Marine Insurance Claims Checklist

1. Deal with the incident and use the correct contacts

Prioritize life, safety and the applicable emergency response arrangements. Notify the contacts specified in your policy or claims instructions. A website form does not replace an emergency call, an insurer notification requirement or reporting to the relevant authority.

For an existing MarineEnergyCover application or policy, use the Claims Centre to organize the report. If a document gives a specific insurer or emergency contact, follow that instruction as well.

2. Record the incident consistently

• Policy or certificate number and the insured’s contact details.
• Vessel name, IMO, cargo identification and parties involved.
• Date, time, time zone, position or place, and a factual chronology.
• Injury, pollution, third-party property or cargo involvement.
• Who took each immediate action and which organizations were notified.

3. Preserve supporting evidence

• Original photographs, video, logs and relevant electronic records.
• Survey or inspection reports and communications about arrangements.
• Cargo invoices, packing lists, transport documents and delivery exceptions where relevant.
• Repair estimates, invoices, expenditure records and payment evidence.
• Correspondence with counterparties, carriers, terminals and authorities.

4. Protect recovery and policy requirements

Keep notice requirements and potential recovery claims under review. The Lloyd’s cargo claims manual explains the role of claim evidence, exclusions and recoveries; the applicable policy and transport regime decide the actual obligations. Seek claims guidance before disposing of material evidence or agreeing a settlement that may affect rights.

Reference: Lloyd’s: Cargo Claims and Recoveries Manual. This reference describes its own framework and does not establish MarineEnergyCover’s authority or the terms of an individual placement.

5. Track the open questions

Maintain a record of submitted documents, missing evidence, insurer requests and the person responsible for the next action. Separate known facts from estimates. Update the claim if the cause, loss amount or affected interests change.

There is no universal marine-claim deadline supplied by this checklist. Check policy notification terms, applicable liability rules and legal time limits for the specific incident; the existing time-limits guide explains why those clocks must be considered separately.