The acquisition of technical consultancy Brookes Bell by Thomas Miller, manager of the UK P&I Club, raised eyebrows in the ­insurance industry when it was announced last year.

A major part of Brookes Bell’s business comes from accident ­investigation, expert witness and loss prevention instructions from protection and indemnity clubs. The view from the market was that surely most P&I mutuals would reconsider working with Brookes Bell because of its association with Thomas Miller.