History of the Conference

The strategic importance of world trade remains paramount to governments, manufacturers, farmers, miners, traders, ship owners and port operators. At least 90% of world trade is moved across oceans and at some time those goods, vessels and the harbours they use are the subject matter of a Marine Insurance policy, and perhaps even a claim under that policy.

Marine insurance is a global product underwritten across the world and in view of the values involved often many risks are insured on a subscription basis with insurers from many different markets participating. To ensure that the best possible service is provided to the buyers of insurance, it is important that clear communication exists between those subscribing insurers when a claim occurs, facilitating professional handling of marine losses. However until 2004 no forum or platform existed for such a dialogue to take place. For many years Marine Underwriters have had an international organisation (IUMI) to foster relationships between markets, but nothing existed for the claims community. So after consulting many people from around the globe Charlotte Warr and Ann Waite instigated the concept of an International Marine Claims Conference.

The inaugural International Marine Claims Conference, organised by Charlotte Warr, Ann Waite and Philip Cornick, was held in Dublin in 2004. Claims Handlers, Adjusters, Marine Surveyors and Lawyers from many parts of the world got together to learn about the claims philosophies of some of the major and not so major centres for Marine Insurance, with Conference concentrating predominantly on hull and machinery issues and practices. Today, the Conference still concentrates on the current issues associated with hull insurance claims but has expanded to incorporate P&I topics, integral to marine casualties.

The success of the first Conference was a solid foundation on which IMCC has built each year, with attendance now at capacity level and features as a firm date in most claims practitioners’ diaries.

The conference was organised by Gill Langford, Ken Freeman, Simon Langridge and Steven Hill during 2006 and 2007, but since 2008 the conference is back with the original team of Ann Waite and Charlotte Warr.

Since inception, Conference has been held in Dublin. The organisers feel this works extremely well for all delegates as communications and travel to and from all parts of the globe are possible and most delegates are removed from their own working locations. Irish hospitality and the Guinness are just additional factors that continue to make Dublin an attractive location for this event.