PortMatrix

Shield your trade!

MSME Insurance Package

Affordable protection for your business, assets, and operations against unforeseen risks.

PORTMATRIX and Assure Bharat artwork for marine cargo insurance and trade credit insurance

Who we facilitate MSME Insurance for

We assure your trade by facilitating MSME Insurance for:

  • Exporters
  • Local Traders & wholesalers
  • Indian Manufacturers
  • Indian Logistics / freight forwarders offering credit in their business

SME trade insurance products available in the market

The following SME trade insurance products are available in the market. PORTMATRIX facilitates MSME Insurance for the businesses listed above.

Trade Credit & Political Risk

  • Export Credit Insurance

    Export Credit Insurance (ECI) protects exporters against the risk of non-payment by overseas buyers. It's one of the most important financial safeguards for Indian exporters.

  • Domestic Trade Credit Insurance

    Domestic Trade Credit Insurance (DTCI) protects Indian businesses against non-payment by buyers within India when you sell on credit terms (e.g., 30–90 days). Coverage includes protection against buyer default, insolvency, and delayed payments.

  • Political Risk Insurance

    Political Risk Insurance (PRI) protects businesses against losses caused by government actions or political events in a foreign country—something standard insurance usually won't cover.

Key difference from credit insurance
FeatureCredit InsurancePolitical Risk Insurance
CoversBuyer defaultGovernment / political events
ScopeCommercial riskSovereign risk
UsageTradeInvestment + trade

Receivables Financing

  • Factoring

    Factoring is a financing method where a business sells its accounts receivables (invoices) to a third party (factor) to get immediate cash, instead of waiting 30–90 days for customer payment.

  • Forfaiting

    Forfaiting is a specialized form of export financing where exporters sell their receivables (usually medium- to long-term) to a forfaiter at a discount, on a "without recourse" basis—meaning the risk of non-payment is transferred to the forfaiter. Forfaiting is mainly used in international trade, especially for capital goods exports or large-value shipments.

Forfaiting vs Factoring
AspectForfaitingFactoring
TenureMedium/Long-termShort-term
With RecourseWithout RecourseCan be with / without recourse
CoverageExport (mainly capital goods)Domestic & Export
InstrumentsBills of Exchange, Promissory NotesInvoices
  • "With Recourse" means the seller or borrower remains liable if a debt is unpaid, allowing the creditor to pursue them directly.
  • "Without Recourse" means the creditor takes on all risk, with no legal recourse to seize personal assets beyond specific collateral.

Cargo, Marine & Transit

  • Marine Cargo Insurance

    Marine Cargo Insurance is one of the most essential covers for anyone involved in logistics, imports, or exports—it protects goods while they are in transit by sea, air, rail, or road.

  • Marine Hull Insurance

    This is a type of marine insurance that provides coverage for physical loss or damage to a vessel's hull, machinery, equipment, and fittings caused by marine perils.

  • Inland Transit Insurance

    Inland transit insurance, also known as inland marine insurance, refers to a kind of insurance whereby the insured goods or properties are protected while in transit via road transport, rail transport, or inland water transport.

  • Duty Transit Insurance

    A single integrated policy covering customs duty, safe cargo transit, and insurance protection, ensuring compliant movement of goods and financial protection against transit-related risks.

Warehousing & Terminal Liability

  • Warehousing Insurance

    Warehousing insurance protects goods stored in a warehouse against loss or damage due to fire, theft, natural disasters, and handling risks. In India, it's not a single fixed policy—it's usually structured using a combination of standard insurance products depending on your business model.

    Warehousing Insurance is not a single policy—it's a combination of covers designed to protect:

    • the warehouse building
    • the goods stored
    • your liability (if goods belong to customers)
  • Warehouse Keeper's Liability Insurance

    Warehouse Keeper's Liability Insurance (WKLI) is essential if you store goods belonging to others—it protects you when you're legally responsible for loss or damage to those goods while in your care.

  • Port & Terminal Operators Liability Insurance

    This is a specialized insurance policy designed to protect port authorities, terminal operators, stevedores, container freight stations, inland container depots, and logistics operators against legal liabilities arising from their port and terminal operations.

  • Freight Services Liability Insurance

    This protects Freight Forwarders, Logistics Operators, Customs Brokers, Multimodal Transport Operators, and NVOCCs against legal liabilities arising from the transportation, handling, storage, and forwarding of cargo.

Corporate & Key-Person

  • Directors & Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance

    This insurance protects the Directors, Officers, and Key Management Personnel of a company against claims arising from alleged wrongful acts committed while performing their managerial duties.

  • Keyman Insurance

    This is a life insurance policy that a business purchases on a Critical Employee, Owner, Founder, or Executive whose loss would significantly affect the company. The business pays the premiums, owns the policy, and receives the insurance payout if the insured person dies (and sometimes if they become disabled, depending on coverage).

Cover by risk

A quick look-up of what each product above is defined as protecting against. Each product name links to its definition.

Cover by risk — what each product's definition says it addresses
Risk or needProduct
Non-payment by overseas buyersExport Credit Insurance
Non-payment by buyers within India on credit terms: buyer default, insolvency and delayed paymentsDomestic Trade Credit Insurance
Losses caused by government actions or political events in a foreign countryPolitical Risk Insurance
Getting immediate cash for invoices instead of waiting 30–90 days for customer paymentFactoring
Selling export receivables (usually medium- to long-term) at a discount, without recourseForfaiting
Goods in transit by sea, air, rail or roadMarine Cargo Insurance
Physical loss or damage to a vessel's hull, machinery, equipment and fittings caused by marine perilsMarine Hull Insurance
Goods or properties in transit by road, rail or inland water transportInland Transit Insurance
Customs duty, safe cargo transit and insurance protection in a single integrated policyDuty Transit Insurance
Goods stored in a warehouse: loss or damage due to fire, theft, natural disasters and handling risksWarehousing Insurance
Legal responsibility for loss or damage to goods belonging to others while in your careWarehouse Keeper's Liability Insurance
Legal liabilities arising from port and terminal operationsPort & Terminal Operators Liability Insurance
Legal liabilities arising from the transportation, handling, storage and forwarding of cargoFreight Services Liability Insurance
Claims alleging wrongful acts by directors, officers and key management while performing managerial dutiesDirectors & Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance
Loss of a critical employee, owner, founder or executive whose loss would significantly affect the companyKeyman Insurance

Frequently asked questions

Who does PORTMATRIX facilitate MSME Insurance for?
Exporters, local traders and wholesalers, Indian manufacturers, and Indian logistics companies and freight forwarders offering credit in their business.
What is the difference between credit insurance and political risk insurance?
Credit insurance covers buyer default, which is a commercial risk, and is used for trade. Political risk insurance covers government or political events, which is a sovereign risk, and is used for investment and trade.
What is the difference between factoring and forfaiting?
Forfaiting is medium- or long-term, is without recourse, covers exports (mainly capital goods) and uses bills of exchange or promissory notes. Factoring is short-term, can be with or without recourse, covers domestic and export sales and uses invoices.
Which insurance products relate to goods in transit?
Marine Cargo Insurance protects goods in transit by sea, air, rail or road. Inland Transit Insurance protects insured goods or properties in transit by road, rail or inland water transport. Duty Transit Insurance is described as a single integrated policy covering customs duty, safe cargo transit and insurance protection.
Which insurance products relate to goods stored in a warehouse?
Warehousing Insurance protects goods stored in a warehouse against loss or damage due to fire, theft, natural disasters and handling risks. Warehouse Keeper's Liability Insurance protects you when you are legally responsible for loss or damage to goods belonging to others while in your care.