Customs tariffs, taxes and duties

4. Explain the meanings of the following terms in English:

insurance premium; insurance policy; insurance certificate; a floating policy; a cover note; particular average; general average; W.A. clause insurance; P.P.A. clause insuarance; burglary; pilferage

5. Use the terms of Exercise 4 in sentences of your own.

6. Reproduce the situations from the text where these collocations were used:

to gain indemnity; to go wrong; to disappear without trace; to cause damage; to put out a fire; to act as a contract; to cover goods up to a large sum of money; to give proof of smth

7. Give English equivalents of the following:

страховка (страховая сумма); страховое  дело; страховая премия; страховое покрытие; страхование от пожара/на случай кражи/от всех рисков; генеральный страховой полис; воровство; мелкая кража; плохое обращение (с товаром); риск

8. Sum up the contents of the text according to your own plan.

Vocabulary and Speech Exercises

9. Insert the appropriate prepositions:

1) Nowadays carrying__goods can be effected__sea,__air,__rail and__road. One transaction may involve both land and sea transportation, that is first goods may be carried__railway or road means__conveyance and then__ships. Henceforth the export trade is subject__many risks, because consignments may be damaged__transit.

2) Usually exporters insure their goods__all kinds__risk__professional insurance companies, __example Lloyd’s__Great Britain or "Ingosstrakh"__Russia, which__return__a fee known as a premium will compensate__them if any loss or damage__the goods occurs. Insurance is therefore a contract__indemnity which is called an Insurance Policy.

10. Read and translate the text using the dictionary if necessary:

Calculating of an Insurance Premium

An insurance premium is the name given to the sum of money paid by the firm insuring its goods, and is quoted as a percentage.

Normally goods are insured for the CIF value of the consignment plus 10 per cent of that figure. Using the CIF value means that, in addition to the price of the goods, the freight charges and insurance premium are also covered. The 10% means that, in the case of a total loss, the insured party receives some compensation for the expense of processing the claim and for any commercial loss.

As an example of calculating of an insurance premium let’s take a consignment with the value of $1000, a freight charge of $100 and an insurance rate of 0.75%. First we should calculate the CAF (C&F) value of the goods, which in this case is $1100 [= $1000 (value of goods) + $100 (freight)]. Then we calculate 10 per cent to this value, and the sum will be $110 [= $1100 × 10 : 100]. This amount ($110) is added to the original $1100, so the goods will be insured for $1210. To define the insurance premium now means to calculate 0.75% of $1210, which is $9,08 [= $1210 × 0.75 : 100].

Thus, the premium payable is $9,08 to which may be added a small administration charge which will not amount to more than a few pounds.

There are other ways of calculating insurance premium, but they involve more complicated formulas and so this method is widely used.

It is worth noting that the insurance premium of 0.75 per cent is widely quoted to many countries round the world, so this example is quite realistic.

11. Ask eight questions about the previous text.

12. Give a free translation of the text:

Страхование - неотъемлемая часть  повседневной жизни американцев. В  семейном бюджете различного вида страховкам обычно отводится значительное место. В Америке количество страховых  компаний и предоставляемых ими  услуг огромно, и новичку в  американской жизни не так просто разобраться в них.

Есть страховки обязательные: например, страхование автомобиля. Есть страховки, которые необходимо иметь, хотя они  и не относятся к обязательным - например медицинская страховка, поскольку  цена медицинских услуг столь  высока, что в случае серьезного заболевания человек со средним достатком не в состоянии оплатить больничные счета. К основным видам страхования относятся страхование автомобиля (automobile insurance), домов и квартир (homeowners and tenants insurance), жизни (life insurance) и здоровья (accident and health insurance).

Если  вы приобретаете автомобиль, то закон  обязывает вас купить и автомобильную  страховку, в противном случае ваша машина не будет зарегистрирована. Такие законы действуют в подавляющем  большинстве штатов. В отличие от страхования автомобилей, согласно закону вы не обязаны покупать страховку жилища. Однако ваш дом или квартира со всем их содержимым представляют немалую ценность, и вы вряд ли сможете возместить все это в случае потери.

Страхование жизни необходимо для того, чтобы обеспечить финансовую поддержку семье в случае вашей смерти. Есть два основных типа страхования жизни - временное (term insurance) и постоянное (permanent insurance). Различие между ними сводится к следующему: при временной страховке договор с вами заключается на определенное время (год, 5, 10 лет и т.д.) или до достижения определенного возраста (например, 70 лет), и пособие вашей семье выплачивается только тогда, когда смерть наступила в этот период; при постоянной страховке охватывается весь период вашей жизни, и сумма страховки выплачивается полностью вне зависимости от того, когда наступила смерть.

К типам страхования здоровья относятся  следующие: основная госпитальная страховка (basic hospital insurance), которая покрывает  ваши больничные расходы, причем обычно страховая компания устанавливает пределы на продолжительность пребывания в больнице и общую сумму счетов; основная медицинская страховка (basic medical insurance), которая служит для возмещения расходов, связанных с визитами к врачам и амбулаторным лечением; и дополнительная медицинская страховка (major medical insurance), которая служит для покрытия расходов, которые возникают в случае серьезного заболевания и выходят за пределы двух предыдущих страховок. Размер компенсации может сильно варьироваться в зависимости от типа договора и от политики страховой компании.

13. Speak about insurance in Russia, using the vocabulary of Episode 1 and Exercise 12.

 

 

 

 

EPISODE 2

Making an Insurance Claim

- Look, it’s all very well if the goods collected from the port, airport or whatever station is agreed upon are in good condition. But what if as a consignee I got my goods damaged? What am I supposed to do under these circumstances?

- The most reasonable action of yours in this situation is to make an insurance claim¹.

- What do you mean by making an insurance claim?

- This procedure includes two essential steps. The first one is to call in a properly qualified and disinterested person who will inspect your cargo.

- What kind of person is he?

- We call him an insurance surveyor². He must be employed by a company which has insured your goods.

- Why is it necessary to call in a surveyor to inspect the goods?

- No insurance company will ever pay compensation unless they receive a report on the damage³ from a surveyor. If they didn’t require such a report they would soon be out of business, because it would be very easy for buyers to say that the goods had arrived damaged and then put in a claim for compensation⁴.

- Oh, I see. And what precisely should the surveyor inspect?

- He should inspect the packing - cases, boxes, crates, bottles, etc. - and the contents and report on the nature and extent of the damage⁵.

- That’s clear. Well, what is my second step?

- You must also report the damage to the sellers. If you are not able to sell the damaged goods you may ask for replacement for which you will pay separately, setting the amount of the indemnity⁶ against this additional payment to be made.

- What about the spoilt goods? Am I to send them back?

- Not necessarily. If the articles have been scratched or chipped, that is partly damaged, you can try to sell them at a considerably reduced price. And there is one more very important thing to be done. If you consider to make a claim, do it without delay, otherwise your claim on the insurers may be jeopardised⁷.

Vocabulary Notes on the Text

¹ to make a claim - предъявить претензии, возбудить иск.

² an insurance surveyor - страховой инспектор.

³ a report on the damage - отчет о понесенном ущербе.

⁴ to put in a claim for compensation - выдвинуть требование о компенсации.

⁵ the nature and extent of the damage - характер и размеры понесенного ущерба.

⁶ indemnity - возмещение, компенсация.

⁷ to jeopardise a claim - оспорить в суде предъявленный иск.

 

Exercises on the Dialogue

1. Read and translate the dialogue.

2. Pronounce the following words correctly:

circumstances; procedure; nature; replacement; compensation; indemnity; surveyor; qualified; disinterested; scratched; jeopardised; reasonable; separately

3. Find in the list below the verbs close in meaning:

to damage; to agree; to inspect; to report; to spoil; to claim; to change; to demand; to survey; to state; to compensate; to replace; to indemnify; to settle

4. What do we call?

1) a person with special knowledge employed by an insurance company to examine and report on a proposed risk;

2) a demand made by an insured party on the insurer for payment under an insurance policy;

3) the description of loss of goods value caused by being broken or spoilt;

4) a payment to make good a loss;

5) to demand for compensation;

6) to lose a job.

5. Answer the following questions:

• 1) What is necessary to do if a consignee gets his goods damaged?
• 2) What are the essential steps of making an insurance claim?
• 3) Who is an insurance surveyor?
• 4) Why is it necessary to employ a surveyor?
• 5) What does the surveyor report on?
• 6) What can you demand of the sellers?
• 7) What can you do with damaged goods?
• 8) Why is it important to make a claim without delay?

6. Give English equivalents of:

a) договориться о чём-л.; предъявить иск страховой компании; вызвать страхового агента; выплачивать компенсацию; возмещать ущерб; выдвинуть требование о компенсации; делать что-л. незамедлительно; оспаривать иск в суде

b) по сниженной цене; при данных обстоятельствах; в хорошем состоянии; незаинтересованное лицо

7. Report the dialogue:

• a) on the part of an insurance agent;
• b) on the part of the consignee;
• c) on the part of the seller.

 

Vocabulary and Speech Exercises

8. Fill in the missing prepositions:

1) Goods are normally insured__certain risks. They are usually insured__the full amount__their value. If they are found__arrival__the port__destination to be damaged, a report__the damage should be made.

2) Details__the agreement__the client and the insurance agency are to be found__the insurance policy.

3) When a Lloyd’s agent examine a damaged consignment, he will also look__the bill__lading signed__the captain__the ship. If the bill__lading is clean, the captain has accepted the consignment as being__good condition, and so the shipowners may be claimed__the cost__the damaged goods.

9. Read and translate the following dialogue:

Customer: We would like you to discuss the insurance problem with us.

Seller: I am at your service.

Customer: How is the personnel on site supposed to be insured?

Seller: We shall insure the experts against industrial risks and accidents.

Customer: And what about the construction projects? Will you insure them too?

Seller: Undoubtedly. We shall insure not only the projects but the property as well against fire and natural hazards.

Customer: And who will pay expenses if there will be such a situation?

Seller: The expenses will be included in the cost of the projects.

Customer: And one more thing. We know that you suppose to insure the equipment but we would like to ask you to insure it against air risks too.

Seller: Well, let me remind you the context of the article of the Transport Regulations Insurance. It says that the Supplier shall insure the equipment against marine risks but not against air risks.

Customer: Well, we see that the "Regulations" really do not provide for insurance against air risks. We don’t have any more questions.

10. Give English equivalents of the following:

вопрос о страховании; персонал; строительная площадка; страхование  от производственных рисков и несчастных случаев; объекты строительства; материально-имущественные  ценности; стихийное бедствие; застраховать от морских/авиационных рисков

11. Report the dialogue in detail:

• 1) on behalf of the Seller;
• 2) on behalf of the Customer.

12. Translate into English:

1. Когда мы сможем получить  компенсацию от страховой компании ? - Как только будут выполнены  все формальности.

2. Куда мы должны обратиться  по поводу страхования? - В страховое агентство.

3. В каком случае предоставляется  страховая гарантия? - Если это  предусмотрено контрактом.

4. Что вы хотите застраховать? - Мы хотим застраховать очередную  поставку "от всех рисков". - Кто будет нести расходы по  страхованию? - Поставщик.

5. У вас есть акт осмотра и  экспертизы? Когда он был выписан?

6. Вам необходимо уплатить налоги  по страхованию.

7. Мы освобождаем себя от обязательств  по договору страхования.

 

WRITING PRACTICE

Complaints and Replies to Compalaints

Complaints may be of several kinds, and may arise from delivery of damaged goods, wrong goods, or too few or too many goods. Even if the right articles are supplied in the right quantities, they may arrive later than expected, which will cause problems to the buyer and, correspondingly, to his customers. Then the quality of goods may be unsatisfactory: they may be not according to the sample or description on the basis of which they were ordered, or they may simply be second-rate products.

If a customer is unsatisfied with the execution of his order, he will complain. While doing so he should refer to the articles in question, by pointing out his own order number or that of his suppliers invoice, or both. He should also specify the nature of his complaints, and declare what action he wants his supplier to take.

Below are the examples of the sentences which may be used in complaints of poor quality goods, wrong goods and goods missing from the delivery:

1. Unfortunately, we discover you have sent us the wrong goods.
2. On comparing the goods received with the sample, we were surprised to discover that the colour is not the same.
3. We cannot possibly supply our customers with the articles you have sent to us because of the poor quality.
4. We cannot accept these goods as they are not the size and shape we ordered.
5. Unfortunately we have not received from you all the goods we ordered. The following are missing.
6. You have short-shipped¹ this consignment by 150 kg.

The replies to complaints must always be courteous; even if the sellers think that the complaint is bottomless they should not say so until they have reliable grounds² on which to repudiate the claim³. If the complaint is justified, the sellers should at once apologize to the buyers and suggest a solution.

When the sellers are the first to discover that a mistake has been made they should not wait for a complaint, but should write, cable or telephone at once to let the buyers know, and either put the matter right⁴or offer some compensation.

If on making a claim the buyers have offered to keep the goods, the sellers will probably agree to this and to a price reduction. Yet, if the value of goods in question is high, it might be advantageous to have them returned, though in this case, the added risk of damage in reverse transport⁵ should be taken into account.

There is no need for the suppliers to go into a long story⁶ of how the mistake was made; a short explanation will be enough.

Further you will find the possible replies to the complaints of poor quality, bad packing and goods short-delivered:

1. We were very sorry to receive your complaint that the textile you received was not of the quality expected.
2. We think the best procedure will be to have the pieces inspected by a specialist and we are arranging for this to be done.
3. We greatly regret that you received only 3 dozen instead of 4 dozen ordered. On investigation we found that the packers misread the number, and we have arranged with them for the immediate dispatch of the missing 1 dozen.
4. There was a slight delay due to the breakdown of machinery, which held up production for 2 days.
5. We are extremely sorry about this delay, which you will understand was due to circumstances beyond our control⁷.
6. The packers do not agree that there is any defect in the material used, and there have been no previous complaints: they insist that the boxes must have been subjected to very bad treatment.

Vocabulary Notes on the Text

¹ to short-ship - недопоставить.

² to have reliable grounds - иметь серьезные основания.

³ to repudiate a claim - оспорить претензию, отказаться признать претензию обоснованной.

⁴ to put the matter right - исправить положение вещей.

⁵ in reverse transport - при обратной транспортировке.

⁶ to go into a long story - долго объяснять.

⁷ to be beyond one’s control - выйти из-под контроля кого-л.

 

Exercises

1. Read and translate the text.

2. Answer the following questions:

1) What may complaints arise from?

2) In what case do we complain of the quality of goods?

3) What should you mention in your complaint if you are unsatisfied with the execution of your order?

4) What formulas would you mention in your complaints? (Name some of the formulas given in the text.)

5) What should the sellers do if they find your complaint bottomless?

6) What should be done if the complaint is justified?

7) How should the sellers act if they were the first to discover a mistake?

8) What might the buyers do on making a claim?

9) What formulas should be used in replies to complaints? (Name some of them.)

3. Give nouns corresponding to the following verbs:

to accept; to agree; to apologize; to arrange; to arrive; to cause; to compare; to compensate; to complain; to damage; to declare; to delay; to deliver; to describe; to discover; to examine; to execute; to expect; to explain; to justify; to order; to refer; to reply; to return; to satisfy; to specify; to suggest; to supply; to think; to threat.

4. Find in the text English equivalents for the following:

иметь прочные основания; предложить компенсацию; отклонить претензию; предложить решение; согласиться на денежную скидку; задерживать производство; быть вне чьего-л. контроля; принимать  во внимание; быть необоснованным; товары, о которых идет речь; точно определить суть жалобы, быть подвергнутым плохому обращению