AIG vs 
Heffernan Insurance Brokers: How Do They Compare for Cargo and Transit Insurance?
What Is AIG?
AIG is the marketing name for American International Group, Inc.; AIG says its insurance products are written or provided by subsidiaries or affiliates. Its U.S. business pages list commercial casualty, property, cyber, management and professional liability, and specialty programs, but a brand-level page does not identify the insurer for a particular policy. 1,2
What Is Heffernan Insurance Brokers?
Heffernan’s technology practice targets mid- and late-stage, venture-funded and pre-IPO companies; early-stage firms seeking a direct online quote should compare digital providers. It also offers claims consulting and workers’ compensation support. 4,5,6
Read the Heffernan Insurance Brokers profile
Read the Heffernan Insurance Brokers Cargo and Transit Insurance page
What Is Cargo and Transit Insurance?
Cargo coverage fits a shipper protecting goods it owns or a carrier responsible for another party’s goods. The quote needs to match who bears the loss, the shipment route and storage stops. 9,10,11,12
Key Differences in Cargo and Transit Insurance
Brokered Cargo and a Specialist Program
AIG lists importers, exporters, manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors with cargo moving internationally. Heffernan’s specialty marine cargo program focuses on freight forwarders, customs brokers, import/export operators, and household-goods movers; it says the program has in-house underwriting authority. That is a more defined logistics audience than AIG’s broader shipper list, so ask Heffernan whether your organization fits the program and who carries the paper. 3 7
Claims Authority and Shipment Tools
AIG lists marine claims support and route or security consultations. Heffernan says its dedicated claims division can adjust and settle claims and issue payments directly, and it offers online declaration and claim-reporting tools. These program-specific functions may change day-to-day operations; confirm whether the tools and claims authority apply to your proposed cargo class and which claims remain with a carrier. 3 7
What to Confirm in Cargo and Transit Insurance Quotes
- Ask Heffernan whether your logistics operation fits its specialty program and which underwriting entity and carrier will appear on the policy. 3 7
- Ask how its direct claims authority applies to your cargo class and whether declaration tools support your shipment volume. 3 7
- Ask AIG who handles claims under the quoted policy and what route-security services can be scheduled. 3 7
Review Scores
These averages can combine ratings for different products, locations, and customer groups, including approximate BBB grade conversions. Read each review for the sources, scope, and calculation.
AIG
Review Score
2 rated sources
Customer ratings for AIG are low: Trustpilot shows 1.9 out of 5 from 252 reviews, and NerdWallet gives 2.5 stars and notes more claims complaints than expected. These pages cover many AIG products and countries, so they only loosely describe business insurance.[1][2]
Read AIG reviewsHeffernan Insurance Brokers
Review Score
1 rated source
Heffernan’s available review sample is small and local, with a low Google rating for one office. Check the team that would actually serve your business.[6][7][8]
Read Heffernan Insurance Brokers reviewsOffering Details
AIG vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers: Cargo and Transit Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | AIG Ocean Cargo Insurance | Heffernan Marine Cargo and Transportation Insurance Programs |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | AIG markets Ocean Cargo insurance and related global/captive solutions. The page does not name the issuing subsidiary for a particular buyer’s policy. 3Company-reported. Role in this product is limited to the description on the linked AIG source. | Heffernan runs a specialty marine cargo program for freight forwarders and logistics companies that it says carries in-house underwriting authority and a dedicated claims division with authority to adjust, settle and issue payments directly. That is a broader, program-administrator-style role than ordinary brokerage, and is specific to this cargo program rather than Heffernan's general business insurance brokerage. 7Company-reported. Marine Cargo page's 'What Sets Our Programs Apart' section. Does not establish that Heffernan is a licensed carrier or MGA for this program; the exact legal arrangement with its carrier partners was not disclosed. |
| Issuing Insurer | Confirm in your quote. | Heffernan says its cargo program has 'exclusive access to major insurance carriers' and that its transportation practice is 'appointed with top transportation carriers,' but neither page names a specific issuing insurer. 7,8Not publicly disclosed. Checked the Marine Cargo and Transportation pages on 2026-09-23. The issuing insurer would appear on the quote and declarations. |
| Who It’s For | AIG names importers, exporters, manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors with international transit exposures, including containerized general cargo, bulk/break-bulk and project cargo. 3Company-reported. Audience is the segment AIG names on the linked source; this is not an underwriting decision, quote or guarantee of availability. | Heffernan markets its cargo program to freight forwarders, customs brokers, import/export operators and household-goods movers, and describes a global client base of logistics companies, forwarders and brokers. Its separate transportation practice serves trucking and logistics, final-mile delivery, couriers, fuel haulers, towing and moving and storage businesses. 7,8Company-reported. Marine Cargo and Transportation page descriptions of target clients and subsectors. |
| Coverage Features | AIG describes protection for goods moved across land, sea or international borders and lists general cargo, bulk/break-bulk and project cargo. It also lists stock-throughput, captive/fronting and logistics package structures; those examples do not settle any buyer’s policy scope. 3Company-reported. AIG’s public product description is not the policy. Actual entitlement depends on the applicable issued form, endorsements and declarations. | Heffernan's cargo program lists general merchandise logistics, household goods logistics, marine cargo legal liability, errors and omissions, surety bonds and special-projects coverage. Its transportation practice separately lists motor truck cargo and brokerage liability and contingent cargo among its exclusive and sponsored products for trucking and logistics clients. 7,8Company-reported. Marine Cargo 'Coverage Options' list and Transportation 'exclusive and sponsored products' list; exclusions and policy wording are not published. |
| Limits and Retentions | The page advertises $50 million transit capacity and $50 million storage/warehouse capacity, with natural-catastrophe sublimits stated as $10 million per occurrence and annual aggregate. These are advertised capacity figures, not an individual quote or policy limit. 3Not publicly disclosed. This statement reports only what the linked public source discloses and does not substitute for a quote or issued policy. | Confirm in your quote. |
| Risk Services | AIG lists route, conveyance, packaging and security consultations, marine loss-control engineering, and claims support. Its Marine Claims Promise is conditional on confirmed coverage and applies to specified expense categories and agreed loss estimates. 3Company-reported. The linked page describes company-reported support; specific account services and third-party arrangements must be confirmed. | Heffernan describes interactive online tools for remote declaration issuance and claim reporting, plus sales-tracking tools, for its cargo program. Its transportation practice separately lists fleet safety and training, a benchmarking system, medical triage and first aid, and a workers' compensation mod-reduction plan, along with a DOT compliance platform. 7,8Company-reported. Marine Cargo 'Tools for Cargo Insurance' section and Transportation risk-management and safety-services lists. |
| How to Apply | Confirm in your quote. | Existing cargo policyholders manage shipments and claims through an online portal login; new buyers reach the program through a Request a Quote or Request a Consultation contact route, or by calling the number listed for the cargo claims team. 7Company-reported. Marine Cargo page's portal sign-in and consultation-request sections. |
Full Comparison
More AIG vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Comparisons
Other Cargo and Transit Insurance Comparisons
Sources
AIG
- Investor Relations. American International Group, Inc. (AIG); About AIG and legal footer; lines 244–246 and 327–331. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Business. AIG US; Surplus Lines heading and paragraph, lines 357–359. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Ocean Cargo Insurance. AIG; Official AIG Ocean Cargo page, lines 242–285: target classes, cargo types, program structures, stated capacity, route consultation, claims promise and policy caveat. Accessed 2026-09-30.
Heffernan Insurance Brokers
- Our Story. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Headquartered in Walnut Creek; nationwide presence; founded 1988; employee owned; niche practices including technology. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Technology Company Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Pre-IPO and venture-funded heading; mid to late stage specialization; global expansion copy; self-insurance strategies; Key Markets list; Why Heffernan broker history; Joseph Talmadge practice leader; FAQ. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Forward-Thinking Business Insurance: basic coverages (general liability, commercial property and auto, workers’ compensation); corporate and executive protection (EPL, D&O, fiduciary responsibility, cyber, kidnap and ransom); alternative risk capabilities; claims, loss control and risk-management services; industry practice links including Technology and Claims Advocacy. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Marine Cargo. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Transportation Insurance Programs for Freight Forwarders and Logistics Companies; Specialty Programs list; Coverage Options; What Sets Our Programs Apart: in-house underwriting authority, exclusive access to major insurance carriers, dedicated claims division with authority to adjust, settle and issue payments; interactive online tools; contact. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Transportation Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Transportation subsectors; exclusive and sponsored products including Motor Truck Cargo and Brokerage Liability and Contingent Cargo; risk management strategies; appointed with top transportation carriers; practice leader contacts. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Cargo and Transit Insurance Guide
- Commercial Insurance Guide. California Department of Insurance; Commercial Property; Inland Marine; What Should I Expect from a Broker-Agent. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Shipping Options. International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce; Export Shipping Basics; Tips on International Shipping from U.S.; Working with Freight Forwarders. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Special Documents. International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce; Insurance Certificate bullet. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Motor Truck Cargo Legal Liability Coverage. American Association of Insurance Services, Inc.; hosted by National Unity; Coverage and Property Covered pp.1–2; Perils Excluded pp.6–7; Valuation p.8; How Much We Pay p.9; Transit definition p.13. Accessed 2026-09-16.
