting factors. International marine insurance is commonly priced as a percentage of the declared or insured value rather than as a fixed fee.
The policy also requires household goods and personal effects to be valued at their replacement cost at destination, supported by a complete valued inventory. A lump-sum valuation may be used subject to the policy’s stated minimum and item-level limitations.
Contact International Sea & Air Shipping for a quote based on your move.
Choosing coverage
The appropriate coverage depends on what you are shipping, how the goods are packed, and how much financial exposure you are comfortable retaining.
Professional packing is particularly important if you want broader protection against physical damage. The current policy provides Full All Risks coverage for professionally packed goods, while owner-packed effects have specific exclusions for many forms of damage.
Your declared value should reflect the replacement cost of your belongings at the destination, rather than simply their original purchase price. Underinsuring a shipment can affect the amount recoverable under the policy because a co-insurance clause applies when the insured amount is less than the total value of the property.
Items with higher individual values should be specifically listed and declared. The policy requires items valued above $1,000 to be listed, while certain categories such as high-value artwork, jewelry, antiques, and fine art have additional conditions or limits.
Think about your belongings from pickup through delivery rather than only the ocean or air transportation portion. The available door-to-door coverage is designed around the ordinary course of transit and specified handling and storage periods, subject to the policy terms.
Licensed, accredited and connected
Your household goods can pass through multiple stages before reaching their destination. International Sea & Air Shipping can arrange door-to-door marine insurance for eligible household goods and personal effects, with coverage and valuation based on the applicable policy terms. Request an international moving quote to discuss your shipment, valuation, packing requirements, and available insurance options.
Helpful answers
Insurance can provide financial protection against covered loss or damage during an international move. Whether you purchase coverage and which level you choose depends on the value of your belongings, the risks associated with the shipment, and the policy terms.
Owner-packed goods can be covered, but the protection is more limited than for professionally packed goods. The current policy excludes several types of damage to owner-packed effects, including breakage, scratching, denting, chipping, staining, and tearing, subject to specified exceptions.
The policy requires household goods and personal effects to be valued at their replacement cost at the destination and supported by a complete valued inventory. A lump-sum valuation is also possible subject to the policy’s stated conditions and minimum valuation requirements.
The current policy provides coverage from professional packing and pickup through the ordinary course of transit, including customary transshipment, until professional delivery at the final destination, subject to its terms and exclusions.
The policy requires immediate written notice of loss or damage. Full details must be notified within 30 days after delivery, or within 30 days of scheduled delivery in cases of non-delivery, with the complete claim submitted within the stated timeframe.
There is no single international moving insurance cost because premiums depend on the shipment and coverage. International moving insurance is commonly calculated using the declared or insured value, with market sources reporting different percentage ranges depending on the policy and risk. A quote based on your actual shipment will provide a more accurate figure.
