The losses covered by a General Average declaration are passed on to the vessel operators and every shipper that has a partial or full container on the vessel. The cost per uninsured shipper can be catastrophic, even if the value of a cargo shipment is low. Moreover, uninsured shippers are unable to receive any surviving cargo until they have posted an Average Bond.
In contrast, shippers with cargo insurance suffer little or no loss and on that basis alone, buying cargo insurance is a wise business expenditure.
In Depth Topics
Tip #58 – Be prepared for customs penalties and fines under AMPS
Never assume that the absence of an audit means you will never be audited. Penalties under AMPS (Administrative Monetary Penalty System) can be applied at the border at time of import (or export) and also post audit.