Heather,

Regarding your shipping and insurance questions:   your museum should have
insurance on the exhibit from the time it is packed up and shipped to you
through the time that it is packed-up and shipped by you to the next venue or
back to the owner.
The contract for the loan should be checked by your museum's attorney and
everything spelled out in great clarity.

To be sure about the packing and shipping,  hire a museum shipper.  We use
Fortress FAE.   They are very good and provide a range of services.   The last
international loan I had,  I did the packing but I took the container to the
Fortress office in Atlanta, and for a very nominal fee, I had their
professional, art packer check my work.   My shipment arrived back to it's
owner in Tel Aviv, no problems.

To find a shipper/packer, check with the large art museums in your state or
region.
Find out who they use and whether or not they have been pleased with the
service.
The museum's registrar is a good person to ask.

Good luck!

pamela s.