The important usefulness of a crossing cheque is that it cannot be encased at the counter but can be collected only by a bank from the drawee bank. Crossing provides a protection and safeguard to the owner of the cheque as by securing payment through a banker it can be easily detected to whose use the money is received. Where the cheque is crossed generally, the paying banker shall not pay it except to a banker.
In case of not negotiable crossing the person holding such a cheque gets no better title than that of his transfer and cannot convey a better title to his own transferee. In case of ‘account payee’ only crossing, a direction is given to the collecting banker to collect cheque and to place the amount to the credit of the payee only. A special crossing makes the cheque more safe than a general crossing because the payee or holder cannot receive payment except through the banker named on the cheque.