When you ship items, it’s so important to get TRANSIT INSURANCE because it gives you peace of mind & security. I have heard of soooo many horror stories, from dining sets arriving with all the chairs & tables legs broken, entire kitchen appliances that were shipped & delivered upside down, to missing items in their shipment.

In my personal experience I also had some broken lamps & missing items in previous moves. In fact this move from Manila to Geneva – our first time to work with CROWN RELOCATIONS – is the very first time we moved with only one item damaged, but I think it’s more because the plastic is so old already it has become brittle

Of course sometimes accidents cannot be avoided or God-forbid a ship could also sink. What I tell every single one of my moving clients, is to always expect something to get damage or lost during each move because of furniture stress + there are always risks with every relocation.

This is why it’s important to have TRANSIT INSURANCE even with a super capable & careful professional movers like CROWN RELOCATIONS who take steps to secure your items in specialist packing materials to minimize the the risk of loss or damage.

CrownCare TRANSIT INSURANCE

CROWNCARE TRANSIT INSURANCE is designed to provide the coverage you need against the risks associated to shipments by road, rail, sea or air. It is underwritten by AXA Corporate Solutions Marine, the world’s leading provider of this type of coverage. Policies offer full replacement cost coverage on a door-to-door, all risks basis. This covers:

partial loss or damage of a shipment
including damage due to riots, war and terrorism at sea and in the air
breakage
damage incurred while your belongings are in interim storage at either the origin or the destination warehouse
Stored goods will be covered for up to 60 days at no additional cost under the policy
Additional coverage, if your goods are stored for more than 60 days, is available at a nominal cost per month. Please note that coverage cannot be extended if your shipment is placed in a self-storage warehouse.

ADDITIONAL PROTECTION

While the policy covers most risks associated with transit, additional protection for the following risks can be added for a small premium.

Mould and Mildew coverage – standard policy does not cove loss or damage caused by a change in atmospheric conditions (such as humidity) during transit that might lead to mould or mildew. This option is only available if your goods have been professionally packed. Reimbursement is limited to 75% of the insured value of the shipment.
Electronic or Mechanical Derangement coverage – If an electronic or mechanically operated item proves to be inoperable upon arriving at destination, without visible damage on the exterior/shipping container. This usually happens with computers, stereo systems or other gadgets wherein the intricate components or circuitry are affected by the constant motion of an international shipment. Items must be professionally packed and less than six years old. The packing crew must also check that the item(s) are functioning properly at the time of packing.
Pairs and Sets coverage -When a damaged item is part of a pair or set, the policy only covers the replacement or repair of the item that has sustained loss or damage. It will not cover any depreciated value as a result of the damaged/missing piece or the possible replacement of the entire set. For ex: A three-piece furniture set, comprised of one sofa and two chairs, is included in your shipment. One of the chairs is damaged and requires upholstering. Payment will only be made for the cost of repair to the damaged article, with no consideration for a possible reduction in value of the set.Pairs and Sets coverage takes into consideration the importance of the lost or damaged item to the pair or set.

Speak to your assigned CROWN CONSULTANT about Transit Protection so they can share with you the CrownCare Transit Protection costs & the Application Form for you to complete and sign.

HOW DO I KNOW WHAT COVERAGE I NEED?

There are two standard options to choose from:

Provide a full and detailed inventory of your household goods and value them at the amount it would cost to replace at your destination. You may use either the form provided on the application or if it’s too restrictive, compile an extremely detailed list and attach to your signed application. While the value of shipments can vary greatly, a minimum guideline is US$10 per pound or US$2475 per cubic meter. Please note that anything not declared will not be covered by this policy.
Alternatively you can declare a lump sum valuation on your shipment. The lump sum replacement value must not be less than US$12 per pound or US$2750 per cubic meter of your shipment’ net weight or volume, plus a replacement value listing of any items worth US$1500 or greater. Please refer to your Crown Consultant to assist in properly valuing your shipment for lump sum value declaration.

GOOD TO KNOW: Usually #1 is the more cost effective options because you can choose to only insure items with value. However if you didn’t list down an item, then it’s not covered by the policy

So for example the plastic item that broke during this move was one of the wheels for our filing cabinet. Because it was not part of the items listed for coverage (option #1), we did not make any claim. Anyway we just bought a new set wheels from the hardware store. I think it was high time it was replaced after more than a decade anyway. Furniture stress is real in shipping containers. So no matter how much protection & how sturdy the box, we have to expect it.

Whichever option you choose, your CROWN CONSULTANT will assist you in determining the proper valuation for your shipment.

HOW TO MAKE A CLAIM

Should you find any issues upon delivery that fall under your CROWNCARE TRANSIT INSURANCE COVERAGE, notify your CROWN CONSULTANT immediately and they will provide you with a claim form and instructions to follow for completion of your claim.

Moving has been complicated by the global pandemic, so I wanted to document this unique moment in history and also my experience with CROWN RELOCATIONS & how they helped lessen our moving stress. So please check out these super informative posts: