Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF)
Candlefocus EditorMoreover, under cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) arrangements, the seller pays for the cost of the goods, freight, insurance, and other related expenses including taxes and customs duty up to the buyer’s destination port. This helps the buyer to get duty-free goods and the buyer need not pay any additional duties or taxes to the government. The buyer just needs to pay the freight and insurance charges to the seller which can be reduced due to the bulk purchase by the buyer.
In essence, CIF is a convenient and cost-effective way to purchase goods as it reduces the shipping and insurance costs, few customs duties and reduces the risks associated with trading across international boundaries. Most often, CIF is used to purchase large quantities of goods as the seller can spread the additional costs across numerous shipments. It is also a great way for buyers to hasten their goods delivery time as the goods start moving once the cost, insurance and freight have been paid.