QBE HK Thought Leader Series: EP5: Which companies require transport operator liability insurance?
2 Sep 2026
2 mins read
Transport operator liability insurance is an extremely important purchase for any company involved in the transport of cargo, whether the goods are being transported by road, rail, sea, river or air. In addition to the responsibility of the goods, there are also often other Value-added services provided by transport firms including the likes of labelling, procurement and vendor management*, which also need to be considered when buying insurance cover.
As almost all cargo transport firms are involved in coordinating or handling the transport of goods for a third-party, a wide range of companies are potentially liable for the damage or loss of goods whilst under their care. There are also other liability implications for transporting goods such as regulatory fines, errors’ and omissions’ etc. that transport firms should ideally have protections for in their insurance policies.
The best way to find cover for such potential eventualities is to purchase transport operator liability insurance, of which the usefulness and scope was discussed in Episode 4 of this series.
Although not an extensive list, the types of companies that need transport operator liability insurance include: road hauliers; logistics operators; parcel carriers; multimodal transport operators; inland waterway operators; freight forwarding companies; trailer operators; air freight companies; warehouse and depot operators; and tank or container operators.
Also required to buy the insurance are non-vessel operating carriers (NVOCs) – these are companies which lease or buy space in containers from other Liners or vessel operating common carriers.
If in any doubt if your company requires transport operator liability insurance, it is best to check with an insurance professional who is an expert on transport and logistics protection.
This article is sponsored by QBE Hong Kong. To learn more about QBE Hong Kong, please visit QBE.com/hk
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