Marine insurance plays an important role in the transaction of Import, Export and Internal trade. The marine policy is issued to indemnify the insured in respect of any loss or damage to the Cargo dispatched from any place to any place. During the transit, the cargo is open various types of perils from the time it leaves the warehouse of the supplier until it is received at the final warehouse of the consignees.

The cargo has to be covered by insurance on value+ freight from source port to destination port & value+freight+duty paid from port of destination to warehouse of the consignee.
It deals with insurance of goods in transit through following modes of transport:

While the movement of cargo within the country is covered under inland policies, cargo going out of India/ cargo coming to India from broad are covered under overseas policies.

One has the option of covering the voyage under a specific policy. However, if the voyages are frequent and it is difficult/ cumbersome to take specific policies, option is also available to obtain cover of all despatches under an open policy.

The scope of cover under inland policies are determined by Inland Transit Clauses A, B and C. While C covers the losses arising due to fire and lightning, B covers losses arising due to accident of the carrying vehicle besides whatever is covered in C. Inland Transit Clause A is an All Risk policy.

The scope of cover under inland policies are determined by Institute Cargo Clauses A, B & C.

While C broadly covers the losses arising due to fire/ explosion/ sinking/ stranding/ jettison/ General Average, B covers losses arising due to earthquake, entry of sea water, washing overboard etc besides whatever is covered in C.

Institute Cargo Clause A is an All Risk policy.

All the policies are subject to certain exclusions like inherent vice, losses arising due to war and nuclear perils etc.