Carrier liability policies · 9 min read

Jakub Wujec

Last reviewed: 30 August 2026

How to check a PZU carrier liability policy

Check a PZU carrier liability policy in seven places: the insured, the period of cover, the type of traffic, the territory, the sum insured, the cargo types and the clauses that were actually bought. Do not stop at the first page. The tightest limits often sit in the annexes. Then confirm the contract through an official PZU channel.

This is an independent Certica tutorial. It was not written or approved by PZU. The document shown is not a live insurance policy.

What the document can confirm, and what it cannot

Check a PZU policy in two stages. First read the document and compare it with the booking. If the rate, the cargo or the file looks wrong, confirm the contract through an official insurer channel.

OCP is the Polish label for carrier liability for goods in transit, also called CMR insurance or cargo liability. On a PZU form you will also see OCPD. It is not vehicle MTPL. Check tractor and trailer MTPL separately in UFG. A company record in KRS or CEIDG is not carrier verification.

What the first page of a PZU policy looks like

Numbers 1 to 5 on the graphic are the same steps in the walkthrough below. Step 6 is the vehicle list in the annex. Step 7 is confirmation outside the document.

First page of a sample PZU carrier liability policy with step numbers 1-5 on subject, insured, period, sum and cargo — Sample fragment of a PZU carrier liability policy. All names, numbers, values and cover details were changed for this tutorial.

How to check a PZU carrier liability policy step by step

Step 1. Subject of insurance

On the first page find “Przedmiot ubezpieczenia”. Check that the document covers road carrier liability, labelled OCPD, OCP krajowe or OCP międzynarodowe.

OCS is freight-forwarder liability. If the company is to haul the load as the carrier, do not accept OCS alone.

Step 2. Insured party

Find “Ubezpieczony” and “Ubezpieczający”. The insured is the party whose liability must be covered. Compare the full legal name, legal form, tax ID and address with the contract and the current company record.

Step 2: policyholder and insured fields on a sample PZU carrier liability policy — Sample fragment of a PZU carrier liability policy. All names, numbers, values and cover details were changed for this tutorial.

Watch this

A similar trading name is not enough. A policy issued to the owner, another group company or a former business needs an explanation before loading.

Step 3. Policy number and period

Write down the policy number exactly as it appears in the header. The start and end dates must cover loading, transit and the planned unloading.

Step 4. Sum, territory and deductible

On the table layout, domestic and international values sit in separate rows. On the numbered layout they sit in separate columns. Do not copy a sum from one scope onto the other.

Compare the sum insured with the cargo value. Check sub-limits and the deductible as well.

Step 4: sum insured, deductible and territorial scope on a sample PZU carrier liability policy — Sample fragment of a PZU carrier liability policy. All names, numbers, values and cover details were changed for this tutorial.

Step 5. Cargo and clauses

Read the whole row “Rodzaj przewożonych ładunków”. “Mienie rodzajowo różne” does not mean every cargo. The exclusion list that follows can include ADR, perishable goods, medicines, oversized loads, live animals, waste and new, used or damaged vehicles.

If your cargo is on that list, find a separate clause that extends cover. The name of a clause on the form does not prove cover.

Step 5: excluded cargo types under the heading mienie rodzajowo różne on a sample PZU carrier liability policy — Sample fragment of a PZU carrier liability policy. All names, numbers, values and cover details were changed for this tutorial.

Watch this

Check the mark, the type of traffic, the sub-limit and the deductible. Read the full wording in the annex.

Step 6. Vehicle list

The special conditions can limit cover to vehicles declared when the policy was taken out and listed in the table. A newly bought, off-lease or replacement vehicle may need a notification.

Step 7. Official confirmation

PZU does not publish a public search for carrier liability policies by number. Open the confirmation form on pzu.pl yourself. Do not use a phone number that appears only in the carrier’s email.

At the bottom of the first page, check which annexes form an integral part of the policy. A missing clause page changes the assessment of the whole scope.

Limits most often missed on PZU policies

German cabotage and cabotage in other countries are split

If the policy covers cabotage, read the German scope separately from the scope for other countries, usually the EU without Germany and excluding the UK and Norway.

The German clause splits vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes and above 3.5 tonnes. The clause for the other countries applies to vehicles above 2.5 tonnes. Check the country, the vehicle GVW and both limits.

PZU splits ordinary parking from parking with high-risk goods

Klauzula nr 7 covers a stop away from guarded car parks when the cargo is not high-risk goods. High-risk goods need a separate MOP-y parking clause.

MOP-y parking clause for high-risk goods on a sample PZU carrier liability policy — Sample fragment of a PZU carrier liability policy. All names, numbers, values and cover details were changed for this tutorial.

A sub-limit can apply to the whole period and shrink after a claim

In some PZU clauses the limit is set for one and all events in the whole period and is reduced by paid compensation. A PDF from the start of the period does not show how much of that limit remains.

Clause sub-limit that shrinks after a paid claim on a sample PZU carrier liability policy — Sample fragment of a PZU carrier liability policy. All names, numbers, values and cover details were changed for this tutorial.

The list “ochrona nie została rozszerzona o” matters more than a long clause list

Near the end of the annex, look for the extensions the policy does not include: CMR Convention articles 24 and 26, storage of goods, delivery to an unauthorised person, hidden damage and failure of a refrigeration unit.

List of cover that was not extended on a sample PZU carrier liability policy — Sample fragment of a PZU carrier liability policy. All names, numbers, values and cover details were changed for this tutorial.

Clause numbers help you find the right scope quickly

The number alone does not prove that the clause was bought. It must be marked or named in the special conditions of that policy.

Practical map of PZU clauses
Number	Scope	What to check on this policy
1	Dangerous goods ADR	ADR classes, territory, limit and exclusions
2	Robbery	Whether domestic, international or both are marked
7	Parking away from a guarded car park	Whether the cargo is not high-risk goods
26	Loading and unloading by the carrier	The sub-limit and a separate deductible
29	Cabotage outside Germany	Countries, vehicle GVW and the combined limit

How to decide after you have read the policy

Result of the check and the next step
Result of the check	What it means	Next step
Names, dates, route, sums and clauses match the booking	The document fits the planned haul	Record the result and run the remaining carrier checks
Different name, tax ID or legal form of the insured	The policy may belong to another legal entity	Hold the decision and ask for an explanation or the right document
The period ends before unloading	The document does not cover the whole planned haul	Ask for a renewal and confirmation before loading
A clause appears on the form but is not marked	There is no basis to accept that extension	Check the annexes or obtain confirmation from PZU
The main sum is high, but the needed clause has a low sub-limit	The real cover for this risk may be too low	Compare the sub-limit with the cargo value and escalate the decision
Pages, annexes or numbering do not match	The document is incomplete	Ask for the full PDF and a current confirmation of the contract

What a PDF check does not confirm

How to read a PZU policy is a different question from how to confirm that it is still in force. Document analysis lets you judge the declared scope. It does not give access to the current contract in the insurer’s system.

The PDF can be old, altered or incomplete.
A signature and a logo do not prove authenticity on their own.
A paid premium does not prove that the scope was not later changed.
Carrier liability cover does not confirm vehicle MTPL, a transport licence, VAT or company status.

Remember

The PDF alone does not prove that the policy was not later changed, cancelled or limited by an endorsement.

Don’t want to analyse every policy by hand?

Certica analyses an uploaded carrier liability policy in any language. It reads the insured, the period, the document type, territorial scopes, sums and named cargo categories.

Official sources

FAQ

Can I check a PZU carrier liability policy online by number?

There is no public PZU search for carrier liability policies by number. pzu.pl has a form to request confirmation that a contract exists, plus official contact channels. If only the policyholder can request that confirmation, ask the carrier to obtain it.

Is a PZU carrier liability policy the same as vehicle MTPL?

No. Carrier liability, labelled OCP on the Polish form, covers the carrier’s liability for the goods and the haul. Vehicle MTPL is compulsory motor insurance and, for Polish plates, is checked separately in UFG.

Where is the sum insured on a PZU policy?

On the simple table layout it is usually in the row “Suma ubezpieczenia”. On the numbered layout it is in the scope section, in separate columns for domestic and international traffic. Extra clauses can have their own, lower sub-limits.

Which policy dates should I compare with the booking?

The period of cover should include the whole haul: loading, transit and the planned unloading. Validity on the loading day is not enough if the policy ends before delivery.

Is proof that the premium was paid enough?

Not always. It is useful evidence that a contract was concluded, but it does not show later changes, endorsements or the current scope on its own. If anything looks wrong, confirm the policy through an official PZU channel.

Which clauses should I check on a PZU carrier liability policy?

That depends on the booking. Theft and robbery, parking away from a guarded car park, ADR, high-risk goods, loading and unloading, cabotage and subcontractor liability often matter. Check the mark, the territory, the sub-limit and the deductible of each clause you need.

What is PZU CMR insurance?

In English freight this is the cargo or CMR liability layer: cover for the carrier’s liability for goods in transit. On a Polish PZU form the same product is labelled OCP or OCPD. Read the document the same way: insured, dates, sums, territory, clauses and official confirmation.

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