Accident-related claims on the rise

THE SLOW deterioration of road infrastructure in South and Southern Africa is reflected in the growing number of marine insurance claims arising from accidents, says Prestmarine marketing manager Susan Bester. “Road accidents are more of a problem than ever before, and the severity of the losses is a concern,” says Bester. “Certain commodities are not recoverable after an accident and very often if a truck overturns the goods are easily pilferable.” There’s not much that the shipper can do in terms of additional insurance cover, but professionalism plays a major role in preventing the risk, she says. “Make sure that you use only reputable hauliers and transporters who have the capacity to handle the cargo so that if something does go wrong, the operator has the necessary means to take care of the problem.” And reading the small print before committing your cargo is crucial for peace of mind. “Hauliers carry limited liability based on their trading conditions unless specific alternative arrangements have been made with the cargo owner. The insurance aspect should be discussed with your broker to ensure a tailormade insurance package is structured and the cargo owner should be aware of what type of cover is in place as well as the cost factor involved.”