French standard road haulage contract

French law provides, for each type of road freight transport, standard contracts approved by decree, which apply by default to relations between shipper and carrier when they have not concluded a written contract on the relevant points. The general standard contract governs the carriage of ordinary goods: loading and unloading times, documents, each party's obligations, and above all the cap on compensation owed by the carrier for loss or damage. This cap, expressed per kilogram of gross weight and limited per package or per ton depending on consignment size, is often far below the value of high-value goods. The shipper may raise it through a declaration of value or a declaration of special interest in delivery, for an extra charge. For the cargo insurer, the cap determines what it can hope to recover, and it explains why shippers insure themselves rather than rely on the carrier's liability.