New tools and technology are emerging that collect and analyze vast amounts of data from every corner of the shipping industry. Yet, despite these advancements, the marine cargo insurance industry may be missing out on a significant opportunity to leverage them in order to improve their pricing decisions and risk management.
Over the past few decades, marine cargo insurers have strived to make cargo insurance programs easier to administer and broader in coverage. To that end, marine cargo insurance policies have shifted from being largely declaration driven, to being more sales or revenues adjusted, where the details of the individual shipment transactions are not captured in the underwriting or policy adjustment process. The marine cargo insurance industry has an opportunity to embrace the availability of more granular shipment data and change how they incorporate data into their policy structures and risk assessment.
Here are three ways the marine cargo insurance industry can augment decision making and, in turn, improve underwriting, portfolio management, and event response by making better use of real-time and readily available supply chain data:
1. Ask for the Data
An issue throughout the industry is that many insurers and brokers are simply not asking their insureds to provide them with more granular data. Through transportation management systems (TMS) and electronic bills of lading (eBOLs) and customs documentation, the logistics industry is collecting and distributing a vast array of information about how goods are moving through the supply chain. This data is often already being enhanced through integrations with Internet of Things (IoT) devices within the cargo or the container that can include cargo values, routes, geopolitical risks, weather patterns, port conditions, among other useful information. However, if the marine cargo insurance industry is not aware that this data is available, or they don’t know how to ask for the data, then clients are not going to provide it.
By not asking for this data from clients, the industry is missing the opportunity to create tailored, dynamic policies that reflect the real-time risks as well as some of the specific needs of the businesses they insure. The traditional approach of setting static coverage based on broad categories of goods and routes can be replaced with detail that was never available in the past. With the right data, policies can be refined to better meet specific insurer appetites, as well as offer more precise pricing, more efficient limits, and broader coverage, better aligned with the actual risks shippers face.
For example, consider how cargo value accumulation and route optimization data could impact pricing decisions. Knowing the exact route goods are taking, particularly through high-risk areas, could allow insurers to provide pricing options that may promote the selection of lower risk routing, and/or allow the shipper options to work with alternative markets, or alternative coverage structures to better manage that specific risk. It also becomes feasible to look at creating new risk mitigation solutions to address traditional insurance limitations, such as coverage for trade disruptions or loss of market due to delay.
2. Standardize the Data
Collecting data is just the first step. To fully leverage the benefits, the marine cargo insurance industry must standardize data so that it can be reviewed consistently across a wide portfolio. In its desire to meet specific client needs, particularly in the way commodities are documented and categorized and coverage is constructed, the marine cargo insurance industry has created highly tailored wordings that address risk differently, but generally lead to a very similar coverage result. This practice also can make it difficult to analyze and compare risks across different shipments, routes, and insureds — even where the exposure and coverage is likely analogous.
By working to standardize the collected data, such as cargo descriptions and shipping routes, the industry can not only achieve better reporting, but can also start to unlock more sophisticated data analysis. Standardized data allows insurers to compare risks across clients, identify patterns, streamline pricing and even start to predict potential risk issues before they arise. It also provides a common language for insurers, shippers, and shipping companies, making it easier to communicate about risks and coverage needs.
For instance, standardizing how cargo is documented based on existing standardized documentation, such as eBOLs and customs documentation, can give insurers a more granular understanding of the goods they are covering. This deeper insight allows for more precise risk assessments and better alignment of coverage with actual needs. In turn, this specialized coverage alignment could lead to more competitive pricing, as insurers would have a clearer picture of where risks lie and could adjust premiums accordingly.
3. Use the Data to Create More Flexible Policies
With data properly collected and standardized, the structure of marine cargo insurance policies can keep pace with the evolution of global supply chains. Traditionally, policies have been designed to simplify coverage for insurers, often at the expense of fully reflecting the complexities of modern shipping. But today’s supply chains are highly integrated and data-rich, offering a wealth of information that could be used to create more dynamic, flexible policies that can be better integrated into the overall process of moving goods, such as freight costs, contracting, and financing.
To take full advantage of the data available, the marine cargo insurance industry needs to rethink both the structure and distribution of marine cargo policies. Rather than relying on rigid, one-size-fits-all coverage that are tailored to the cargo owner, insurers could develop policies that are flexible and responsive to real-time data. For example, policies could automatically adjust based on the entire route a shipment takes or the geopolitical risks present at the time of transit. This structure could not only help ensure that businesses are adequately covered but also allow insurers to price policies more accurately based on the actual risks involved.
Such innovations could also open the door to new types of coverage. For example, with better visibility into shipping routes and cargo values, insurers could offer parametric insurance that triggers payouts based on predefined conditions, such voyages being delayed beyond a specified number of days, or cargo sensors showing an impact or temperature variation beyond a certain threshold.
The Real-World Impact of Data-Driven Claims Handling
The benefits of collecting and standardizing data extend beyond pricing decisions. They also have a significant impact on how claims are handled.
In a traditional claim scenario, insurers often rely on the shipper’s account of what happened and lengthy investigations to determine the validity of the claim. With access to accurate, real-time data, insurers can validate claims expeditiously, based on records coming from IoT devices and telematics that are monitoring the condition and handling of the cargo, reducing the time and cost involved in processing claims.
Further, with access to real-time data, insurers can monitor shipments as they move through the supply chain and identify potential issues before they result in claims. For example, if a shipment deviates from its planned route or encounters severe weather, insurers could proactively engage with the shipper to assess the situation and manage the risk before it escalates.
Predictive data can also help reduce the frequency of claims by allowing insurers to identify and address risks early. If data shows that a particular route is prone to delays or losses, insurers can work with shippers to adjust their routes or take other precautions to mitigate the risk.
It’s Time to Modernize the Marine Cargo Insurance Industry
The marine cargo industry is sitting on a treasure trove of data, but we are not using it to its full potential. By actively collecting and standardizing this data, we can revolutionize the way marine cargo insurance is priced, structured, and managed.