“We have all-risks cover.” Good. Let us open the policy. A reassuring label is not a substitute for wording, particularly when the discussion involves missiles, seizure, alternative ports and onward road transport.
Start with the wording
Institute Cargo Clauses (A) 2009 contain a war exclusion. Any war protection requires checking the additional clauses actually incorporated and their amendments. A certificate headed “cargo” is not enough. [1]
Collect the wording, edition, endorsements, subsequent notices and confirmation for the actual shipment. A detailed answer about another route or an expired contract can still be useless.
Cover does not necessarily follow the entire chain
Under Institute War Clauses (Cargo) 2009, ordinary attachment is linked to loading onto an overseas vessel. Termination occurs on final discharge or expiry of the period specified in clause 5, whichever comes first. Transhipment and refuge ports have particular provisions. This is not automatically warehouse-to-warehouse war protection. [2]
Ask a precise question: is this event covered at this location, during this stage and on these dates? Those four coordinates make the answer testable.
The truck after the ship: an illustration
Imagine a container discharged at an alternative port for onward road carriage. A customer receives a general confirmation of marine war cover and assumes protection continues to the factory. The issue is whether the feared event on the inland leg is expressly insured.
This is not a reported claim, nor a statement that every period ashore is excluded: the wording also addresses particular situations. It identifies where an assumption needs documentary verification.
Obtain a shipment-specific response
Ask the broker or insurer to identify:
- Insured events and exclusions.
- Territories, ports and stages, including inland carriage.
- Attachment, termination and treatment of storage or transhipment.
- Required notifications, authorisations and additional premiums.
- Relevant endorsements, cancellation provisions and limitations.
Attach each answer to a document and a named contact. Five unqualified assurances are less useful than one carefully bounded answer.
Apply the TARGA approach
Draw the warehouse, truck, terminal, vessel, alternative port and final delivery on one page. Under each stage, record custody and the insurance provision checked. Turn unanswered boxes into actions before the shipment is entrusted.
Professional confidence means knowing exactly where reassurance is justified.
Sources and references
- https://www.if-insurance.com/globalassets/industrial/files/marine-cargo/institute-clauses/institute-cargo-clauses-a-2009.pdf
- https://www.if-insurance.com/globalassets/industrial/files/marine-cargo/institute-clauses/institute-war-clauses-cargo-2009.pdf
General professional insight. Individual situations require a review of documents and specific circumstances.
Put these questions to work.
Start with your operations, contracts and policy wording.
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