When shipping commercial freight, it is important to be insured by the freight insurance company that provides insurance coverage during transit with the freight carrier. Freight insurance is fairly inexpensive compared to the potential loss or damage expenses.
Traditionally freight move across the ocean or around countries by land or inland water. Insurance for such trips are separately categorized as ocean, marine or ocean marine cargo. All other are lumped into inland marine or inland cargo insurance.
The main goal of the freight insurance is to cover the entire trip, including time spent in warehouses during shipment.
 Several factors determine the price of the policy. The value of the item being shipped is the first factor. Another factor is the type of commodity. The type relates to how likely the item is to be damaged in transport. Some articles are fragile, thus they are more vulnerable to damage, and therefore more likely to require payment from a claim. The distance the shipment will travel also plays the important role and is the essential factor. A shipment that will be transported further has a greater possibility of being damaged as it is transferred from trailer to terminal to trailer throughout its journey. There are other factors that can affect the cost, these are the carrier or mode of transportation, and how the commodity is packaged.
Your insurance often covers shipments. If your policy is not already covered, then your insurance agent may also add a one time policy. As most freight is paid with a credit card, you may be insured through your credit card agreement. An outside broker can also help you find insurance.
It is also required to have a certain amount of liability and cargo insurance. Licensed transporters demand this to be able to cover any damage that occurs during the shipping process. You have to ask about the terms and amount of coverage as they can vary from company to company.
It is important to determine your insurance needs before signing up to ship. Consider cost – extra freight insurance can come at a price, so you may want to weigh this against the odds of actually needing it.
If commercial goods are already insured, check with the current insurer to see how much damage it will cover. In case it will not cover the entire cost, you should notify the company that you are transporting the goods and follow any requirements necessary to maintain your policy. They may also offer you competitive rates for any additional insurance you may require.
If your goods are damaged during shipping, then be sure, your insurance will cover you all the damages. For this you have to make specific notes on the "Bill of Lading" and have the delivery driver sign the form before accepting delivery. Then you should contact your shipping and insurance companies immediately. | 
