Key Takeaways
- All-Risk Shipping Insurance protects your goods against physical loss or damage from external causes, valuing shipments at invoice product cost or CIF + 10% when elected at booking.
- ShipSimple provides automated coverage limits up to $250,000 for parcels and $500,000 for freight, eliminating the standard $4.41 per kilogram carrier liability cap.
- The claims process requires photos and a description of the damage, or tracking showing non-delivery once the carrier’s waiting period has passed, with no need to prove carrier negligence.
- Your All-Risk Shipping Insurance policy is backed by CNA Financial Corporation, an A-rated global insurer, ensuring reliable payouts for approved claims.
- ShipSimple decouples your risk management from your logistics provider, allowing you to apply consistent All-Risk Shipping Insurance across all major Canadian carriers.
All-Risk Shipping Insurance is a comprehensive policy that protects your goods against physical loss or damage from external causes during transit, valued at your declared amount. You have done the essential research. You understand the hidden risks in logistics. You know that relying on a standard bill of lading leaves your balance sheet exposed. The final decision is no longer whether you should secure protection, but where you should source it. You are ready to get All-Risk Shipping Insurance, and the provider you choose will have a lasting impact on your operational efficiency.
In a landscape of complicated forms and slow legacy providers, your choice of an insurance partner is paramount. This guide provides seven compelling reasons why ShipSimple is the modern choice for your business. We will take the promises made in our comparison guides and show you exactly how we deliver on each one. This is your inside look at the platform, the process, and the peace of mind that comes when you get All-Risk Shipping Insurance through a true logistics partner.
Why Your Provider Choice is Critical
Choosing where to get All-Risk Shipping Insurance dictates how quickly you recover funds after a transit loss. A superior provider offers automated booking, high coverage limits, and a streamlined claims process that does not require proving carrier negligence.
Not all providers are created equal. The landscape includes legacy insurance brokers who operate on a manual basis, direct carriers whose primary business is not insurance, and other digital platforms with varying levels of service and coverage quality. The difference between a superior and an average provider can be the difference between a claim paid in days versus months, or a seamless online experience versus a frustrating administrative headache.
Fact Block: The Reality of Transit Risk
- Verisk CargoNet reported a 59% increase in cargo theft incidents across the U.S. and Canada in 2023. (Source: Verisk CargoNet)
- The standard motor carrier liability limit is $4.41 per kilogram ($2 per pound) on a standard bill of lading, unless a higher value is declared. (Source: CIFFA)
- The BSI Supply Chain Risk Insights Report notes that electronics and high-value goods remain top targets for transit theft globally. (Source: BSI Group)
The best provider does not just sell you a policy. They provide a platform that saves you time, a process that inspires confidence, and support that acts in your best interest. The technology, the financial backing, and the customer service philosophy of the provider are just as important as the policy itself. As you prepare to get All-Risk Shipping Insurance, your final evaluation should be on the provider’s ability to deliver on their promises efficiently, transparently, and reliably.
The ShipSimple Promise: Proving the 7 Advantages of Our Platform
The ShipSimple platform delivers All-Risk Shipping Insurance through an automated three-step workflow that secures high-value parcels and freight instantly. We back our coverage with global underwriting strength, zero parcel deductibles, and a claims process designed for speed.
Any company can make claims on a landing page. In this guide, we will show you exactly how we deliver on ours. We will use the features from the ShipSimple column of our comparison table as a blueprint and provide the in-depth proof behind each promise.
1. Coverage Limits up to $500,000: Protecting High-Value Freight
ShipSimple provides All-Risk Shipping Insurance limits up to $250,000 for parcels and $500,000 for freight, with higher limits available on review. This allows businesses to secure full invoice product cost or CIF + 10% when elected at booking.
For many businesses, the inability to secure adequate coverage for high-value shipments is a major growth constraint. It creates hesitation in taking on larger clients, shipping more expensive products, or moving critical capital equipment. ShipSimple was built to eliminate this barrier entirely. Consider a Canadian manufacturer of specialized medical devices. They need to ship a new diagnostic machine to a hospital in the United States. The machine’s value is $120,000. Under a typical carrier’s LTL freight liability, their coverage is capped at $4.41 per kilogram ($2 per pound) on a standard bill of lading, unless a higher value is declared. If the crated machine weighs 1,000 pounds, their maximum payout would be $2,000, leaving them with a staggering $118,000 of unprotected risk. This level of exposure is simply unacceptable.
With ShipSimple, the process is transformed. On our platform, during the freight shipment creation process, the logistics manager simply enters the full declared value of $120,000. Instantly, our system provides a clear, upfront quote for All-Risk Shipping Insurance for the full amount. There are no special applications, no calls to an underwriter, and no lengthy waiting periods for approval. The ability to get All-Risk Shipping Insurance for high-value goods is built directly into the workflow. This empowers businesses across all sectors to pursue high-value opportunities with confidence, knowing their financial backbone is secure.
2. All-Risk Shipper’s Interest: Your Scope of Coverage
Shipper’s Interest coverage protects your financial stake against physical loss or damage from external causes, without requiring you to prove the carrier was at fault. It covers most transit perils, though standard market exclusions like inherent vice and insufficient packing still apply.
The term All-Risk is the foundation of true protection, and we take that definition seriously. Our policies are designed by logistics and insurance experts specifically to cover the nuanced risks of modern shipping. When you get All-Risk Shipping Insurance from ShipSimple, you are protected against a wide array of real-world scenarios that often fall into the fine-print exclusions of other plans.
However, it is critical to understand the boundaries of coverage. All-Risk Shipping Insurance changes two things: your goods are valued at CIF + 10% instead of the carrier’s weight-based cap, and you collect on proof of physical loss or damage rather than proof of carrier negligence. It does not broaden the list of covered perils beyond standard cargo market terms. Mechanical and electrical derangement, rust, oxidization, discolouration, and scratching, denting, marring, or chipping are excluded unless caused by an insured peril. Damage from insufficient packing or inherent vice is an absolute exclusion under standard cargo insurance too, ShipSimple’s included.
Here are examples of common loss scenarios covered by our All-Risk policy but typically denied under standard carrier liability:
- The Loading Dock Mishap: A shipment is left on a loading dock during a sudden rainstorm before being loaded onto the truck, resulting in water damage. We cover it.
- Theft from a Secure Location: A package is confirmed delivered to a building’s mailroom but is stolen before the recipient can collect it. We cover it.
- Forklift Puncture: During loading, a forklift tine accidentally punctures a crate, damaging the contents. We cover it.
- Mysterious Disappearance: Tracking shows a package entered a sorting hub but never came out. The carrier cannot locate it. We cover it.
Our policy is designed to protect your interest as the shipper. This means we are focused on covering legitimate losses from any external cause, providing the broad, reliable peace of mind that the term All-Risk truly implies.
3. No Deductibles for Parcels: Maximizing Your Recovery
ShipSimple applies a zero-dollar deductible for parcel shipments, ensuring you recover the full declared value of your approved claim. Freight deductibles follow a clear schedule based on commodity class, such as 1% of total insured value (minimum $500) for industrial machinery.
A deductible is a way for an insurer to reduce their payout, forcing you to absorb the first portion of the loss. For businesses shipping many individual parcels, especially in e-commerce, deductibles can be a significant and insidious drain on profitability. Let’s quantify the impact. Imagine an e-commerce company that ships 5,000 packages a year and has a very good loss rate of 0.5% (25 incidents per year). The average value of a lost or damaged item is $400.
With a competitor’s policy that has a modest $50 deductible, the loss per incident is $50. The total annual cost from deductibles is $1,250. With ShipSimple’s zero-deductible policy for parcels, the loss per incident is $0. Over a year, that seemingly small deductible adds up to over a thousand dollars in direct, unrecoverable losses. Our zero-deductible policy for parcels ensures you receive the true, full value you are owed for every approved claim, making the process to get All-Risk Shipping Insurance more valuable and financially efficient for your business.
For freight shipments, deductibles are structured logically by commodity class. For example, electronics carry a deductible of 3% of the total insured value (minimum $500), while new or used general merchandise carries a $250 deductible (minimum $2,500 value). This transparent schedule allows you to calculate your exact risk exposure before you ship.
4. The Fast Claim Process in Action
Approved claims process in under 30 days because the system requires proof of loss rather than proof of carrier negligence. You submit photos, a description of the damage, and the commercial invoice through a simple online portal.
This is arguably the most important promise we make, as it directly impacts your cash flow and customer relationships. We can prove it by outlining the tangible, real-world timeline of our claims process in a narrative case study. Consider Innovatech, a high-end audio equipment retailer.
On Day 1, a customer receives a $3,500 amplifier that was damaged in transit due to a forklift impact. They immediately contact Innovatech with photos. Innovatech’s manager logs into their ShipSimple account. In less than 10 minutes, they fill out the simple online claims form, describe the damage, and upload the customer’s photos and the original commercial invoice. A confirmation email is instantly received.
On Day 2, Innovatech’s dedicated ShipSimple claims advocate sends a personal email confirming all documentation has been received and that the claim is now under review. Innovatech’s manager is not chasing a faceless department; they have a direct point of contact. By Day 5, the advocate emails Innovatech with the good news: the claim has been approved. The payout for the full $3,500 is being processed. By Day 10, the full funds are received by Innovatech.
In less than two weeks, Innovatech has been made financially whole. More importantly, because they were confident in the claims process, they were able to ship a replacement amplifier to their customer on Day 2, turning a potential disaster into a glowing review about their incredible customer service. This is the tangible business outcome when you get All-Risk Shipping Insurance through a provider focused on speed and support.
5. Simple Online Reporting: What You Actually Need to Claim
To file a claim, you only need to provide photos and a description of the damage, or tracking showing non-delivery once the carrier’s waiting period has passed. Freight claims also require a repair estimate or independent third-party confirmation.
The reason our claims process is so fast is that our documentation requirements are logical and straightforward. We have eliminated the adversarial process required by carriers. To illustrate the difference, let’s compare the checklists. A typical carrier proof checklist requires you to prove their negligence. This often includes a signed bill of lading, paid freight bill, original commercial invoice, detailed packing list, photos of all six sides of the exterior box, photos of the internal packaging materials, photos of the damaged item, a signed statement from the recipient, a formal repair estimate, and evidence of salvage value.
Conversely, the ShipSimple All-Risk Shipping Insurance proof checklist only requires you to prove a loss occurred. You need proof of communication of loss with the carrier, and proof of loss (such as photos of damage, or tracking showing non-delivery once the carrier’s waiting period has passed). For freight, you also need a repair estimate or third-party confirmation, and you must keep all packing and the damaged items for inspection. We have removed the need for extensive, often unobtainable, documentation designed to find a reason for denial. Our process is designed to validate a legitimate claim quickly and efficiently.
6. Backed by CNA: The Financial Bedrock of Your Policy
Your All-Risk Shipping Insurance is backed by CNA Financial Corporation, an A-rated global commercial property and casualty insurer. This financial strength means that your approved claims are paid reliably, regardless of broader economic conditions.
The promise to pay a claim is only as strong as the financial institution behind it. When you get All-Risk Shipping Insurance from ShipSimple, your policy is not backed by us; it is backed by CNA Financial Corporation, one of the largest and most respected commercial property and casualty insurance companies in the world.
What does A-rated mean? It is a formal rating given by independent agencies that signifies an insurer has an excellent ability to meet its ongoing insurance obligations, even in times of major economic stress or widespread disasters. This is not a minor detail; it is the foundation of your policy’s reliability. In an uncertain world, relying on a carrier’s internal budget for a payout is a risk. Relying on the financial strength of a global insurance giant like CNA provides a highly reliable foundation. It helps maintain the financial stability and integrity of your coverage, meaning that the funds are secure and that claims are handled according to the highest professional and ethical standards of the global insurance industry.
7. Multi-Carrier Flexibility: The Freedom to Choose
ShipSimple decouples your risk management from your logistics provider, allowing you to apply consistent All-Risk Shipping Insurance across Canada Post, FedEx, UPS, DHL, Purolator, CN Rail, and CPKC. You can choose the fastest or most cost-effective carrier without sacrificing protection.
The modern business needs to be agile and cost-effective. One day, UPS might offer the best rate for a shipment to Vancouver. The next, Purolator might have a faster service to Montreal. For a large freight shipment, you might be choosing between several LTL carriers. Relying on carrier-specific protection forces you into a logistical straitjacket, tethering your level of protection to your choice of carrier and creating an administrative nightmare of different rules and processes.
ShipSimple’s All-Risk Shipping Insurance acts as a consistent, high-quality layer of protection that applies across all major carriers. This provides a powerful strategic advantage. You can optimize for cost by always choosing the most cost-effective carrier for every single shipment without sacrificing protection. You can optimize for speed by selecting the fastest carrier for time-sensitive deliveries, knowing your coverage is constant. You can build a resilient supply chain; if one carrier is experiencing delays or strikes, you can seamlessly pivot to another without any change to your insurance process. You manage one insurance solution and one claims process for your entire shipping portfolio.
If your logistics strategy involves intermodal transport, ShipSimple’s sister company, RailGateway, provides B2B intermodal rail freight across Canada, while ShipSimple protects the value inside the container. This flexibility is a powerful enabler of a more efficient, resilient, and cost-effective logistics strategy.
Packaging Warranties and Risk Mitigation
Professional crating is an underwriting requirement for specific high-value commodities, meaning coverage is warranted on the goods being professionally packed. Proper blocking and bracing are also required to prevent load shifts during transit.
When you get All-Risk Shipping Insurance, it is vital to understand your responsibilities as a shipper. Insurance protects against external transit perils, but it does not cover damage resulting from poor preparation. Damage from insufficient packing is an absolute exclusion under standard cargo insurance too, ShipSimple’s included.
For certain classes of goods, such as antiques, art, collectibles, jewelry, and watches, the policy includes a Warranted Professionally Packed clause. This means the items must be packed by a professional service to be eligible for coverage. For automobiles, boats, motorcycles, and ATVs, the requirement extends to Warranted Professionally Packed, Blocked & Braced.
Ordinary road or rail vibration is not an insured peril, ours included. If you are shipping sensitive electronics or heavy machinery, you must engineer out the risk of vibration through proper shock isolation, blocking, and bracing. Damage from poor blocking and bracing is insufficient packing and is excluded. By adhering to these packaging warranties, you ensure your All-Risk Shipping Insurance remains valid and your goods arrive safely.
Strategic Snapshot: Carrier Liability vs. ShipSimple
Understanding the exact differences between standard carrier liability and All-Risk Shipping Insurance is critical for making an informed decision. The table below outlines the key distinctions.
| Feature | Standard Carrier Liability | ShipSimple All-Risk Shipping Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Valuation | Weight-based ($4.41/kg or $2/lb) | Invoice product cost, or CIF + 10% recommended, elected when you book |
| What You Need to Claim | Proof the carrier was negligent | Photos and a description of the damage (for freight, plus a repair estimate or third-party confirmation), or tracking showing non-delivery once the carrier’s waiting period has passed, with no need to prove carrier negligence |
| Claim Time | Can take months | Under 30 days for approved submissions |
| Shared Exclusions | Excluded | Excluded unless caused by an insured peril |
| Coverage Attachment | Varies by carrier terms | Warehouse to warehouse / door to door |
The Final, Confident Step
You have seen the in-depth evidence. The choice to get All-Risk Shipping Insurance is the first step, but choosing the right provider is what makes that decision powerful. We have demonstrated that ShipSimple not only offers the superior type of insurance but also delivers it on a superior platform, with a superior process, and backed by superior financial strength.
The promises we make are not just marketing claims; they are backed by a real, efficient, and customer-centric system designed for the speed and demands of modern business. You have seen the definitive proof. Do not leave your valuable shipments at risk for another day. It is time to experience the confidence that comes with a true logistics partner.
- Get an Instant Shipping Insurance Quote Now
- Learn More About Our All-Risk Damage, Loss, & Theft Coverage
- Contact Our Experts to Secure Your 2026 Shipments
Additional Resources
- Learn More About ShipSimple’s All-Risk Shipping Insurance
- ShipSimple’s Freight & Marine Cargo Shipping Insurance
- ShipSimple’s Parcel Shipping Insurance
- More Helpful Blogs
Frequently Asked Questions
What does All-Risk Shipping Insurance actually cover?
All-Risk Shipping Insurance covers physical loss or damage to your goods from external causes during transit. It protects against perils like theft, collision, overturn, and mysterious disappearance, valuing your shipment at invoice product cost or CIF + 10% when elected at booking.
How long does it take to process a claim with ShipSimple?
Approved claims process in under 30 days. Because you only need to provide photos and a description of the damage, or tracking showing non-delivery once the carrier’s waiting period has passed, the process is significantly faster than standard carrier liability claims.
Are there deductibles when I get All-Risk Shipping Insurance?
ShipSimple applies a zero-dollar deductible for parcel shipments. Freight deductibles follow a clear schedule based on commodity class, such as 1% of total insured value (minimum $500) for industrial machinery, or 3% of total insured value for electronics.
Does All-Risk Shipping Insurance cover mechanical derangement unless caused by an insured peril?
Mechanical and electrical derangement is excluded unless caused by an insured peril, such as a collision or overturn. Internal electronic failure without external evidence of package damage is an absolute exclusion under standard cargo insurance too, ShipSimple’s included.
Can I use All-Risk Shipping Insurance with any carrier?
Yes, ShipSimple decouples your risk management from your logistics provider. You can apply consistent All-Risk Shipping Insurance across major carriers like Canada Post, FedEx, UPS, DHL, Purolator, CN Rail, and CPKC, allowing you to choose the best carrier for each shipment.
