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Learn: cargo liability, claims and insurance
Free, plain-language guides for shippers, forwarders, buyers and students. Every legal fact is linked to its primary source. No paywall, no sign-up, no courses to buy.
Guides
Guide 1Carrier liability vs cargo insurance: the basicsWhy the carrier's liability is capped, what it does not cover, and where cargo insurance fits.4 min read · 5 sourcesGuide 2General average: what it is and what to do when it's declaredWhy undamaged cargo can be held after a casualty, and how bonds, guarantees and adjusters work.5 min read · 4 sourcesGuide 3Declared value (ad valorem) vs carrier liability limitsHow declaring value on the bill of lading, air waybill or consignment note changes the carrier's limit.4 min read · 6 sourcesGuide 4How to file a cargo claimNotice periods by convention, the documents you need, and the time bars that end a claim.7 min read · 7 sourcesGuide 5What counts as a "package" under the Hague-Visby Rules?The container clause, how bill of lading wording changes the limit, and the leading English cases.4 min read · 5 sourcesGuide 6The Montreal Convention 2024 limit increaseAir cargo limit rose from 22 to 26 SDR/kg on 28 December 2024. How the review works and which date applies.4 min read · 5 sourcesGuide 7CMR basics: road shipments in Europe and beyondWhen CMR applies, the consignment note, the 8.33 SDR/kg limit, defences, notices and time bars.5 min read · 3 sourcesGuide 8Carmack and released rates in US truckingFull actual loss by default, how released rates cut it, and the 9-month / 2-year deadlines.5 min read · 3 sourcesGuide 9Institute Cargo Clauses A, B and C explainedAll risks vs named perils, the standard exclusions, transit duration and how claims work.5 min read · 2 sourcesGuide 10The SDR: what it is and why liability limits use itThe IMF's basket unit, its five currencies and weights, and how conventions convert it.4 min read · 6 sources
Reference
Glossary59 terms from "actual total loss" to "York-Antwerp Rules", each with its own link.
Worked claim examples5 illustrative scenarios run through the calculator, with prefilled links.
Liability vs insurance explainerThe full comparison of carrier liability and cargo insurance.
ConventionsLimits, deadlines and parties for each convention.
Try it with your own shipment
Run the numbers in the free calculator: applicable convention, carrier limit in USD/CAD/EUR, uninsured gap and deadlines.
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Prototype: this form is not connected yet and stores nothing.Educational content only. General information only, not legal or insurance advice. Limits depend on the contract, the documents issued, declared values, national law and the facts of each case. Check the primary sources and consult a qualified professional before relying on any figure.