Additional Cover
Defence Cover
This additional cover is designed to indemnify an insured in respect of legal costs and expenses in relation to pursuing or defending claims arising from the operation of the insured ship. Our insureds benefit from legal assistance and advice from our team and also from external lawyers and suppliers.
Defence Costs
Legal costs of asserting or defending claims or disputes
The most common cases relate to disputes under the terms of a charterparty or bill of lading, but disputes can also arise in respect of the supply of bunkers, the sale or purchase of the ship or claims under other types of contract. Aurora has an experienced team that advises insureds on the particular claim or dispute and can provide guidance and recommendations as to how best it may be managed going forward.
Up to USD 5 Million
P&I COVER
We can provide a limit of liability up to USD 5 million for Defence cover.
Cover is discretionary and is based on an assessment of the merits of the case.
Risks covered
- Freight, deadfreight, hire and demurrage
- Detention and delay to the insured ship
- Loss and damage to the insured ship
- General average
- Claims or disputes under contracts of carriage
- Disputes relating to the supply of fuel or other materials to the insured ship
- Claims for negligent repairs carried out to the insured ship
- Improper loading or discharging by stevedores
- Amounts due from or to underwriters
- Salvage and towage disputes
- Claims by or against passengers
- Claims by or against members of the crew, stowaways or other persons on board the insured ship
- Claims relating to the sale or purchase of the insured ship
- Claims by or against port authorities, customs authorities or terminal owners
Claims Management
Our claims team has significant experience of handling claims and casualties with a particular focus on small ships. Given the wide variety of tonnage on risk, we have dealt with claims involving fires, wreck removal, groundings, personal injury, pollution, collisions with other ships and also shore properties. Depending on the facts of the case a different approach may be required and we aim to be flexible and proactive in trying to resolve matters early on whilst protecting the interests of the insured and Aurora at all times.
Aurora has a global network of P&I correspondents that can assist in dealing with any claim or casualty. We have access to surveyors and maritime experts and professionals, who can be called upon when required depending on the nature of the matter. For example, it may be necessary to instruct a specialist expert to deal with the alleged contamination of a particular cargo on board the insured ship. With our comprehensive network of experts and suppliers we are able to find someone who is the most suitable for the task at hand. In a casualty situation, time is often of the essence. By having the right people with the necessary skills involved early on, we can proactively manage the case thereby minimising the claims exposure for the insured and underwriters.
