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Why take out CMR insurance?

International and national road transport in Belgium is subject to the CMR Convention (Convention on the transport of Merchandise by Road). This states that the carrier is contractually liable for the goods entrusted to him from the moment of receipt until the time of delivery. If the goods are damaged or lost during transport, or if they are delivered late, the carrier can be held liable. With a CMR policy, the carrier can insure himself against this liability.

What risks does CMR insurance cover?

Our CMR insurance covers the financial consequences of, among other things:

  • loss of or damage to the goods transported,
  • delay in delivery of the goods,
  • theft of the goods,
  • destruction, disposal or salvage of damaged goods,
  • contamination damage to liquids and powders,
  • spoilage of goods.

What do you need to consider when taking out CMR insurance?

Transport liability insurance only offers good protection if the guarantees are tailored to your specific transport activities. Refrigerated transport, transport by subcontractors and transport of live animals, for instance, are not always insured in a classic CMR policy. Van Dessel has therefore developed its own CMR insurance with specific extensions to provide appropriate coverage for each type of transport.

In the event of liability for damage to goods in transit, compensation shall be calculated on the basis of the value of the cargo upon receipt. The carrier's liability is, however, limited to 8.33 SDR (Special Drawing Rights) per kilogram. Roughly speaking, this amounts to about 10 euro per kilogram. Moreover, the carrier will not be liable in a number of cases. It is therefore important that your interests are defended by specialists.

CTA insurance for semi-trailers

As a transporter, do you tow trailers belonging to third parties or do you receive containers that are the property of a shipping company? Then you are responsible for the equipment entrusted to you for the duration of the transport. We extend your CMR policy with CTA coverage (container/trailer liability) that compensates for any damage to the entrusted material. Even trailers that you rent for a short period of time are covered by this guarantee.

FAQ's

Do you have further questions concerning this type of insurance?

Read here the questions we are most frequently asked about this insurance. Are you also confronted with one of these questions? 

Contact us

I have hired a semi-trailer. Is it automatically covered in the comprehensive cover via the CTA extension in my CMR policy?

Feel free to contact our experts. They will be happy to discuss the possible solutions for your specific situation.

Are all types of transported goods insured as standard in my CMR policy?

Feel free to contact our experts. They will be happy to discuss the possible solutions for your specific situation.

Does it make sense to take out a CMR policy for the transport of low-value products?

Feel free to contact our experts. They will be happy to discuss the possible solutions for your specific situation.

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