General Average refers to a shared loss resulting from a voluntary sacrifice (e.g., jettisoning cargo) or expense made to protect the vessel and remaining cargo. When declared, all cargo owners contribute proportionally to the cost. These expenses are covered under your Marine Cargo Policy and may require a Letter of Guarantee from your insurer to release the cargo. Without having Cargo Insurance coverage, the cargo owner will need to arrange their own Letter of Guarantee, which can be expensive and may need to be in place for several years for complex losses.