SHIPSURANCE Online Shipping Insurance Certificate

Definitions:
(“SHIPSURANCE”): The insurance agent.
(“INS”): The insurance company.
(“Insured”): The insured.
(“Shipping Carrier”): The company that is transporting the shipments covered by this Certificate.
(“Total Insured Value”) or (“TIV”): The total value of the item(s) declared for insurance coverage. Includes the Shipping Carrier provided coverage, if any.

Coverage:
Coverage provided by this certificate covers freight from all risks of physical loss or damage from an external cause (subject to exclusions) while in transit. Shipments must originate from the United States of America and/or Canada. Outbound shipments must be sent from the address entered for coverage. Inbound shipments must be received at the address entered for coverage. Coverage provided for commercial trucking, air, and ocean freight companies only - owned, leased or rented vehicles are not covered.

International shipments must follow the shipping carrier rules for specific countries. If you are shipping using the United States Postal Service, make sure to follow the USPS International Mail Manual rules located here: http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/welcome.htm. If you ship a prohibited item, there is NO COVERAGE.

If you reside in the state of California, you acknowledge that the insurance coverage is provided by certain Underwriters at Lloyds. Lloyds of London is a non-admitted insurer.

All provided information regarding shipments that require coverage must be correct and complete. If incorrect details are provided when insuring a package there will be no coverage. For example: If a package is submitted for insurance and declared as a USPS First Class mail shipment but actually sent via the USPS Priority Mail service, or any other service or carrier, there is no coverage.

Exclusions: The following is a list of exclusions this certificate does not cover:

Household goods and personal effects are items that are used in a dwelling. These include furniture, appliances, clothing, linens and other household items that are not involved in a recent sale or under commercial invoice. Items sold on eBay or via online store are not considered household goods or personal effects as they are under commercial invoice.

1. Accounts, bills, currency, cash in transit, evidence of debt, checks, money orders, COD payments, coins (collectible coins are not excluded), securities and other negotiable papers, tickets, deeds, notes, gift cards, manuscripts, documents, neon items, hazardous material (per UPS Hazardous Materials List), LCD monitors or screens, televisions (including LCD, plasma, CRT, projection, and similar), cell phones (including mobile phones, smart phones, messaging phones, iPhones, android phones, blackberry phones, and similar), laptop computers (including tablet computers, iPads, and similar), perishable cargo or similar property, eggs, any stone or ceramic slabs, automobiles, motorcycles, live animals, flowers, plants, seeds, cigarettes/cigars, cotton, guns (guns more than 100 years old are not excluded),  tobacco, windows, plate glass, stained glass, float glass, and used household goods and used personal effects.
2. Loss, damage, shortage, or non-arrival of any parcel and its contents which is (1) addressed incorrectly or (2) packed insufficiently to withstand the normal rigors of transit.
3. Loss, damage, shortage, or non-arrival of any parcel and its contents when it bears a descriptive label or packaging which describes, or alludes to, the nature of the contents. This includes shipments sent in the manufacturers packaging as this alludes to the contents. International shipments that contain customs declarations are NOT excluded from coverage.
4. Loss, damage, shortage, or non-arrival of any parcel and its contents when it is obtained by trick, false pretense, or other fraudulent schemes.
5. Loss, damage, shortage arising out of loss of market, delay, loss of use, clean up costs, decay, inherent vise, or other deterioration, any remote or consequential loss, whether or not arising out of a peril insured against.
6. War Exclusion / Atomic and Nuclear Exclusion: In no case shall this insurance cover loss damage or expense caused by (i)War, civil war, revolution, rebellion, insurrection, or civil strife arising therefrom, or any hostile act by or against a belligerent power. (ii) Capture, seizure, arrest, restraint or detainment (piracy excepted), and the consequences thereof or any attempt thereat. (iii) Derelict mines, torpedoes, bombs, or other derelict weapons of war. In no case shall this insurance cover loss damage or expense arising from the use of any weapon of war employing atomic or nuclear fission and/or fusion or other like reaction or radioactive force or matter.
7. Mechanical and Electrical Derangement – Loss of or damage due to mechanical, electrical, or electronic derangement unless there is evidence of external damage to the insured item or its packaging. Data files and installed computer programs are not covered for erasure, corruption, or loss.
8. AIMU Extended Radioactive Contamination Exclusion clause.
9. AIMU Chemical, Biological, Bio-Chemical, Electromagnetic, and Cyber Weapons Exclusion clause.

Conditions:

1. All parcels that are covered by this Certificate will be shipped in strict accordance with all regulations of the carrier and amendments thereto.
2. Deductible
   1. If a deductible exists, it will be deducted from the total claim amount. Deductibles are on a per package basis. The Insured is responsible for collecting any amounts from the Shipping Carrier that the Shipping Carrier may be liable for. Claims will be paid net of Shipping Carrier’s per package limitation.
3. Valuation
1. Underwriters shall be liable for the invoice value of property lost, destroyed or damaged, however, in the event there is no invoice, underwriters shall be liable for the actual cash value of the property. Claims for repairs shall be payable for the fair market costs of such repairs.
2. In no event shall claims exceed the value declared prior to shipment and declared for premium purposes.
4. Other Insurance
   1. Underwriters are not responsible for any loss, damage, or shortage that is covered by another insurance policy or for carrier's liability.
      1. If other insurance or coverage is present on a shipment, Underwriters will only provide the excess coverage.
5. Claims
   1. All packaging material and damaged goods must be kept in the original form as received. Packaging and damaged goods should not be disposed of or released to the shipping carrier before a claim is completed as photographs will be required. Failure to comply can result in the denial of the claim due to insufficient packing.
   2. Concealed Damage – Allows for the discovery of loss or damage up to 15 days after final delivery. The loss is deemed to have possibly occurred during the insured transit. Discovery of loss or damage occurring 16 days or later after final delivery is deemed to have occurred while the shipment was NOT in transit, and therefore, is not covered.
   3. The Insured will file immediate notice of non-delivery, damage, or shortage with the Shipping Carrier and with SHIPSURANCE. Take proper exceptions on the delivery receipt when any loss or damage is apparent at the time of taking delivery. The Insured will complete a SHIPSURANCE claim form and provide all required documents to SHIPSURANCE within sixty (60) calendar days from the date of shipment. If the carrier has liability and their remittance (carrier’s claim check and stub) or response has not been received by the Insured within the 60 day timeframe, all other claim paperwork must be received by SHIPSURANCE within sixty (60) calendar days from the date of shipment. A complete claim submission includes a SHIPSURANCE claim form, a copy of the carrier's tracer form, a copy of the invoice or recent appraisal, photos of damaged goods and packaging, a repair estimate, a claim statement/affidavit signed by the recipient, proof of mailing (lost parcels), and any other documentation requested by SHIPSURANCE. Failure to complete the claim form and follow all claim instructions could lead to non settlement of claim.
      1. If the shipment is sent via the United States Postal Service (USPS), complete claims must be submitted and received by SHIPSURANCE within one hundred and twenty (120) calendar days of the shipment date. If the claim is for loss the Insured must wait 21 calendar days (Domestic shipments) or 45 calendar days (International shipments) before filing claim with SHIPSURANCE.
   4. All damaged property that was not repaired must be made available (given) to SHIPSURANCE or INS if requested.
   5. Once claim has been accepted and approved by the underwriters, prompt payment will be made to the Insured.
   6. SHIPSURANCE and INS rely on the determination of responsibility made by the original Shipping Carrier to assist in substantiating the loss.
6. Claim Disputes
   1. This Certificate shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of California.
   2. The parties agree that any and all claims or disputes arising out of the Certificate or the performance of the Certificate shall be brought in Los Angeles County, California.
   3. The Insured agrees to INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS SHIPSURANCE and Underwriters from any loss, liability, damage or costs, including court costs and attorney fees that they may incur due to misreading, misunderstanding, and not following the coverage requirements as per this SHIPSURANCE certificate or as endorsed.
7. Other Provisions
   1. If SHIPSURANCE does not receive payment from Insured by the date the invoice is due, SHIPSURANCE reserves the right to deny any coverage retained by Insured until such invoice is paid in full (including any such interest accrued).  If Insured does not pay its invoice within 15 days after it is due, SHIPSURANCE reserves the right to cancel its coverage of Insured entirely.
   2. If any term or condition of this Certificate is found to be invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity or unenforceability of any such term or condition shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining terms and conditions of this Certificate.
   3. This Certificate constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the specific rights, duties, and obligations identified herein.
      1. Remittance of premium payment to SHIPSURANCE constitutes acceptance of this agreement.

*Household goods and personal effects are items that are used in a dwelling. These include furniture, appliances, clothing, linens and other household items that are not involved in a recent sale or under commercial invoice. Items sold on eBay or via online store are not considered household goods or personal effects as they are under commercial invoice.

Please email us at info@shipsurance.com if you have any questions.

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Last updated
09/10 to add definition for proof of mailing.
09/10 to add further clarification for cell phone and laptop exclusion.
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