Is my Chinese EV insured during ocean freight, and what does it cover?
Short answer:
Marine cargo insurance is available on every shipment and typically costs around 1% of the vehicle's value, covering loss or damage between ports.
Marine cargo insurance covers your vehicle for the ocean leg of the journey — loading, transit and discharge — against total loss, sinking, fire, and typically also covers physical damage from handling.
- Cost — roughly 1-1.5% of the vehicle's declared value, added to your freight quote.
- Coverage window — port of loading in China to port of discharge at destination; onward inland transport needs separate cover if you want it insured too.
- Claims — filed against the insurer with the bill of lading, our export invoice and photos of any damage found at unloading.
We recommend taking marine insurance on every shipment — the cost is small relative to the risk on a $10,000-$60,000+ vehicle.