Five Ways to Get Smart About Your High-Value Goods Transport and Cash in Transit Needs

Japhire Gopi, CEO shares some basic but fundamental truths about the transit of high value goods transport facing businesses in the ASEAN region – and how technologies have been consolidated to create a one-stop insurtech solution that you may be unaware of.

9 min. read

The ASEAN region is home to countless distributors and sellers of high-value goods. Some specialize in diverse precious metals like gold and silver coins or bullion, precious stones or gems. While there are countless more who are cash and currency dealers, ATM machine operators, antique dealers, and other high value goods of all shapes, sizes, and values. No matter which segment your business operates in, every segment needs to transport their goods quickly, safely, and economically within the countries they do business.

Many of these businesses operate under tight budgets, so the economical movement of these goods –whether from distributors to dealers, direct to customers, banks or other intermediaries etc. – means that the high risk factors resulting in extremely high costs associated with the moving and insuring of these items – is a preoccupation for everyone.

Businesses where high value goods transport and cash in transit solutions are a requirement, work in a competitive landscape. Every advantage, financial or otherwise, can greatly affect profitability and success. Whether gold, silver, jewelry or cash currencies. Success for these businesses almost always depends on their ability to deliver their customers’ goods or cash at very short notice, and with very strict deadlines.

This article will concentrate on local and domestic solutions.

Keep these tips top-of-mind when looking for the best solutions for transporting your high value goods domestically in the ASEAN region

1. Make sure you know the total weight of your shipment

Besides the obvious costs like postage or courier fees, most carriers who offer insurance, will require that you insure your shipment based on the value of the goods being transported, but will also charge according to weight.

Shipping smaller items like luxury watches or coins etc. versus heavier or larger items like bullion and antiquities, will influence the size of container and type of container needed, which also affects the method of transportation you choose. The packaging or container you ultimately choose has an effect on the total weight of your shipment, and hence, the cost.

If you don’t want to handle packaging yourself, and don’t want to spend the huge fees needed for armored vehicles or personnel, there are solutions that offer containers with suitable features for the types of valuables you are shipping. Jaguar Transit for example, include pre-insured containers for transporting cash or currencies with some that even include ink stain technology.

2. Pack your items discreetly. Don’t draw unwanted attention to the contents

For small or compact items you may be ok with using the Postal service in your country or city. But always be sure the items are adequately cushioned with bubble wrap or similar, and not moving about inside the packing. Fiberglass or filament tapes are a good way to seal your self-prepared boxes. But don’t forget to check with your insurer that this method of transit will be covered should your items be lost or stolen during transit. Depending on the value of the goods, as well as the distances and locations you are shipping to, you may not be able to find insurance to cover this “riskier” method of transport.

Different transportation solutions have requirements such as double-walled boxes. Containers made of fireproof or tamper-proof materials are also not uncommon demands. This can be a major problem for senders who will need to source the right materials, as well as allocating precious time from their work days –sourcing, assembling and collecting paperwork for each shipment.

Most courier companies require that you describe the contents of your packages and will refuse to accept goods above a certain value, or to insure you for their loss. By not describing the contents of your package and its value, you package is basically uninsured by both the courier company, and your insurance company.

3. It’s all about insurance

It goes without saying that you should always have the high value goods you are transporting insured for their full replacement value.

Some insurance companies may cover high value goods when shipping by courier, a few even by the postal service. However, these solutions typically have limits on what they will pay in compensation for damage or loss. Without exception, all offer far less than the true replacement value of the contents of your shipment.

Jaguar Transit are the only insurtech solution in the ASEAN region offering a one-stop solution including comprehensive insurance, online and smartphone technology, proprietary containers, and even delivery. This solution is more convenient than couriers, and is 40% less expensive than armored car, armed guards, and other traditional solutions.

For higher value shipments, armored vehicles and security staff offer confidence in security but come at a price which may not make economic sense – depending on your needs and budget.

4. Don’t settle for the status-quo, find a solution you can trust

A country-wide or local courier should be able to provide you with a tracking number and the ability to follow the progress and whereabouts of your delivery while on route to its destination, but not all do. They also do not provide security of any kind and are simply in the logistics business. They see your high value package no differently than they do any other shipment and treat them accordingly.

Larger shippers like Fedex, UPS and others have offices in most major cities around the world and have incorporated basic tracking systems, but they do not accept high-value shipments above a certain price threshold.

For larger more valuable shipments you have options like Loomis or Brinks which are available in most large urban centers throughout the ASEAN region. However, the costs for their armored car and armed personnel is relatively costlier. While this option offers confidence in terms of security, they require more time to schedule and deliver, and this limited flexibility may not suit yours or your customers’ needs. These services are best suited for very high value goods and international transit.

In the region, Jaguar Transit is the only insurtech that offers an all-in-one solution including instant insurance coverage, real-time smartphone app tracking and operations management of your trip using proprietary GPS tracked containers, and their own delivery service with trained professionals. You can book and initiate your shipments in minutes online and the cost for Jaguar Transit’s all-in-one solution is typically 40% less than traditional combinations and other methods.

5. Find a solution you can trust

With almost all other solutions the massive amounts of time spent simply on the logistics and coordination of all the parties involved, still get you very little in the way of transparency or any kind of involvement in the management of your goods while in transit.

In most cases you’ll need to trust the security supplied by the shipper. You’ll also only be able to track your package in the most basic ways: departed, en route, and delivered.

Trusting your transit provider is just as much about their ability to provide a sense of security, as it is about matching your needs. For many, the ability to real-time monitor the progress of each trip or delivery is a top priority. You’ll know precisely where your shipment is at any moment in the journey.  Once the recipient is correctly identified, you can personally control the release of the contents instantly from the app.

Regardless which services you prioritize, at present only Jaguar Transit offers a comprehensive all-in-one solution. Jaguar Transit gives you the option of delivering items yourself, safely and securely using their proprietary containers or bags, or with their own delivery option. The entire trip using Jaguar Transit is tracked in real-time GPS and managed by you using the Jaguar smartphone app. The correct proprietary and pre-insured containers for your goods are delivered to your door.

Jaguar’s risk algorithm instantly calculates rates and insures the containers instantly and without any need for additional paperwork or certificates. The complete process is done online and can be completed in minutes.

And last, but not least, remember that the cost for Jaguar’s insurtech solution is on average 40% less costly than others.

To speak to a Jaguar Transit representative, to learn more or to get an instant quote, simply click the button below.

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Japhire Gopi

Founder and CEO of JA Secure

September 20, 2022 – 9 min. read

As yet, only Jaguar offer this type of 360 degree transparency, technology and trust any where in the world. Its definitely an option you need to be aware of.