Best 7 Global Marine Insurance Services Provider 2017
and weekly meetings of claims managers across all offices by way of video conferencing supports implementation of the claims approach. Claims and loss prevention staff also conduct workshops of topics of interest chosen by the membership and the member’s experiences and concerns are shared with the Club so that research and expert advice along with recommended practices and methods of approach can be given. The Club’s claims team experts also pinpoint trending problems being faced by the membership and meetings are conducted internally for a common and effective claims handling approach for the benefit not only of individual members, but the membership at large. Offices in six cities enhance the club’s ability to provide regional expertise and ultimately exceptional personalized service, a cornerstone of the American Club’s global strategy and mission. The overall policy on claims management is by geographical location of the incident because the best place to manage an incident is where the ship is. Thus, it is where the ship has encountered its problem that will dictate the lead office on handling regardless of where the owner is based. This allows for the office with the special know how on the jurisdiction where the conflict exists to provide the most competent and effective service which will more likely resolve to the owner’s benefit. It is therefore very critical to ensure the right people are hired for each region. The American Club though its expansion has followed its member base to provide service in all major hipping hubs. This is not only about providing claims service to locally based members but also investing in the local shipping market through its expert talent pool. The American Club has seen that when you show your commitment through investing resources directly in the community, emphasizing first rate personalized service, this ensures member satisfaction which in turn raises the profile and reputation, ultimately attracting further growth. However, effective handling and efficient com-
munication is also greatly enhanced through having offices in all major shipping hubs for member contact regardless of where the claim takes place. When the owner is based in one of the Club’s shipping hub offices this also ensures around the clock assistance and higher quality personalized service. For example, when a ship may be stuck in China and the owner based in the US, the time difference can work in the member’s favor as the NY or Houston office can work in tandem with the Shanghai office for hands on local know how expert defense at the point of conflict during China’s day while face to face meetings can take place with the owners before China opens again in the morning. This maximizes all efforts towards quick resolution and is especially significant when considering that the insured object is a vessel that conducts world-wide trade and can face a problem any moment anywhere on Earth. All the American Club’s services and proactivity in connection with all its products is driven not only by the benefits it brings to the American Club, but it is also by a desire to support society’s common interest in the safety of life at sea and the preservation of the marine environment. All of the services mentioned above are directly relevant to sea transport and the provision of P&I coverage in particular is vital to the conduct of international maritime trade. No ship can safely go to sea without P&I coverage. In addition, the guarantees which clubs are able to provide with regard to liability exposures, for example in the form of certificates of financial responsibility under international conventions for oil pollution etc., are key to protecting victims of maritime accidents throughout the world. As the American Club continues its journey of growth looking beyond its 100th birthday this year it takes pride in receiving prestigious accolades such as the Sea Transport Award for Insurance Services. However, what the American Club truly prides itself on are its people. In a world where insurance capacity is high and covers available easily, it is the
service that differentiates the caliber of cover and product and that can only be done by a company’s people. It is thus the people that make all the difference and it is the people within the Club that have earned the recognitions bestowed upon the Club now. Overall, the years of effort supporting this strategy raised the business profile of the American Club on a global level leading to international expansion and growth in terms of premium and tonnage as well as expanded services and greater financial strength. Having been awarded the Lloyd’s List North American General Services Award in May 2016 and now The Sea Transport Best Global Insurance Services Provider 2017 is simply thrilling for the Club as it celebrates its 100th birthday this year but more importantly it verifies that the strides that have been made by the American Club in its recent history are recognized as achieving excellence in its sector by the maritime industry internationally.
Company: The American P&I Club/ SCB, Inc. Contact: Joseph E.M. Hughes Chairman & CEO, SCB, Inc. Managers of the American Club (joe.hughes@american-club.com) Telephone: +1.212.847.4504 Vincent J. Solarino President & COO, SCB, Inc. Managers of the American Club (vince.solarino@american-club.com) Telephone: +1.212.847.4506 Dorothea Ioannou Global Business Development Director SCB, Inc., Managers of the American Club (dorothea.ioannou@scb-hellas.com) Telephone: +30.210.429.4990 www.transportnews-intl.com