• Make sure that you get the original insurance policy from your broker or insurance company (elementary you might say – but there have been cases where people have not done this) and keep it safe..
• If anything does happen to your cargo, this is one of the most important documents you must produce to recoup your losses..
• For personal effects cargo, ensure that the packing company prepares an inventory list of what items they are putting in what package..
• They must give you that final copy which you and the packing company must sign as acknowledgement of what was handed over to them and in what condition.. If there are any obvious external damages to your goods, that must be clearly highlighted..
9) Ascertain and familiarise yourself with the route that your cargo will take from port of load to port of final discharge, and how long it is expected to take, especially if you are shipping your cargo as LCL and if the cargo is going to be reworked into another container along the way