Quick answer
For a small transport business, one lost load can cost more than a month of profit. Goods in transit (GIT) insurance pays for the load up to your limit, so you are not left paying a client out of cash flow. It also helps you win work, because many cargo owners ask for proof of cover before they give you a load. The cover works best when the load limit, security conditions and contracts all line up.
What one lost load really costs
Without cover, a stolen or destroyed load can hit a small operator in several ways at once:
- Paying for the goods. The cargo owner may hold you responsible for the full value.
- Lost revenue. You lose the freight fee for that trip and possibly for the next few while you deal with the loss.
- A cash-flow gap. Fuel, finance instalments, tolls and wages still fall due.
- A lost client. Clients remember who lost their stock, and some will move their work elsewhere.
- Security and repairs. A hijacking often means vehicle damage and extra security costs afterwards.
GIT addresses the first and largest of these: the value of the goods. The Road Freight Association estimates that operators’ security spend rose from about 0.3% of operating costs a decade ago to 2.3% by 2025, which shows how much the risk already costs before any loss.
Cover helps you win and keep work
Cargo owners, freight brokers and load platforms increasingly ask for proof of GIT cover before they hand over a load. Kweli, a load-matching platform, notes that most cargo owners want to see at least R500,000 of cover. A current GIT certificate answers that question quickly.
Make your contracts and your policy agree
Problems start when a client contract makes you liable for more than your policy pays. Before you sign a transport agreement, check:
- How much you are liable for per load, and whether it exceeds your load limit
- Which risks the contract makes you responsible for, including delay penalties, which GIT normally excludes
- Whether the client wants to be noted on your policy or certificate
- What happens if goods are damaged during loading or offloading at the client’s site
Our comparison of GIT, carrier’s liability and marine cargo cover explains how these fit together.
A five-minute check for owner-drivers
- Is my load limit at least as high as my most valuable load?
- Can my drivers meet every security condition on every trip?
- Do my contracts ask for more than my policy pays?
- Have I told my broker about every commodity and route?
- Do I have riot and strike (SASRIA) cover for my loads?
If any answer is no, speak to a broker before the next load, not after a claim.
Growing the fleet
As you add trucks, review whether per-vehicle cover or a fleet policy suits you better, and whether your limits and excesses still make sense. Cross-Cover also arranges commercial vehicle, fleet and truck-and-trailer cover alongside GIT, so the whole operation is protected.
Frequently asked questions
There is no general legal requirement, but a single uninsured loss can be unaffordable, and many clients will not give you loads without proof of cover.
The value of the goods you carry, up to your load limit. It does not cover your truck, lost income or late-delivery penalties.
Yes, if your contract says so. Check the liability terms in every transport agreement against your load limit and exclusions.
It can be either. Small operators often insure per vehicle, while larger fleets may prefer a fleet policy. A broker can compare both.
Ask your broker for a GIT certificate showing the insurer, policy number, period of cover and load limit.
Related reading
Sources
- Freight News: Truck hijacking decline masks under-reporting (RFA), 1 September 2026
- Kweli: Guide to finding loads for trucks in Southern Africa
This article is general information, not financial advice. Cover depends on underwriting and the policy wording. Cross-Cover Insurance Brokers is an authorised financial services provider (FSP 14628).