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Shipwrecks Do Happen

01 February 2007

Removal specialist, Robinsons International, is calling for anyone moving overseas to take heed of the recent grounding of the MSC Napoli on the Devon Coast.  Robinsons’ Managing Director Anthony Robinson advises: “The sight of damaged and plundered containers lying on the beach is a stark warning to anyone contemplating not taking out proper marine insurance when their belongings are being transported by seafreight.

“By ‘proper’ marine insurance, I mean all-risk, door-to-door coverage, which isn’t offered by all removal or other companies shipping a customer’s goods overseas. It’s really important to ensure you are covered at every stage of the journey until your container arrives at its final destination.”

According to Robinsons, you should be considering £30 – 50k insurance cover for a 20ft container of belongings. If you decide to insure with an independent company, be sure to check for any exclusions. What appears to be good value for money on the surface may not necessarily be consistent with the level of cover actually required. For instance, some policies would not cover the loss incurred in an accident like the Napoli.

A good starting point when looking for a reputable removal company is to choose one which is credited by the International Federation of Furniture Movers (FIDI), www.fidi.com, or registered with the British Association of Removers (BAR), www.bar.com both of which are monitored by their respective industry bodies.

The MSC Napoli has proved that shipwrecks do happen, and highlights the importance of ensuring you protect yourself against any loss.

Anthony Robinson concludes: ”We are happy to advise customers on marine insurance and can offer an all-risk policy. We also have our own in-house insurance manager which means, in the event of something going wrong, a customer deals directly with Robinsons, rather than a third party, making the whole process much quicker and easier.”

The Napoli is reported to be carrying 2,400 containers. Some of the 50 thrown into the sea and washed onto the beach did contain personal belongings. Hopefully their owners have all-risk insurance, so if the worse happens and they are unable to recover their possessions, at least they will receive some compensation.

 

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