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Press and Publicity

(Insurance Day 27th October 2008)

Thomas Miller launches new claims business

Thomas Miller, which manages leading shipping and transport insurance mutuals, has launched a new claims management service, Thomas Miller Claims Management (TMCM).

From its base in Newcastle upon Tyne, the UK's second maritime centre, TMCM provides cost-effective services which complement Thomas Miller’s other transport insurance services.

Increasing financial costs, a shortage of suitably qualified staff and growing complexity of retained risks are leading transport and other organisations to outsource the management of their claims to TMCM.

Over the years cost cutting has left many companies' insurance departments under resourced, whilst at the same time the claims environment has become more complicated. In particular, deductibles have increased steadily over the years presenting in-house teams with more risk to manage.

TMCM Chief Executive Peter Jackson says: "A number of our clients approached us to take over some or all of their claims functions and from this we have seen an opportunity that we believe will have wide appeal. We have already secured contracts with organisations that have had little or no previous contact with Thomas Miller."

TMCM's team of specialists boast over a century of experience, enabling them to handle a wide range of claims from routine customer complaints to high-value litigation, as well as providing emergency response to problems anywhere in the world. They focus on controlling and reducing client’s costs, while at the same time providing the expert and consultative service for which Thomas Miller is renowned.

"When you look at our range of skills and experience, there isn't much we can't do on claims," says Mr Jackson, "and we intend to extend our activities into the non-marine sector. Many other industries face the same sorts of problems as the shipping industry, such as property damage, medical emergencies, and long-tailed liabilities such as asbestos claims."

Before setting up TMCM, Mr Jackson led the Thomas Miller team responsible for managing the UK P&I Club's crew and passenger shipping claims. The company's co-founder, Patrick Bond, is a solicitor and fellow P&I veteran who worked latterly as a claims consultant to various Clubs, having particular expertise in handling emergencies and claims negotiations in some of the more difficult jurisdictions of the world. Other members of the team have experience of hull and freight, demurrage and defence (FD&D) claims as well as insurance broking, surveying, International Safety Management (ISM) code compliance and insurance management.