The marine insurance world, as everyone involved in it knows, has been at suicidal levels for some years. Something has to give. 

There is a drive, led by the leading brokers, to try to commoditise marine ­insurance in a similar fashion to more mundane forms of insurance. The aim is to depersonalise the business, reduce service wherever possible and not invest in expertise or training, whether it be with ­regard to broking or claims handling.