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Cargo insurance in Germany: why the carrier's liability will not pay for your goods
If goods are lost in transit, a carrier in Germany is liable for no more than 8.33 Special Drawing Rights per kilogram, a fraction of the value of light, high-value goods. Cargo insurance pays the insured value of the goods, carrier's liability insurance covers hauliers and freight forwarders, and own-account transport cover protects goods you move in your own vans and trucks. These are three different contracts.
The question almost everyone asks first
Do I need cargo insurance if the haulier is liable anyway?
Yes, as soon as your goods are worth more than roughly ten euros per kilogram. Under § 431 of the German Commercial Code (HGB) and, for international road haulage, Article 23 CMR, carriers pay at most 8.33 SDR per kilogram of gross weight, and only if they are liable at all. A 10 kg box of electronics worth 8,000 euros yields about 100 euros. Cargo insurance pays the insured value regardless of the carrier's fault.
Do the maths
How little the carrier pays
If goods are lost, a road carrier is liable under German law and the CMR convention for only 8.33 special drawing rights per kilogram. For light, valuable goods that is almost nothing.
The IMF publishes the current SDR rate.
Three policies that are often confused
Cargo insurance (Warentransportversicherung) is bought by whoever bears the risk in the goods under the sales contract. In Germany it is usually written on all risks terms under the DTV cargo clauses, the German counterpart of the Institute Cargo Clauses (A), and pays the value of the goods whether or not anyone is liable.
Carrier's liability insurance (Verkehrshaftungsversicherung) is bought by hauliers, freight forwarders and warehouse keepers and covers their liability towards customers, up to the legal limits. Own-account transport insurance (Werkverkehrsversicherung) protects your own goods, materials and tools carried in your own vehicles, which neither your motor policy nor any carrier covers.
Liability limits in figures
German domestic carriage is governed by the Commercial Code. A carrier's liability for loss or damage is capped at 8.33 SDR per kilogram (§ 431 HGB); one SDR is worth a little more than one euro depending on the exchange rate. Standard terms may set the limit anywhere between 2 and 40 SDR if the customer is clearly informed (§ 449 HGB). International road haulage falls under the CMR convention with the same 8.33 SDR.
Most German forwarders trade on the ADSp 2017 terms, which add further caps, including 1.25 million euros per claim and 2 SDR per kilogram for multimodal transport involving sea legs. The caps fall away only for intent or recklessness with knowledge that damage would probably result (§ 435 HGB), which you would have to prove.
Compulsory cover for road hauliers
Anyone carrying goods commercially or for payment in Germany with vehicles over 3.5 t gross weight must hold goods-in-transit liability insurance under § 7a of the Road Haulage Act (GüKG), for carriage with loading and unloading in Germany. The minimum sum is 600,000 euros per event, and an annual aggregate may not be lower than twice that. Proof of cover must be carried on the vehicle.
This duty does not apply to own-account transport. If you move your own goods, there is no carrier who is liable to you, and a load lost in a swerve is covered only by an own-account transport policy.
Incoterms decide who insures
The sales contract, usually through an Incoterms rule, decides who bears the transit risk. Under Incoterms 2020 the seller must insure at least on Institute Cargo Clauses (C) terms for CIF and on (A) terms for CIP, in both cases for 110 percent of the contract price. Businesses shipping regularly insure everything under an annual open policy.
If you are moving a boat or yacht by road or sea, NAMMERT is not your broker but the underwriting agent itself.
What is covered
- Loss of and damage to goods in transit, on all risks terms
- Road accident, overturning and falls
- Theft and robbery, including whole loads
- Damage during loading, unloading and transhipment
- General average and salvage at sea
- Storage in the course of transit, up to a time limit
- Carrier and forwarder liability, under a liability policy
- Own goods in own vehicles, under own-account cover
What is not covered
- Insufficient packing by the shipper
- Inherent vice and natural characteristics of the goods
- Delay and loss of market unless agreed
- War, strikes and seizure unless included
- Wilful misconduct of the insured
- Shipments to or from sanctioned countries or parties
Who needs it
- Traders and manufacturers who ship or receive goods regularly
- Exporters and importers whose Incoterms leave the risk with them
- Hauliers operating vehicles over 3.5 t, where liability cover is compulsory
- Freight forwarders, warehouse operators and couriers
- Trades and wholesalers delivering with their own vans
- Trade fair exhibitors shipping exhibits
Who can do without
- Sellers on EXW terms where the buyer bears the risk from collection
- Shippers of low-value bulk goods where statutory liability is enough
Wheel of misfortune
Spin the wheel of bad luck
Six things that really happen. The wheel picks yours and shows who pays.
Cost:
Budget policy
Strong policy
See all six cases
- Forklift drops a pallet at loading, three to five figures, by cargo. Budget policy: pays, Strong policy: pays. Handling damage is among the most common cargo claims. Even restricted German cover pays when a package falls during loading or unloading.
- Lorry and load stolen at a service area, full cargo value, often six figures. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays. Restricted cover only pays for named accidents to the vehicle. Theft needs full all risks cover, usually with parking conditions.
- Poor packing, machine arrives dented, five figures. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: does not pay. Insufficient packing by the shipper is excluded under every policy. If you pack yourself, that risk stays with you.
- Container washed overboard in a storm, full cargo value. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays. Institute Cargo Clauses (C) do not cover washing overboard, clauses (A) do. It is the clearest illustration of the difference.
- Reefer fails, seafood spoils, five figures. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays in part. Inherent vice is excluded. Stronger policies pay if the refrigeration unit broke down for at least a stated number of hours.
- Shipowner declares general average, a share of cargo value plus security. Budget policy: pays, Strong policy: pays. Under general average every cargo owner contributes. Any cargo policy pays that share and provides the guarantee needed to release your goods.
What it costs
Cargo premiums are a rate on the insured value, or on annual shipping turnover for open policies, plus German insurance tax. Carrier's liability is usually rated on freight turnover or number of vehicles.
What drives the premium
- Type of goods: theft appeal, fragility, temperature sensitivity
- Route and means of transport
- Countries and regions
- Annual shipping value and maximum per conveyance
- Packing and load securing
- Deductible
- Claims history
Cargo rates depend so heavily on the goods and routes that no reliable published benchmarks exist. We therefore give no example figures. Your premium is set in the quote.
The policy levels on the market
02
Annual open policy
All shipments during the year covered automatically up to a limit per conveyance, premium on turnover. The standard for regular shippers.
03
Worldwide programme
Global transit including storage, trade fairs and exhibitions, often with war and strikes cover.
How to recognise a good policy
| Criterion | Minimum standard | Strong policy | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope | named perils | all risks under the DTV cargo clauses | With named perils, a loss of unclear cause is often not covered. |
| Insured value | invoice value | invoice value plus freight and expected profit | Otherwise freight paid and margin are missing from the claim. |
| Limit per conveyance | set too low | based on a full truck or container | When a whole truck is stolen, the limit per vehicle is what counts. |
| Storage | short transit storage only | pre-, interim and post-transit storage with long time limits | Goods often wait for weeks in third-party warehouses. |
| Carrier's liability | statutory HGB liability | also CMR, ADSp and contractually increased liability | Shippers often demand higher liability than the law provides. |
| Gross fault | covered only up to the legal caps | covered where unlimited liability arises from organisational fault | Thefts from unsecured parked trucks regularly lead to unlimited liability claims. |
| Own-account transport | not covered | own goods in own vehicles included | With no carrier involved, nobody else is liable for your goods. |
Insurers on the German market
Cargo is a specialist line in Germany. Large property insurers write it alongside specialists for the haulage industry, and different insurers lead in cargo, carrier's liability and own-account cover.
| Insurer | Background |
|---|---|
| Allianz | marine and cargo lines for SMEs, agents and brokers |
| AXA | cargo insurance via brokers |
| HDI Global | Talanx industrial arm with marine department |
| Zurich | transport and logistics for commercial clients |
| Helvetia | German branch of Helvetia with marine business via brokers |
| KRAVAG | part of the R+V group, focused on road haulage and logistics |
| Mannheimer | part of the Continentale group, specialist lines via brokers |
From the BaFin register
83
83 insurers supervised by BaFin, the German regulator, are licensed for this class of insurance. (Transportgüter)
Show all 83 names from the register
- Allianz Direct Versicherungs-AG
- Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE
- Allianz Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Alte Leipziger Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Ambra Versicherung AG
- andsafe Aktiengesellschaft
- ARAG Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- AXA easy Versicherung AG
- AXA Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Badischer Gemeinde-Versicherungs-Verband
- Baloise Sachversicherung Aktiengesellschaft Deutschland
- Barmenia Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Bayerische Landesbrandversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Bayerischer Versicherungsverband Versicherungsaktiengesellschaft
- BD24 Berlin Direkt Versicherung AG
- BGV-Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Concordia Versicherungs-Gesellschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit
- Continentale Sachversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- DA Deutsche Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- DARAG Deutschland AG
- Debeka Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft Sitz Koblenz am Rhein
- Delvag Versicherungs-AG
- DEVK Deutsche Eisenbahn Versicherung Sach- und HUK-Versicherungsverein a.G. Betriebliche Sozialeinrichtung der Deutschen Bahn
- Dialog Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- ERGO Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- EUROPA Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- F. Laeisz Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Fahrlehrerversicherung Verein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- Feuersozietät Berlin Brandenburg Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Generali Deutschland Versicherung AG
- Gothaer Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Gothaer Versicherungsbank VVaG
- Great Lakes Insurance SE
- GVO Gegenseitigkeit Versicherung Oldenburg VVaG
- Hamburger Feuerkasse Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- HanseMerkur Allgemeine Versicherung AG
- HDI Global SE
- HDI Global Specialty SE
- HDI Haftpflichtverband der Deutschen Industrie Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- HDI Versicherung AG
- Helvetia Schweizerische Versicherungsgesellschaft AG Direktion für Deutschland
- Helvetia Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- HUK-COBURG Haftpflicht-Unterstützungs-Kasse kraftfahrender Beamter Deutschlands a.G. in Coburg
- HUK-COBURG-Allgemeine Versicherung AG
- Häger Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- Hübener Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- INTER Allgemeine Versicherung AG
- Interlloyd Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- KRAVAG-ALLGEMEINE Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- KRAVAG-LOGISTIC Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Landschaftliche Brandkasse Hannover
- Lippische Landesbrandversicherung AG
- Lucura Versicherungs AG
- LVM Landwirtschaftlicher Versicherungsverein Münster a.G.
- Mannheimer Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Markel Insurance SE
- Minerva Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Neodigital Autoversicherung AG
- Newline Europe Versicherung AG
- NÜRNBERGER Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Ostangler Brandgilde, Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit (VVaG)
- Pallas Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Provinzial Nord Brandkasse Aktiengesellschaft
- Provinzial Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- R+V Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- RheinLand Versicherungs Aktiengesellschaft
- Rhion Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- SAARLAND Feuerversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- SIGNAL IDUNA Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Sparkassen-Versicherung Sachsen Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- SV SparkassenVersicherung Gebäudeversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Union Reiseversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- uniVersa Allgemeine Versicherung AG
- Versicherungskammer Bayern Versicherungsanstalt des öffentlichen Rechts
- Verti Versicherung AG
- VHV Allgemeine Versicherung AG
- VOLKSWOHL-BUND SACHVERSICHERUNG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
- Waldenburger Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Württembergische Gemeinde-Versicherung auf Gegenseitigkeit
- Württembergische Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Würzburger Versicherungs-AG
- Zurich Insurance Europe AG
- Öffentliche Feuerversicherung Sachsen-Anhalt
Source: BaFin company database, retrieved 18 September 2026. Insurers from other EU countries selling through a branch or without a German office are not included.
Legal basis and sources
Products and add-ons
Cargo insurance
Covers the goods themselves, per shipment or under an annual open policy.
Carrier's and forwarder's liability
Covers liability under HGB, CMR and ADSp for hauliers, forwarders and warehouses.
Compulsory haulier cover (§ 7a GüKG)
Mandatory for commercial road haulage above 3.5 t, often part of a wider liability policy.
Own-account transport cover
Your goods, materials and tools in your own vehicles.
Exhibition insurance
Exhibits on the way to a trade fair, on the stand and back.
Myth or truth
True or false?
Five things people say about this insurance. Guess first, then see the answer.
If the ship declares general average, even owners of undamaged cargo have to pay.
This is true.
True. The cost of saving the voyage is shared between the ship and all cargo on board. Without insurance, the consignee must post security before the goods are released.
Cargo insurance only pays if someone was at fault.
This is false.
False. Cargo insurance is property cover and pays regardless of fault. Whether the insurer then recovers from the carrier is its own business.
Late delivery is covered by cargo insurance.
This is false.
False. Delay and loss of market are excluded unless specifically agreed. Under German law a carrier's liability for delay is capped at three times the freight charge.
Goods are commonly insured for 110 percent of their invoice value.
This is true.
True. The extra ten percent covers anticipated profit and incidental costs lost with the goods. It is standard in German and international practice.
Seizure of goods by customs at destination counts as a transit loss.
This is false.
Usually not. Seizure and measures by authorities are excluded unless specifically included. Checking documents and sanctions lists before shipping is the only real protection.
Common mistakes
- Relying on the haulier's liability without knowing the per-kilo cap
- Agreeing Incoterms without checking when the risk passes
- Carrying your own goods with no own-account cover
- Assuming a UK or US marine policy automatically meets German contract requirements
- Hauliers mixing up compulsory § 7a GüKG cover with cargo insurance
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
How much does a carrier pay if my goods are lost in Germany?
At most 8.33 SDR per kilogram of gross weight, just under ten euros per kilo depending on the exchange rate. The basis is § 431 HGB for domestic carriage and Article 23 CMR for international road haulage.
What is the difference between cargo insurance and carrier's liability insurance?
Cargo insurance is taken out by the owner or risk bearer of the goods and pays their value. Carrier's liability insurance is taken out by the transport company and pays only where, and as far as, the carrier is liable.
Is CMR insurance compulsory in Germany?
Hauliers using vehicles over 3.5 t must insure their liability under § 7a GüKG for carriage with loading and unloading in Germany. For purely international CMR transport there is no statutory duty, but shippers almost always require cover.
How much does cargo insurance cost?
It is a rate on the insured value or annual shipping turnover, plus insurance tax. Goods, routes, packing and theft risk set the rate, so only a quote for your shipments is meaningful.
Who insures under CIF terms?
The seller, but under Incoterms 2020 only at least on Institute Cargo Clauses (C) terms for 110 percent of the price. That is restricted cover, so buyers often add their own policy.
Are goods in my own van insured?
Not by your motor policy, which covers the vehicle. For goods and tools in your own vehicles you need own-account transport cover, since no carrier is liable.
Is the forwarder liable without limit for gross negligence?
The caps fall away for intent or recklessness with knowledge of probable damage under § 435 HGB. You have to establish that, which can take years. Your own cargo policy pays without that detour.
What should I do when goods arrive damaged?
Note visible damage on the delivery note or CMR consignment note before signing. Under CMR, hidden damage must be notified in writing within seven days, excluding Sundays and public holidays. Inform your cargo insurer at the same time.
Who insures the transport of a boat?
For boats and yachts, by trailer, truck or as deck cargo, NAMMERT acts as underwriting agent, not as broker, and quotes these transports directly.
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What we would talk you out of
Boat or yacht? Here we are not the broker but the underwriting agency, with our own policies and our own claims handling.
Boat insuranceNAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act, broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37. For boat and yacht insurance we act as underwriting agency, not as broker. Statutory disclosure (German) · Updated