Liability & claims · Interdoc Shipping Guide

🛡️ Default cover

Without a declared value, our liability is capped at the treaty default for the relevant transport mode. These limits apply regardless of the actual value of the goods. They are intentionally low — they exist to provide a basic floor of compensation, not full replacement cover.

Transport mode	Convention	Default cap	Approximate value
International air (most ICD & ICP)	Montreal 1999	22 SDR per kilogram	≈ R 560/kg (at May 2026 SDR rate)
Cross-border road (SADC services)	CMR 1956	8.33 SDR per kilogram	≈ R 212/kg (at May 2026 SDR rate)
Domestic SA	Local carrier T&Cs	R 1 000 per shipment (default) or contracted higher	Document-and-liability fee applies

💱

What is an SDR? Special Drawing Rights — an IMF reserve asset used as a stable unit of account by international transport treaties. The value floats with a basket of major currencies (USD, EUR, CNY, JPY, GBP). One SDR is currently worth about USD 1.37 ≈ ZAR 25.3 (May 2026). The treaty caps are denominated in SDR precisely so that inflation and exchange-rate movement do not erode the protection.

Worked example — air shipment

🧮

You ship a 4 kg parcel containing a laptop worth R 20 000 by air, no declared value paid.
Default cap = 4 kg × 22 SDR/kg = 88 SDR ≈ R 2 230.
If the parcel is lost, that is the maximum we can pay out — well below the laptop's value. For high-value goods, declared-value cover or third-party cargo insurance is essential.

💼 Declared-value cover

For an additional fee at booking you can declare a higher value, raising our liability cap up to the declared value. Declared value is not the same as insurance — it raises the maximum we can pay out if we are found liable, but it does not change the exclusions below. For true insurance cover that pays out regardless of fault, arrange separate cargo insurance through a broker.

Service	Max declared value	Premium (typical)
ICD documents	USD 100 (network maximum for document carriage)	Built into rate
ICP parcels	USD 50 000 per shipment (most destinations)	Quoted at checkout based on declared amount
Cross-border road	Lower of carrier maximum and shipment value	Quoted at checkout

📉 Items of extraordinary value — capped regardless

Certain categories of goods are inherently difficult for any carrier to value or replace, and are subject to a separate hard cap (typically USD 1 000 per shipment) even if a higher declared value has been paid. For these categories, separate cargo insurance is the only real protection.

Artwork & antiques

Paintings, sculptures, etchings, antique furniture, collectables. Value is subjective and often irreplaceable.

Jewellery & watches

Set or loose precious metals and stones (loose stones are prohibited entirely — see prohibited items).

Precious metals

Bullion, gold/silver coins, ingots.

Film, photographic chromes & slides

Original negatives, master prints. The market value can be a tiny fraction of the artistic or historic value.

Glassware & plasma screens

Glass mirrors, ceramics, glass-faced electronics. High breakage risk; default cap applies even with declared value.

Furs & leather goods

High value and difficult to insure traditionally.

Negotiable instruments

Bonds, share certificates, cash letters payable to bearer (most of these are prohibited entirely).

Sports cards, memorabilia, customised musical instruments

Collector value not reliably ascertainable.

🚫 When we cannot pay out at all

Even within the default liability framework, certain causes of loss or damage are excluded entirely. The list below is paraphrased from the standard international air-carriage exclusions and reflects what every carrier in our network applies.

Sender or recipient error

Wrong address, refusal to accept, late readiness for collection, missing documentation. The loss flows from the parties to the shipment, not the carrier.

Inherent vice or defect of the goods

Perishables going off in normal transit; fabrics mildewing in humid air; food expiring during clearance. The cause is the nature of the goods themselves.

Improper packing, marking or addressing

If we can show the loss or damage was caused by sub-standard packing on the sender's part, we are not liable. This is why the packaging page matters.

Force majeure

Weather, war, civil commotion, terrorism, strikes, natural disasters, public authorities, criminal acts of third parties, infrastructure failures. All carrier liability is suspended.

Sealed packages where the seal is unbroken at delivery

If the parcel arrives with its tamper-evident seal intact but the contents are damaged or short, we are presumed not at fault. The packaging or contents are the explanation.

Customs or regulatory delays

Customs hold, inspection, classification dispute, refusal to release. These are matters between the consignee and the destination customs authority; we facilitate but are not liable for delay.

Magnetic tape data, photographic images, soundtracks

The media itself (the tape, the film) is covered up to the default cap. The data, images or audio recorded on it is not.

Pre-named fragile categories

Fluorescent tubes, neon lighting, X-ray and laser tubes, light bulbs, quartz crystal, glass tubes and containers. These are categorically excluded from damage cover.

Prohibited items

Any loss, damage or delay involving a prohibited item is excluded from liability cover and from the money-back guarantee. See prohibited items.

Perishables, temperature-sensitive goods, plants, tobacco, alcohol, electronics, batteries, cosmetics, candles

A broad category of goods where the carrier accepts no liability for damage. Many are also restricted at the prohibited-items level.

Computers and electronics not in original packaging

If the device was not shipped in manufacturer-original packaging or a tested-equivalent carton, damage cover is excluded.

⏱️ Claim time limits

The treaty framework sets strict deadlines for claims. Miss them and the right to claim is extinguished — irrespective of the merits. Lodge any claim in writing as soon as you become aware of the loss, damage or delay.

Damage to cargo (air)

Window: 14 days from delivery
Source: Montreal Convention Art. 31
How: Written notice to Interdoc with photos & description

Delay (air)

Window: 21 days from date placed at consignee's disposal
Source: Montreal Convention Art. 31
How: Written notice to Interdoc

Loss / non-delivery

Window: 9 months from tender to carrier (network practice)
Source: Carrier-network terms
How: Written notice with waybill number

Damage / delay (road)

Visible damage: At time of delivery (immediate)
Hidden damage: 7 days from delivery
Delay: 21 days from delivery
Source: CMR Convention Art. 30

Legal action

Air: 2 years from delivery or scheduled delivery (Montreal Art. 35)
Road: 1 year from delivery (CMR Art. 32); 3 years for wilful misconduct

Money-back guarantee

Window: 15 days from invoice date or shipment date
Threshold: Delivery more than 60 seconds after committed time
Excludes: Force majeure, customs delay, B2C, DG, undeliverable

📝 How to lodge a claim with Interdoc

📧

Email admin@interdoc.co.za with subject line "Claim — [waybill number]" and include:

Waybill / tracking number
Date of delivery (or attempted delivery)
Nature of the claim (damage / delay / loss / shortage)
Detailed description of what happened
Photographs of damage (multiple angles, original packaging visible)
Copy of the original commercial invoice or receipt showing value
Statement of declared value paid (if any)
Your contact details for follow-up

We acknowledge claims within one business day and respond with an initial assessment within ten business days. Complex cases may require investigation by the carrier-network partner; we keep you updated through the process.

📦

Keep the original packaging and damaged contents until the claim is finalised. The carrier may request inspection, photographs at a different angle, or physical examination of the goods. Disposing of the evidence before settlement undermines the claim.

❓ Frequently asked questions

What is the Montreal Convention liability cap?

22 SDR per kilogram — approximately R 560/kg at the May 2026 SDR exchange rate. This is the default cap for international air carriage under Montreal Convention 1999 Article 22. The treaty cap is denominated in SDR so that inflation and currency movement do not erode protection over time.

What is an SDR?

Special Drawing Right — an IMF reserve asset used as a stable unit of account by international transport treaties. The value floats with a basket of USD, EUR, CNY, JPY and GBP. One SDR is worth approximately USD 1.37 ≈ ZAR 25.3 (May 2026). All major transport treaties denominate liability in SDR for inflation protection.

What if I ship a R 20 000 laptop without declared value?

A 4 kg parcel without declared value has a cap of 4 × 22 SDR ≈ 88 SDR ≈ R 2 230. If lost, that is the maximum payout — well below the R 20 000 value. For high-value goods, declared-value cover at booking or separate cargo insurance from a broker is essential.

What is the difference between declared value and insurance?

Declared value at booking raises our liability cap up to the declared amount — we pay out that much if we are found liable. It does not change the exclusions (force majeure, customs delays, inherent vice). Separate cargo insurance from a broker pays out regardless of fault, subject to its own terms.

Are there items I can't fully insure even with declared value?

Yes — items of extraordinary value are capped at typically USD 1 000 per shipment regardless of declared value: artwork and antiques, jewellery and watches, precious metals, film and chromes, glassware and plasma screens, furs, negotiable instruments, sports memorabilia, customised musical instruments. For these, separate cargo insurance is the only real protection.

How long do I have to claim for damage?

Air shipment damage: 14 days from delivery (Montreal Article 31). Air delay: 21 days from delivery. Loss/non-delivery: 9 months from tender to carrier. Road damage: visible immediately, hidden 7 days from delivery (CMR Article 30). Legal action: 2 years for air, 1 year for road. Miss the window and the right to claim is extinguished.

How do I lodge a claim?

Email admin@interdoc.co.za with subject 'Claim — [waybill number]' including: waybill number, delivery date, claim type (damage/delay/loss/shortage), description, photos of damage with original packaging visible, copy of commercial invoice showing value, and your contact details. We acknowledge within one business day and respond with an initial assessment within ten business days.

📚 Sources & attributions

The liability framework, SDR units, claim windows and convention citations on this page derive from international transport treaties and the International Monetary Fund. Treaty text is quoted under public-domain convention — international treaties are not subject to copyright.

Primary upstream sources

Montreal Convention 1999 — Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air; Articles 22 (liability cap, 22 SDR/kg per 2009 inflation revision), 31 (claim time limits — 14-day damage, 21-day delay), 35 (2-year limitation)
Warsaw Convention 1929 + Hague Protocol 1955 — legacy air-carriage liability framework, applies where Montreal does not
CMR Convention 1956 — Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road; Articles 23 (8.33 SDR/kg cap), 30 (claim windows), 32 (1-year limitation)
International Monetary Fund (IMF) — Special Drawing Right basket valuation, used by all transport treaties for liability denomination

Industry standards & terminology

SDR per kilogram — universal liability convention
22 SDR/kg air-cargo liability cap (Montreal 2009 inflation adjustment)
8.33 SDR/kg road-carriage liability cap (CMR Article 23(3))
14-day damage / 21-day delay / 2-year limitation — Montreal Article 31 & 35
"Declared value for carriage" vs "declared value for customs" — universal distinction
Items-of-extraordinary-value cap convention (USD 1 000 typical)

All original prose, worked examples, the laptop liability calculation, the "how to lodge a claim" workflow and the SDR-to-ZAR contextualisation are the original work of Interdoc and have been verified against publicly indexed web content as not derived from any specific carrier's documentation.

Liability & claims.