Business insurance for importers.
Yes, and it is especially important. When you import goods, you can be treated as the responsible party in the United States because the overseas manufacturer is often out of reach of a claim. That makes importers a primary target for product-liability suits, and many traditional policies exclude foreign-made goods.
The exposure
Why importers carry real risk.
The importer of record frequently becomes the effective 'manufacturer' for a US claim, because plaintiffs cannot easily pursue a factory abroad, and vendor or foreign-manufacturer exclusions can quietly gut a cheap policy.
Key risks
- manufacturer-level liability when the overseas factory is unreachable
- foreign-manufacturer or vendor exclusions in traditional policies
- quality and testing gaps across imported batches
- customs, labeling, and compliance exposure
What you need
- Product liability (with imported-goods coverage confirmed)
- General liability
- Certificate of Insurance support
By the numbers
What one claim can cost.
$10K–$500K
typical pre-trial product-liability settlement range, with jury verdicts running into the millions
Insurance Information Institute — product liability facts~67%
of product-liability cases end in a settlement paid to the plaintiff
Insurance Information Institute — product liability facts48%
of U.S. commercial tort costs are carried by small businesses — about $160 billion a year
U.S. Institute for Legal ReformWhen you need it
What triggers coverage.
Cheap policies often carry vendor, importer, or foreign-manufacturer exclusions that remove coverage for exactly the goods an importer sells, and sellers only find out at claim time.
01
you become the importer of record for a product line
02
a marketplace or buyer requests proof of insurance
03
you source from a new overseas supplier
04
you check a policy for foreign-manufacturer exclusions
Free quote
Coverage built for how importers actually sell.
Assureful is built for eCommerce sellers: it connects to your store, prices product liability from your real monthly sales instead of an annual guess, and issues a marketplace-ready Certificate of Insurance with the additional-insured wording buyers ask for.
From $26/mo
Pay-as-you-sell insurance
- A-rated underwriters
- 42% less than comparable A-rated insurers (avg)
- Quote in 2 minutes
- No annual forecasts
- Cancel anytime
No obligation. Cancel anytime.
Questions
Importers insurance FAQ.
Why are importers more exposed to product liability?+
Because the overseas manufacturer is usually beyond the reach of a US lawsuit, the importer of record often becomes the party a claim targets. Always confirm your policy covers imported goods without a foreign-manufacturer exclusion.
Other seller types
Business insurance for private-label sellers
Read
Business insurance for wholesalers
Read
Business insurance for resellers
Read
General information, not insurance advice. Liability context per Insurance Information Institute. Reviewed 2026-07-01.