Why More Marine Claims Start on Land Than at Sea When people think about marine insurance, they naturally picture ships, ports and cargo moving across oceans. It is understandable. After all, the marine industry is built around the movement of goods from one location to another. What often surprises people, however, is that a significant number of marine claims don't actually occur at sea. Many losses happen before cargo reaches a vessel or after it has been unloaded. Warehouses, distribution centres, loading docks, transport depots and even customer premises can all present exposures that are just as important as the voyage itself. For brokers, understanding where losses actually occur can help uncover uninsured exposures and ensure clients have the right cover in place.

Trailer fires are appearing more frequently in carriers loss histories. And the cause isn’t what most people assume. It’s not cargo type, it’s not hot works, it’s not a one-off. It’s trailers - how they’re maintained, and how they’re being operated. And it’s the load that pays the price.