Legal and Insurance claims roles work together to resolve insurance claims, particularly in more complex cases or disputes. Each plays a distinct but complementary role in the claims process.
A Shipping or Maritime Lawyer can mean any one of many things. Dry Shipping lawyers deal with contractual and commercial matters, whilst wet shipping lawyers handle matters relating to collisions, sinkings, groundings, salvage and pollution.
Dry Shipping Lawyers are either contentious (litigators) or non-contentious. Dry shipping litigators deal with contract disputes such as charter parties, bills of lading, cargo claims, ship arrests and construction disputes. Non-contentious lawyers focus on the drafting and wording of various documents or policies, as well as transactions (Sale & Purchase for example).
Wet Shipping Lawyers, also known as Admiralty Lawyers, deal with collisions, sinkings, groundings, salvage, and pollution and tend to have seafaring backgrounds.
There are also Ship Finance Lawyers who represent banking and shipping clients in relation to traditional ship finance transactions and more complicated leasing and taxation structures.
Insurance claims roles are found in P&I clubs. P&I insurance is a marine liability insurance for Shipowners and Charterers. Examples of insurance claims include damage to cargo, repatriation of stowaways, pollution liability, customs fines, personal injuries sustained by crew or passengers, damage to docks, and collision liability.
P&I Clubs will also offer defence or FD&D (Freight, Demurrage and Defence) cover which is insurance for the cost of legal disputes which are otherwise uninsured.
P&I clubs are not-for-profit mutual insurance organisations, meaning they are owned by their insured ‘members’ who effectively insure each other as a group. 90% of the world’s shipping is insured by one of the twelve P&I Clubs who belong to the International Group of P&I Clubs (IG). The remainder is either uninsured or obtains insurance coverage for its marine liabilities from other ‘fixed premium’ insurance providers.
At Spinnaker we are here to help with your next Legal or Insurance Claims job role.
In England at least, the umbrella term is ‘Lawyer’. Within that we have Solicitors and Barristers. In the most simple of terms Solicitors deal with, and represent the clients. Barristers are appointed via a solicitor to represent those clients in court.
Solicitors (and in the US, ‘Attorneys’) work in law firms, which are partnerships as opposed to limited companies. They are said to be in private practice. Barristers work in chambers, and they are self-employed.
P&I Clubs employ larger numbers of qualified Solicitors to work as claims handlers. This role primarily defends the claims of the owners by providing sensitive, responsive, imaginative and cost-effective responses and support to claims issues.
In a P&I (Protection and Indemnity) club, a Loss Prevention Manager will focus on minimising claims and reducing risks for members. They analyse accident data, identify potential hazards, and develop strategies to improve safety and operational practices. Responsibilities include conducting safety audits, providing training and guidance to ship operators, and implementing best practices to prevent incidents. Their goal is to enhance maritime safety and reduce the frequency and severity of insurance claims.
Associate, Assistant Solicitor, Attorney, Barrister, Case Handler, Claims Assistant, Claims Director, Claims Executive, Claims Handler, Claims Manager, Claims Officer, Dry Shipping Lawyer, FD&D Lawyer, General Counsel, Head of Claims, In-house Counsel, In-house Lawyer, Lawyer, Legal Counsel, Legal Director, Loss Prevention, Loss Prevention Manager, Maritime Lawyer, Marine Disputes, P&I Claims Director, P&I Claims Handler, Partner, Paralegal, Senior Associate, Shipping Associate, Shipping Solicitor, Solicitor, Survey Executive, Underwriter, Wet Shipping Lawyer.
Broadly law firms, P&I clubs, shipowners, chartering/trading groups, oil companies, banks, insurance companies, claims consultancies, recovery agents.
For insurance positions, the main hub for P&I clubs is London although other clubs, or club offices, can be found in Newcastle (United Kingdom), Hong Kong, Singapore, Piraeus (Greece), Oslo (Norway), Arendal (Norway), Gothenburg (Sweden), Miami & New York (USA) and Sydney (Australia).
To find out more about Legal & Insurance Claims jobs, please get in touch with the team who specialise in these vacancies.
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Megan provided a clear and precise overview of the job description, thoroughly explaining the company’s requirements and expectations. She took the time to understand the candidates’ needs and preferences, ensuring that all aspects were covered. Additionally, she outlined the next steps in the process, making it easy for everyone involved to know what to expect moving forward. Her attention to detail and commitment to effective communication greatly enhanced the overall experience.
Megan was a pleasure to work with. She was prompt and responsive, providing regular updates. Her communication was genuinely empathetic and sincere. The highlight of the experience was her honesty and transparency; even while on holiday, she maintained her regular check-ins. She is a true professional, dedicated to delivering high-quality results.