Preparing for an international move—almost everyone wrestles with whether to buy insurance. Here's the bottom line: if your main worry is bumps, dents, and breakage during transit, choose Door-to-Door All Risk Insurance (premium rate ~3.5%). If your only fear is a total loss of the entire shipment or vessel, basic marine insurance will cover it—and some orders include it for free.
What's the real difference between the two, and how do you pick? Let's break it down.

1. Two Types of Insurance, Vastly Different Coverage

Seapoe Relo currently offers two types of insurance for personal effects international moves. Here's a side-by-side comparison:

1.1 Door-to-Door All Risk Insurance

  • Rate: 3.5% of the declared value, minimum $150
  • Coverage: Full journey (packing → sea freight → customs clearance → delivery) for breakage and loss
  • Deductible: $100
  • Air freight: Door-to-door insurance not available for air shipments

1.2 Basic Marine Insurance (Total Loss Only)

  • Rate: Some orders include it for free
  • Coverage: Only pays for total loss of the entire shipment caused by a vessel accident
  • Deductible: None
  • Air freight: Loss = compensation at 2x the freight cost

Key difference: All Risk = "covers bumps and scratches"; Total Loss Only = "only pays if the entire shipment is completely gone."

2. Why Such a Big Rate Difference?

All Risk covers common risks across the entire transport chain—dents during handling, moisture and crushing during sea freight, accidents during destination delivery. It's active until you sign for the goods, and the deductible is just $100. That's why the premium is higher.

Basic marine insurance (Total Loss Only) only covers extreme events like vessel sinking or disappearance—which are extremely rare. That's why Seapoe offers it free on some orders.

3. Which One Should You Choose?

  • Shipping a piano, artwork, fragile collectibles: All Risk is strongly recommended. However, if shipping a piano alone, you can only get Total Loss insurance, and we recommend adding a custom wooden crate (approx. $85/m³) for extra protection. If you ship multiple furniture items including a piano, you can opt for Door-to-Door All Risk—but note that All Risk must cover all items in the shipment, and no single item can exceed 50% of the total declared value.
  • Used furniture, clothes, books: Lower risk; decide based on the value of your belongings. If the total value isn't high, basic insurance may suffice.
  • Ship by air: Important — no door-to-door insurance is provided for air freight. Compensation is limited to "2x freight cost for loss." For valuable small items, consider arranging your own full-value coverage.

4. Three Common Misconceptions

  • Self‑packed items: Insurance covers loss but not damage during transport.
  • Fragile items in cardboard boxes: Same rule—if you want damage coverage, you must use professional packing + All Risk insurance.
  • New items are not covered: Brand new items cannot be cleared through customs as personal effects, and they are not insured. Marble/stone products are carried by Seapoe but not insured.

FAQ

Q: Is international moving insurance necessary?

A: Highly recommended if your items are valuable or include fragile/valuable pieces. All Risk costs 3.5% (minimum $150), covers damage throughout the journey—safer than covering losses yourself.

Q: Are marine insurance and door-to-door insurance the same?

A: No. Basic marine insurance only pays for total loss; door-to-door All Risk covers common damage from start to finish. The difference in coverage is huge.

Q: What currency is insurance declared in?

A: Must be in USD. No single item can exceed 50% of the total insured value.