Freight Forwarder Insurance

Specialist cover for freight forwarders from £5 a month*.

  • Fast, easy online quote in 90 seconds

  • Interest free direct debit

  • No hidden fees or cancellation charges

With global trade increasing, there are lots of business opportunities for freight forwarders. But arranging the movement of goods from seller to buyer, often using multiple modes of transport, is complicated and many things can go wrong.

As a freight forwarder, you are exposed to various risks, from the incorrect release of cargo to failing to comply with customs regulations and rerouting of cargo. If you lack insurance, you could be left facing significant costs if things don’t go to plan. At Markel Direct, we offer freight forwarder insurance designed to help safeguard your finances when the unexpected happens.

What is freight forwarder insurance?

Freight forwarder insurance is financial protection that shields your businesses from the specific risks you face in your role arranging the transport of goods from producers to consumers. It can incorporate a number of different types of cover, including public and product liability insurance, employers’ liability protection, legal expenses insurance, professional indemnity cover and more.

When you purchase freight forwarder insurance from Markel Direct, you can take your pick from a full range of cover options.

Do I need freight forwarder insurance?

As a freight forwarder, you may need various types of financial protection. After all, you take on responsibility for the goods you arrange to transport on behalf of your clients. No matter how diligent you are in your approach, you can’t entirely rule out the possibility that problems will arise.

You might often be dealing with complex international logistics and relying on transport providers such as shipping lines, hauliers, freight operators and airlines to help you get the job done. Issues such as vessel rerouting and delayed customs release, for example, can result in goods arriving late. You may be liable in situations like these, posing a major risk to your finances.

The right freight forwarder liability insurance will help to protect you if problems like these arise, meaning you won’t be left out of pocket. In fact, having the right insurance in place could make the difference between your business succeeding or failing.

It’s also important to know that if you employ anyone, you’re legally required to take out employers’ liability insurance.

Why choose Markel Direct for freight forwarder insurance?

When you’re looking for freight forwarder liability insurance you can trust, Markel Direct is here for you. Below are just a few reasons to select us as your cover provider.

✔ Tailored business insurance
As a freight forwarder, you have very specific cover requirements. This means generic business insurance simply won’t cut it. When you come to us, you’ll receive cover that is tailored to meet your needs.

✔ Quick quotes
Getting a quote on our website is quick and easy. Simply enter the relevant details about your business into our online form and we’ll provide a quote in less than two minutes.

✔ Legal expertise available 24/7
Thanks to our legal advice helpline that operates around the clock and is run by expert solicitors, you can access legal guidance whenever you need it.

✔ No hidden fees
You don’t have to worry about being hit by hidden fees when you come to us for freight forwarder insurance. Our pricing is fully transparent.

✔ Excellent customer reviews
See what our customers think about our insurance by checking out our impressive reviews on Feefo.com.  

How to buy freight forwarder insurance

Purchasing freight forwarder insurance from us is easy. Just complete our online form and we’ll get back to you with a quote in less than two minutes. You can arrange cover up to 30 days in advance or start it immediately. The choice is yours.

How much does freight forwarder insurance cost?

How much you pay in premiums for your freight forwarder insurance will depend on a range of factors, including the types of cover you want to include in your policy and the level of protection you’re looking for.  

We offer cover from £5 a month. Get a quote today to see how much your insurance will cost.

*Price based on a freight forwarder requiring £1 million of public liability insurance.

Customer reviews

4.8/5

Rated 4.8 stars from 351 customer reviews at Google

Cover starting at £5 a month

What types of insurance do freight forwarders need to consider?

  • Public and product liability insurance

    Public and product liability insurance is there to protect you if a member of the public is injured or has their property damaged as a result of your business’s actions. It covers the cost of defending your business, including any damages that may be awarded against you.
     
    Example of a claim:
     
    During a visit to your business premises, a client slips on a wet floor and injures themselves. They sue you over their injuries.

  • Employers' liability insurance

    Employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement if you have anyone working for your company. It covers the cost of claims brought by employees if they suffer an illness or injury because of their work. Our policies are available with a cover limit of £10 million.
     
    Example of a claim:
     
    One of your employees trips on boxes in your office, breaking their ankle as a result. They sue you for their suffering.

  • Professional indemnity insurance

    Professional indemnity insurance protects you if you need to defend your business against allegations of professional negligence, for example giving a client wrongful or incorrect advice. We offer cover limits ranging from £50,000 to £5 million.
     
    Example of a claim:
     
    A client claims they have suffered financial losses because of mistakes you made in providing your logistics service. They take legal action against you to compensate them for their losses.

  • Occupational personal accident insurance

    Occupational personal accident insurance provides a weekly payment or a lump sum if you aren’t able to work due to an injury you suffer as a result of your job.

  • Legal expenses insurance

    Legal expenses insurance covers your legal costs and expenses in relation to disputes over contracts, debt recovery, tax enquiries and more. We offer cover limits of £100,000.

  • Directors and officers insurance

    Directors and officers insurance protects you if you have to defend yourself as an officer or director of your business against allegations of wrongful acts. Our cover limits range from £100,000 to £5 million.

  • Office insurance

    Office insurance protects your office buildings and contents, including computer equipment, against theft and accidental damage. You can also opt to include business equipment cover, which protects mobile technology such as laptops and tablets on a worldwide basis.

  • Cyber and data risks insurance

    Cyber and data risks insurance pays out if you are the victim of a cyberattack. It covers your legal defences and any damages you may have to pay to affected parties, as well as the cost of restoring your equipment and data, informing clients of the breach, meeting ransom demands and loss of net profits.

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Frequently asked questions

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Cover starting at £5 a month

Frequently asked questions

  • What cover limit should I choose?

    When deciding what cover limits to choose, think about how much it would cost you to put things right in a worst-case scenario. It’s also important to be aware that certain clients or industry bodies may require you to have a minimum level of cover in place. You should check this before you arrange your policy.

  • Is business insurance a legal requirement for freight forwarders?

    The only type of business insurance that is a legal requirement for some freight forwarders is employers’ liability protection. This applies if you have people working for your company.
     
    However, while other types of protection are not mandatory, lacking appropriate cover could be disastrous for your finances.

  • When should I get freight forwarder insurance?

    We recommend purchasing freight forwarder insurance before you take on your first clients. You never know when problems may arise, so it makes sense to be protected from the outset.

  • How is Markel regulated?

    Markel is regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority. Find out more by visiting the Financial Services Register.

Access these unique services for your freight forwarding business

Our policyholders receive access to these unique services designed to make your life easier (included as standard with certain covers).

24 hour legal helpline 24 hour legal advice helpline

When you insure with Markel, you'll benefit from 24/7 telephone access to a qualified solicitor at no additional cost. Expert legal advice can be costly when you're working for yourself and it's difficult to know who to turn to for a trustworthy answer. Whether it's a question on health and safety, employment law, legal structures for your business or how to handle a difficult client, an experienced team of solicitors are on hand day and night to help you with any business-related legal queries. Included as standard with all policies.

Legal hub access Markel Business Hub access

In addition to our 24 hour legal helpline, you'll have access to the Markel Business Hub - an award winning online resource of legal and business guides, templates and content written and created by our team of expert solicitors. Instantly download ready-made contracts, policies, procedures and guidance you can use for your business - without paying any expensive legal fees. Included as standard with all policies.

Fee dispute service

Customers don't always pay on time and chasing fees or invoices costs time and money. Mindful of the impact this has on your business, we offer our policyholders access to a unique fee dispute helpline operated by one of the UK's leading law firms, who will provide specialist legal guidance and support on fee dispute issues. Included as standard with professional indemnity insurance.

Public relations crisis management service

In today's 24 hour news culture, public relations disasters can occur at any time. Having to deal with the press whilst managing a difficult situation can be hugely stressful as well as being a potential minefield. When there is a risk to your business as a result of negative press attention, our specialist public relations crisis management firm, The Counsel House, will work with you to help manage allegations of fraud, injury caused to employees or the public, and official investigations into your company's affairs. Included as standard with professional indemnity insurance, directors and officers insurance, cyber and data risks insurance and legal representation and employment disputes insurance.

Cyber response helpline

If you're the victim of a targeted cyber attack, our cyber response helpline provides access to specialist solicitors and information security experts who will give expert legal and technical IT security guidance on the issues arising from cyber and data protection risks. Included as standard with cyber and data risks insurance.

Cover starting at £5 a month

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