We have talked about the reasons why container insurance is so important for your business and which is the one that could suit you better, but today we are going to show you a step-by-step guide for that occasion when your container or intermodal units have suffered any damages. Then you need to know how to file your container insurance claim.
As we have said before, there are multiple options to choose when you are buying container insurance; we recommend getting an “All Risks” coverage, which includes total loss, partial damages, cleaning costs, third party liability (We explained why you need it) among other cases.
After choosing your insurance plan and company, it´s time to do some paperwork. At the time of signing the policy, and prior to leaving the port of origin, the insurer or the representatives should provide the following documents:
- EIR (Equipment Interchange Receipt) Port of Origin: The EIR is an important legal document for intermodal industry and international trade. It records the container’s conditions or operability level and represents a backup of the temporal possession of the equipment’s responsible. The EIR registers any damages to the shipping container during its journey or during handling and it’s made every time the equipment changes of custody. Then we can talk about an Out Empty EIR and an In Full EIR. (Read our full post about EIR)
- Photographs and/or packing inspection on arrival at the port of destination: The images will serve as support to show the real conditions of the shipping container and to document the changes or damages during the trip.
- Manifest – BL (Bill of Lading): This document is proof of the cargo´s ownership and helps the shipper to process the load according to the contract drawn up between the carrier and the shipper. (You can read more here)
- List of evacuation: It´s a report that the shipping line handles to the authorities that determine which shipping containers are going to be verified.
We also recommend reading our list of recommendation for container inspection before and after loading.
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