Bumper IUMI in prospect

ACCORDING to the organisers an exceptional level of interest is being shown in the 2007 conference of the International Union of Marine Insurance in Copenhagen next month.

As finishing touches are being put to the four-day programme of committee meetings, keynote speeches, presentations, panel discussions and workshops, covering all branches of marine insurance, IUMI has announced record attendance figures. With over two weeks still to go to the start on September 9, the organising committee from the Danish Insurance Association reports that more than 750 people are expected.

The core of this attendance will be 500 marine underwriters from 41 of IUMI’s 52 member national associations. Some major markets such as London and Norway are sending their biggest-ever delegations, about 75 from the former and 38 from the latter. And there will be strong contingents from the US (50), Germany (43) and France (32). Other important groups with 20 underwriters and more will be Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and Italy. IUMI underwriting attendees comprise official delegates (each member is allowed up to four) and accredited underwriters.

Lloyd’s hull underwriter Simon Beale, the London market representative on IUMI’s executive committee, said the likely record attendance indicated that the union is meeting more of the demands set by its membership. He said: “The developing interest in IUMI is extremely welcome. Our business is more international than ever before. In recent years the subscription market has spread internationally, and many of London’s operations are supported by overseas capital with a global network of offices. IUMI is therefore becoming ever more relevant to underwriters’ business.”