Marine cargo as the name suggests are goods transported by ship on commercial basis. They are generally shipped in containers as they are the most effective way of shipping goods. They contain goods like oil, seafood, pharmaceuticals, cars, equipment, animals etc. In order to provide financial protection to the people delivering goods via ocean freight, marine cargo insurance has been introduced. It is different from marine insurance in the sense that it only covers for the goods that are being shipped and not the vessel. Marine cargo insurance is in fact a sub-division of marine insurance.

The company which conducts the business of shipping goods overseas purchase marine cargo insurance. The policy covers the goods only during transit. It generally expires once the cargo reaches the port. However, there are policies covering the cargo till it reaches the warehouse as well. There are also extensive cargo insurance available which covers the insurance of both importer and exporter. Some marine cargo insurance also covers the taxes incurred in case the shipment is lost or damaged during transit. There are also special policies like war risk policy. This can be availed if your ship is travelling through or travelling into war zones. Companies avail marine cargo insurance and add specialist policies for their goods as per the company requirement.