Goods in Transit Insurance for UK Hauliers
Motor cover protects the vehicle. Goods in transit insurance protects the freight on the back of it. GMG Insurance Brokers arrange cargo cover for UK-registered haulage operators — sums insured matched to the loads carried, written to reflect CMR or RHA conditions, and available for UK, European or International journeys.
What goods in transit cover can include
Cargo loss, theft & damage
Protects customer goods against loss, theft, fire and accidental damage while in the care, custody and control of the business — in transit, during loading and unloading, and at overnight stops where agreed.
Sums insured to suit the load
Limits are set per vehicle and per load, from modest general haulage consignments through to high-value electronics, alcohol, pharmaceuticals and temperature-controlled freight. Higher limits are available on referral.
UK, Europe or International
Cover can be arranged for UK-only work, European journeys, or wider International operations, matched to typical routes, ferry and tunnel crossings and border requirements.
Contract conditions honoured
Policies can be written to reflect the liability actually carried — CMR for cross-border road haulage, RHA Conditions of Carriage for UK work, or the bespoke contract terms a customer insists on.
Extensions where needed
Sheets, ropes and straps, debris removal, continental extensions, refrigeration breakdown and unattended vehicle clauses can be added depending on the goods carried and insurer appetite.
Combined with fleet cover
Arranging goods in transit alongside HGV fleet and liability cover keeps one renewal date, one account handler and one claims route — and usually improves the terms available across the programme.
Cover, limits, extensions and conditions vary by insurer and are subject to underwriting, the policy wording and the terms offered at quotation.
CMR or RHA — get the conditions right
Liability for a load is set by the contract it moves under. CMR applies to cross-border road haulage between participating countries and fixes liability by the weight of the goods. RHA Conditions of Carriage are the standard UK terms and also cap liability per tonne. Many shippers and freight exchanges, however, insist on their own conditions, which can sit well above those caps.
A goods in transit policy is only as useful as its fit with those contracts. GMG brokers review the conditions an operator actually trades under before placing cover, so the limits and clauses line up with the liability being carried.
Better placed alongside fleet cover
Most UK haulage operators need motor, goods in transit and liability cover working together. Arranged as one programme, that means a single renewal date, one account handler who knows the fleet, and one claims route when something goes wrong — rather than insurers arguing over whether an incident sits with the vehicle or the load.
- HGV fleet cover for single artics through to 200+ vehicle fleets
- Public and Employers’ Liability with limits up to £10 million
- Business interruption and contingent motor liability where required
Goods in transit questions
What is goods in transit insurance?
Goods in transit insurance covers the freight a haulier moves on behalf of customers against loss, theft or damage while it is in their care. Motor insurance covers the vehicle; goods in transit covers what is on the back of it.
Is goods in transit insurance a legal requirement?
It is not required by law in the way third-party motor insurance is, but it is required by most haulage contracts, freight exchanges and shippers. Trading under CMR or RHA conditions without it leaves the operator exposed to the value of the load.
What is the difference between CMR and RHA conditions?
CMR is the international convention that governs cross-border road haulage within participating countries and sets liability by weight of the goods. RHA Conditions of Carriage are the standard UK terms and limit liability per tonne. The cover arranged should match whichever conditions the haulage contract is written under.
How much cover is needed?
Limits should reflect the highest-value single load carried, not the average. Underwriters look at the goods carried, security arrangements, overnight parking, claims history and whether the work is subcontracted.
Does it cover subcontracted loads?
Not automatically. Where work is passed to subcontractors, cover for that exposure needs to be requested specifically, and subcontractors' own insurance should be evidenced.
Get goods in transit quoted
Share the fleet size, goods carried and typical routes and a GMG broker will come back with terms.