Keep abreast of transport regulations – insurer

The best advice to the road transport
industry when it comes to insurance
is to keep abreast
of legislation – because a transporter
acting illegally effectively voids his
insurance policy.
Legalities are a concern, says
Associated Marine chief operating
officer Mike Brews.
“If, for example, a transporter is
carrying an overheight container
and collides with a bridge, the claim
would be repudiated.”
And with the many changes to
legislation in the roadfreight
industry, keeping updated is crucial.
There are however often grey
areas, says Brews. If, for example,
a transporter arrives with the
wrong trailer to collect a high cube
container and
there’s a claim related to this
equipment shortfall, the validity of
the insurance policy will depend
on who was negligent – the client
for not advising the transporter
or the transporter for ignoring the
information provided.
But he believes the clearing
and forwarding industry has been
proactive in keeping its clients
informed of the myriad regulations
in place – although it remains
an issue.
Associated Marine’s inland
transport insurance policies are
three-pronged – covering local
goods in transit, the movement of
import and export cargoes on the
inland leg and insurance of the
actual transporter.
Import and export volumes have
been down 20-25%, says Brews,
which means that insurance business
in this sector has shrunk by the same
percentage.
“We have seen casualties on
the haulier side because of tight
margins – but as the economy starts
improving we’ll see new guys
coming into market.”
The company’s standard marine
policy insures cargo for all risks
while its stock throughput policy
is effectively a cradle-to-grave
type option from warehouse to
warehouse including any
storage aspects.