Official Insurance Guidance for International Clients
🛡️ Insurance Requirements for Foreign Companies Starting Projects in Iran
Foreign companies entering Iran often need more than a single insurance policy. In practice, projects usually require a coordinated insurance structure covering property, machinery, cargo, liability, engineering risks, employees, vehicles, and—where relevant—marine, aviation, oil, gas, energy, or reinsurance support. Therefore, early planning is essential for contract compliance, lender confidence, customs handling, and smoother project execution.
As a licensed agency company of Iran Insurance and an insurance intermediary working with Iranian insurance companies, we can arrange and issue all kinds of insurance policies from Iranian insurance companies for foreign investors, contractors, EPC companies, suppliers, project owners, shipowners, and aviation operators starting work in Iran.
📌 Why this page is different
This page focuses on the practical insurance requirements of foreign companies that are about to begin a project in Iran. It is not a general summary of insurance classes. Instead, it explains what international businesses usually need before mobilization, shipment, site activity, equipment use, marine operations, aviation operations, or energy-sector work starts.
Accordingly, the page is designed for decision-makers who need clear direction, faster placement, and reliable coordination with Iranian insurers and local project realities.
👥 Who this service is for
- Foreign contractors and subcontractors entering Iran
- EPC and EPCF companies starting industrial or infrastructure projects
- International suppliers shipping equipment, machinery, or materials
- Oil, gas, petrochemical, power, mining, and energy investors
- Shipowners, charterers, logistics operators, and marine service providers
- Aircraft owners, operators, lessors, and aviation service companies
- Employers that need local liability, employee, travel, or motor solutions
✅ What we do
- Review project activities, contracts, shipment terms, and local exposures
- Identify the insurance classes usually needed before project launch
- Arrange and issue policies from Iranian insurance companies
- Coordinate questionnaires, underwriting data, and insurer negotiations
- Support specialized placements for marine, aviation, engineering, and energy sectors
- Help align local insurance structure with project and contractual requirements
🏗️ Core insurance requirements foreign companies should assess before starting a project
The right program depends on the nature of the project. However, most foreign companies entering Iran should assess insurance needs in five areas: transit, site risks, liability, assets, and specialist operations. As a result, early insurance mapping can reduce delays, improve contract readiness, and support smoother project mobilization.
1) Cargo & Transit Cover
This is often required when machinery, raw materials, spare parts, or high-value equipment move into Iran. Cover may apply from warehouse to warehouse, depending on terms, route, and contract structure.
2) Engineering & All Risks
Construction, installation, testing, commissioning, and contractor exposures usually require Contractors’ All Risks, Erection All Risks, or related engineering policies.
3) Liability Protection
Third-party liability, employer-related liabilities, and contractual exposures are central issues for foreign firms operating at project sites, warehouses, ports, or offices.
4) Property, Equipment & Machinery
If the company owns, leases, or operates buildings, workshops, depots, mobile plant, or heavy machinery in Iran, property and machinery-related cover should be reviewed.
5) Specialist Sector Cover
Marine, aviation, oil and gas, petrochemical, energy, and ultra-scale industrial projects often need broader specialist wording, negotiated conditions, and in some cases reinsurance support.
🔍 What the service includes
Insurance requirement review based on contract scope, project phase, and local activity
Policy arrangement and issuance support through Iranian insurance companies
Questionnaire support for cargo, engineering, liability, marine, aviation, and energy classes
Clarification of common coverage needs for lenders, employers, and project owners
Coordination for specialized classes including P&I and H&M when marine risks apply
Support for property, motor, travel, employee, and operational insurance requirements
📘 Types of policies that may be needed
Different sectors require different insurance combinations. Nevertheless, the following classes are frequently relevant for foreign companies starting projects in Iran:
| Insurance Class |
Typical Use |
Relevant to |
| Marine Cargo Insurance |
Imports, exports, inland transit, project cargo, machinery delivery |
Suppliers, traders, EPC firms |
| Contractors’ All Risks / Erection All Risks |
Construction, installation, testing, site operations |
Contractors, developers, industrial projects |
| Third-Party Liability |
Legal liability arising from operations |
Project owners, contractors, operators |
| Property Insurance |
Offices, depots, stock, plants, warehouses |
Manufacturers, service companies, investors |
| Machinery Breakdown / Equipment Cover |
Operational equipment, mobile plant, heavy machinery |
Construction, mining, industrial operators |
| Automobile & Fleet Insurance |
Project vehicles, staff transport, logistics units |
All companies with local vehicles |
| Travel & Personal Accident |
Executives, experts, visiting personnel |
Foreign staff and visitors |
| Oil, Gas & Energy Insurance |
Onshore, offshore, petrochemical, energy facilities |
Energy companies and major contractors |
| Vessel & Aircraft Insurance |
Marine operations, charter, aviation activity |
Shipowners, operators, aviation firms |
| Reinsurance Support |
Large values, complex risks, layered structures |
Ultra-scale and high-value projects |
🌍 Why international clients use this service
International companies usually need a local insurance solution that fits Iranian operating conditions, project contracts, shipment methods, and sector-specific risks. Therefore, they need more than a policy list. They need a structured placement approach.
- To identify required policies before mobilization
- To place cover through Iranian insurance companies
- To support tender, employer, or contractual requirements
- To manage complex local and specialist exposures clearly
- To save time during document collection and underwriting
⚙️ Specialized policy classes
Where marine or transport-related operations apply, specialized policy classes can be particularly important. In such cases, we can help arrange classes such as:
- P&I (Protection & Indemnity) for shipowners and marine liability exposures
- H&M (Hull & Machinery) for vessel hull and machinery risks
- Marine cargo cover for project shipments and commercial goods
- Engineering, liability, property, oil and gas, and aviation classes where relevant
🧭 Typical process for arranging project insurance in Iran
Step 1
Share the project scope, sector, contract type, and timeline.
Step 2
We review likely insurance classes and documentation needs.
Step 3
Relevant questionnaires and underwriting details are prepared.
Step 4
We coordinate with Iranian insurance companies for placement options.
Step 5
Policies are arranged and issued according to the agreed structure.
General project inquiry
If your company is entering Iran for a new contract, shipment, or investment, contact us for a structured review of the likely insurance requirements.
Contact Us
Specialized marine, aviation, and energy risks
For P&I, H&M, cargo, vessel, aircraft, engineering, or oil and gas placements, send your risk details for specialized review.
Request Forms
Start the underwriting process
If you already know the project class, proceed to the relevant form so the underwriting and placement process can start faster.
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🔗 Related internal links
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do foreign companies need local insurance when starting a project in Iran?
In many cases, they do. The exact requirement depends on the contract, project type, local operations, shipment terms, and asset exposure. Therefore, foreign companies should review insurance needs before mobilization, delivery, or site work begins.
2. What types of insurance are most commonly required for foreign project work in Iran?
Common classes include cargo, engineering all risks, liability, property, machinery, motor, travel, marine, aviation, and oil and gas insurance. However, the final structure depends on the project scope and operating sector.
3. Can you arrange policies from Iranian insurance companies for foreign clients?
Yes. We can arrange and issue all kinds of insurance policies from Iranian insurance companies, subject to underwriting requirements, risk details, and the class of business involved.
4. Do you support insurance for large or complex industrial projects?
Yes. We support industrial, infrastructure, marine, aviation, oil, gas, and energy-related risks, including complex and ultra-scale projects that need specialist placement and structured underwriting information.
5. What is the benefit of arranging insurance before the project starts?
Early planning helps avoid delays, supports contract readiness, clarifies documentation needs, and reduces the risk of coverage gaps during mobilization, shipment, testing, or construction.
6. Can you help with marine insurance such as P&I and H&M?
Yes. When marine risks apply, we can support specialized classes such as P&I (Protection & Indemnity) and H&M (Hull & Machinery), as well as marine cargo and related marine liabilities.
7. Is engineering insurance relevant only for construction companies?
No. Engineering insurance may also be relevant for plant installation, testing, commissioning, equipment erection, infrastructure works, and industrial expansion projects.
8. Can you assist with cargo insurance for imported machinery and project shipments?
Yes. Cargo insurance is often essential when machinery, equipment, spare parts, or project materials are shipped into Iran. We can help review the shipment profile and arrange suitable cargo cover.
9. Do foreign companies need liability insurance in Iran?
In many project situations, yes. Liability insurance is important because it addresses potential legal responsibility to third parties arising from operational activity, site work, or related project exposures.
10. Can you support oil, gas, and energy projects?
Yes. We support oil, gas, petrochemical, and energy-related insurance requirements, including onshore and offshore exposures, subject to the project profile and underwriting review.
11. What information should a foreign company prepare before requesting insurance?
It is useful to prepare a short project summary, contract scope, timeline, asset values, shipment details, activity description, site information, and any employer or contractual insurance requirements.
12. Can you help if we are still unsure which policy classes we need?
Yes. Many foreign companies first need guidance rather than a final policy list. We can review the project and identify the major insurance classes that should be considered before work begins.
13. Do you only provide one insurer’s products?
We are a complex of licensed agency company of Iran Insurance and an insurance intermediary of Iranian insurance companies. Therefore, depending on the case, we can help arrange suitable policies through Iranian insurers for different classes of risk.
📚 Official and informational references
For general background information on trade, customs, and investment matters, international clients may also review official or institutional sources. These links are provided for general information only.
Conclusion
Foreign companies starting projects in Iran should assess insurance requirements at the earliest stage. Because project exposures are often connected, a clear and coordinated insurance structure is more effective than arranging policies one by one after operations begin.
If your company needs guidance, policy arrangement, or issuance support in Iran, we can review the project profile and help arrange the relevant insurance solutions through Iranian insurance companies in line with the class of business and operational needs.