Indonesian Coffee Cargo Insurance: ICC A vs C (2025 Guide)

Will ICC A or C actually pay for coffee mold from container condensation? Here’s a practical, decision‑first playbook from our Indonesia‑Coffee export team: the coverage and endorsements you need, how to word your L/C, and the packing and documentation that make moisture claims payable.

If you ship Indonesian coffee regularly, you’ve either lost sleep over container sweat or you will. We’ve seen perfectly cupped lots arrive with moldy bag patches or a musty taint because a container crossed a few climate zones. The big question is simple. Will ICC A or ICC C actually pay? Here’s the straight answer and the system we use so claims get paid, not denied.

The decision in 30 seconds

ICC C almost never pays for coffee mold caused by container sweat. C is named-perils. Condensation isn’t named. Claims usually fail on “inherent vice” or “insufficiency of packing.”
ICC A can pay for mold or condensation damage. But only if you add a Sweat and Condensation endorsement and you can prove reasonable packing and handling. Without the endorsement, some underwriters still fight on inherent vice.
For containerized coffee in 2025, we recommend ICC A plus a Sweat and Condensation clause, Temperature and Humidity Variation cover for dry cargo, and TPND. If you buy under Incoterms, use CIP instead of CIF so the contract compels ICC A as a baseline.

Here’s the thing. Insurance is only half of it. The claim is won or lost on your packing standards and your evidence trail. Let’s build both.

The 3 pillars of getting paid for moisture damage

Coverage selection and endorsements

Start with ICC A. Add Sweat and Condensation coverage and Temperature and Humidity Variation for containerized dry cargo. Add TPND for bag pilferage and an Odor/Taint contamination clause for coffee.
Ask your broker for a wording that explicitly removes or softens the “inherent vice” angle for condensation. We’ve found a simple line like “Loss or damage caused by sweat or condensation is covered, notwithstanding inherent vice, provided the assured exercised reasonable care in packing” cuts disputes.

Packing and prevention that underwriters respect

Coffee is hygroscopic. Underwriters expect desiccants sized to voyage and season, kraft/PE liners, headspace management and clean, dry containers. If you skip these, the insurer calls it preventable.
We require moisture tests per lot, plus in-container photo evidence of liners and desiccants. More on specifics below.

Evidence that proves external causation

Data loggers for temp and RH. Pre-load container condition report. Moisture and water activity results. Joint survey on arrival and immediate notice of loss. That trail is what moves a file from “debate” to “paid.”

This leads us to the questions we get every week.

Does ICC C ever pay for coffee mold caused by container sweat?

In practice, no. ICC C covers named perils like fire, explosion, vessel stranding and jettison. Condensation damage is not named. Adjusters point to inherent vice or inadequate packing and claims are denied. We’ve seen a handful of partial settlements when sweat resulted from a specific insured peril causing delay and wetting, but that’s the exception.

Is container condensation treated as inherent vice under ICC A?

Insurers often try. ICC A is all risks, but inherent vice is excluded. Without a specific condensation clause, underwriters argue that coffee’s natural tendency to exchange moisture caused the damage. With a Sweat and Condensation endorsement and proof of good packing, ICC A claims are commonly paid.

What endorsement do I need to cover condensation damage in coffee containers?

Ask for these in plain language:

Sweat and Condensation Clause for containerized dry cargo. Also called “Container Sweat Clause.”
Temperature and Humidity Variation cover for dry cargo. Useful on longer lanes or winter-to-summer transitions.
TPND. Theft, Pilferage and Non-Delivery coverage. Bag pilferage around doors is real.
Odor/Taint contamination extension. Especially if you transship through ports with fertiliser or chemical cargo nearby.
Storage extension at discharge port if customs or inland transfer typically takes more than 7–14 days.

A practical timeline that mirrors real shipments

Week 1–2. L/C and insurance wording locked

We recommend buyers specify ICC A plus condensation wording directly in the L/C. A few lines we’ve seen work:

“Cargo insurance: Institute Cargo Clauses (A) 1/1/09 or equivalent. Including Sweat and Condensation Clause. Including Temperature and Humidity Variation cover for containerized dry cargo. Including TPND.”
“Inherent vice exclusion shall not prejudice claims for condensation damage where assured demonstrates reasonable packing and stowage.”
“Minimum insured value CIP standard: cost + insurance + freight + 10%.” Using Incoterms 2020, choose CIP instead of CIF. CIF only compels ICC C. CIP compels ICC A. If a supplier insists on CIF, upgrade the L/C to require ICC A plus the endorsements above.

Practical takeaway. Treat insurance as a product spec. If the L/C is silent, you inherit risk by default.

Week 3–6. Pre-shipment prep and stuffing day

What we do on every container of green coffee:

Moisture and water activity. Target bean moisture 10.0–12.0% and water activity near 0.50–0.60 aw. Record lot, date, instrument serial and calibration.
Container selection and conditioning. Inspect doors, vents, roof bows, flooring. Reject any container with rust streaks, pinholes or roof patches. Dry sweep. Wipe condensation if present.
Liners. Full-container kraft paper with PE barrier or breathable dunnage plus kraft wall liner. Pallet slip-sheets to create airflow gap. Avoid direct contact of sacks with steel walls.
Desiccants. For humid origin to temperate destination, we use approximately 4–8 kg CaCl2 desiccant for a 20' and 8–16 kg for a 40'. Scale up in rainy season or for naturals. Space evenly with strips and place extra near doors. Photograph the install.
Stowage. Cross-stack jute bags. Keep 8–10 cm off walls. Avoid top voids. Use dunnage to fill headspace. Seal with kraft paper top liner.
Data loggers. Two devices set to 15–30 minute intervals. One mid-container, one near doors. Sync clocks and photograph placement.
Evidence pack. Photograph empty container, numbers and seals, floor dry state, liner install, desiccants in place, full stow, and final seal.

If you’re shipping moisture-sensitive lots like Bali Natural Green Coffee Beans, Sulawesi Toraja Green Coffee Beans (Sulawesi Toraja Grade 1) or wet-hulled Sumatra Mandheling Green Coffee Beans, be conservative on desiccants and headspace management. For lower-acidity aged profiles like Musty Cup Green Coffee Beans (Aged Arabica) or Past Crop Green Coffee Beans, still follow the same protocol. Claims look at process, not just the SKU.

Week 7–12. In transit and at arrival

Track ETA and weather. Winter arrivals into Europe or North America after tropical loading are highest risk for container rain.
Upon opening. Photograph interior before breaking the liner. Check ceiling and wall wetting. Record bag wet patches and odors.
Notify immediately. Give written Notice of Loss to the insurer, broker and carrier within policy timelines. Many require “immediate” but accept 3–7 days.
Joint survey. Request a joint survey with the carrier. Keep ullage intact if only part of the load is affected. Preserve data loggers. Do not discard wet bags.
Documentation. Gather pre-shipment evidence, packing list, B/L, insurance certificate with endorsements, moisture and aw tests, survey report and fotos.

Practical takeaway. Timely notice and joint survey are what separate paid claims from endless email threads.

Do desiccants and container liners impact whether a condensation claim is paid?

Yes. They’re your proof of reasonable care. Adjusters look for a professional stuffing protocol. If you can show the right desiccant mass, proper liner, and data logs that recorded realistic swings, you neutralize the inherent vice argument. In our experience, that’s the difference between a 0% and a 70–100% settlement.

Endorsements that actually matter in 2025

Sweat and Condensation Clause. Explicitly covers condensation damage in containers. This is the number one add-on we insist on.
Temperature and Humidity Variation. Increasingly available the past 6–12 months on dry cargo programs due to claim patterns in tropical-to-winter lanes.
TPND. Pilfered bags near the doors are common, especially on transshipment routes.
Odor/Taint contamination. Coffee can absorb strong odors. Ask for explicit wording.
Storage extension. 30 days at discharge port if you have slow customs or inland delays.

Quick check. If your certificate only shows “ICC A” with no endorsements, assume you are underinsured for condensation.

Evidence that settles the claim vs sinks it

What adjusters typically ask for on a mold or condensation claim:

Pre-shipment QC. Bean moisture and water activity results with calibration logs.
Container survey. Cleanliness, dry condition and suitability photos before stuffing.
Packing proof. Photos of liners, desiccant installation and stowage. Desiccant invoices.
Voyage data. Temperature and RH logger graphs. Container number, seal numbers, and opening photos.
Shipping docs. Commercial invoice, packing list, B/L, insurance certificate with endorsements, L/C terms.
Arrival survey. Joint survey report. Tally of damaged bags. Claused delivery receipt if damage visible at delivery.
Timelines. Notice of loss within the policy window. Emails and letters logged.

Practical takeaway. Build a claim file as you load, not after something goes wrong.

When ICC C is actually fine

There are a few scenarios where ICC C may be acceptable:

Short coastal voyages in a stable climate with ventilated containers and very dry cargo. Think low-risk Robusta like Sumatra Robusta Green Coffee Beans shipped during dry season.
Price-sensitive contracts where the buyer self-insures condensation risk. The L/C clearly states ICC C and buyer accepts sweat risk by separate letter. Even then, we still recommend at least a condensation endorsement. Premium delta is small compared to a rejected container.

The 5 mistakes that kill coffee moisture claims

Relying on CIF with ICC C because “that’s standard.” It is, but it won’t pay for sweat.
Buying ICC A without the Sweat and Condensation clause. You left the key risk uninsured.
No data loggers. Without graphs, adjusters default to inherent vice.
Under-sizing desiccants or skipping liners. You look negligent and the claim dies.
Late notification and no joint survey. You lost the chance to prove external cause.

Resources and next steps

Want us to review your L/C wording or current policy certificate for condensation coverage gaps? You can Contact us on whatsapp. We’ll suggest practical, insurer-friendly lines you can drop straight into your documents.
Sourcing Indonesian coffees with container-ready packing and documented QC helps both quality and claims. Browse current lots and specs here. View our products.

Final thought. The reality is you can’t stop weather. But you can choose clauses, pack smart and document like a pro. Do those three and you won’t be asking “Will this get paid?” You’ll be asking “When will it be paid?”