War and strikes: excluded as standard, bought back separately

Listed areas and route review

War risk is priced by geography. The Joint War Committee, a body of underwriting representatives from the Lloyd's and company markets, publishes and periodically revises a list of areas of perceived enhanced risk — the listed areas — which underwriters use as a reference when reviewing rates and conditions for transits through them.

We do not reproduce that list here. It changes with events, a stale copy is worse than none, and the authoritative version is published by the Lloyd's Market Association. Where a route touches a listed area, expect the terms to be reviewed rather than automatic.

What we load for these add-ons

These loadings come from this platform's own rating tables, used to produce the indicative premiums shown elsewhere on the site. They are our model, not market rates, and no underwriter has agreed to them.

War & political risk +0.035 per 100 (indicative)

The base clauses exclude war. Bought back through the Institute War Clauses, which attach while the cargo is waterborne or airborne — not during inland transit.

Strikes, riots & civil commotion +0.025 per 100 (indicative)

Also excluded as standard. Covers damage from strikers and labour disturbance — but not the delay or lost market that a strike usually causes.

Common questions

Is war covered by standard cargo insurance?

No. Clause 6 of the Institute Cargo Clauses excludes war, civil war, revolution, rebellion, insurrection and civil strife, any hostile act by or against a belligerent power, capture, seizure, arrest, restraint and detainment, and derelict weapons of war. It is bought back through the Institute War Clauses (Cargo), reference CL385.

Is piracy war risk or ordinary cargo risk?

Piracy is expressly excepted from the capture and seizure limb of the war exclusion, so it remains an insured peril under all-risks Clauses (A). Under Clauses (B) and (C) it is not a listed peril in the first place, so it is not covered there.

Why does war cover stop at the ship's rail?

Because the war clauses carry their own duration: for a sea transit they attach as the goods are loaded on the vessel and terminate on discharge, rather than running warehouse to warehouse like the main cover. Cargo seized in a terminal before loading can fall outside the war cover even though the main cover is live.

Does strikes cover pay when a port strike delays my shipment?

No. The Institute Strikes Clauses respond to physical loss or damage caused by strikers, rioters, terrorists or persons acting from a political, ideological or religious motive. Loss resulting from a strike — cargo stuck in a closed terminal, a missed market — is excluded, as is delay generally.