The Connected Claims Advantage: Why Inland Marine Success Depends on More Than Just Claims Handling

By: Brian Stout

As inland marine and transportation claims become increasingly complex, successful outcomes depend on more than resolving a loss. From chain-of-custody challenges and multimodal transportation exposures to recovery opportunities and data-driven decision-making, organizations need a connected claims approach that delivers clarity, expertise, and efficiency.

In this article, Brian Stout, Senior Vice President for Inland Marine Claims at W K Webster, a Gallagher Bassett company, shares his insights on the trends shaping today's inland marine landscape and why integrated claims, recovery, and technical expertise are critical to achieving better outcomes.

1. Inland marine risks are becoming increasingly complex as supply chains stretch across multiple transportation modes. What are the most significant claim trends you're seeing today, and how are they changing what carriers and insureds need from a claims partner?

Answer focus: We are seeing many different trends, as, historically speaking, we've moved from asking ourselves, "What damaged the cargo?" to "Where, when, and under whose control did the loss actually occur?" From the origins of multimodal ocean, port to rail, and warehouse to transportation, understanding the supply chain has never been more complex. We're seeing the "chain of custody" being the star of the show, so to speak.

In response to this, W K Webster has implemented a first-in-class triage team that understands the importance of getting ahead of any issues by establishing the chain of custody for our clients. In doing so, we put our clients in a unique position where we paint the entirety of the picture for them, so we make decisions from a "strategic" point of view, rather than guesses based on hypotheticals. With a combination of leveraging historical claim data and a well-trained team of adjusters, our outcomes are successful time and time again.

2. Many organizations still view inland marine claims as individual loss events. How important is it to connect claims handling, technical expertise, recovery, and data analytics into a single solution?

Answer focus: Our team of TPA adjusters is also well versed technically in the mechanics of not just semitrucks and trailers but also contractors' equipment and agricultural equipment. On average, we have 21 years of experience on the TPA side, and for our adjusters handling daily claims, we average 26 years of adjusting experience. What makes us unique is that we do not outsource critical components of a claim; we leverage specialized capabilities across our own network of cargo surveyors, damage appraisers, and physical damage estimators/inland adjusters at W K Webster. Simply put, fewer handoffs mean clearer accountability, faster information sharing, and, at the end of the day, a singular entity moving your claim toward resolution.

3. One of W K Webster's differentiators is the combination of claims management and one of the largest marine and transit recoveries operations in the industry. How does early recovery identification improve outcomes for carriers and corporate clients?

Answer focus: W K Webster takes pride in our ability to be multifaceted! Being able to spot opportunities for recovery from day one is where we shine. In doing so, we can preserve evidence, which protects recovery rights and plays a major role in reducing claim costs. We do not consider subrogation the "end of the claim;" it's something that we begin at first notice of loss!

4. Complex losses often don't fit neatly into a single category. A cargo loss, warehouse incident, port exposure, casualty event, or equipment damage claim can all intersect. How does having specialists across inland marine, cargo, casualty, recoveries, and related disciplines improve claim resolution?

Answer focus: After 165 years in business, our institutional knowledge is second to none. Handling generations of claims through various markets, economic cycles, technologies, and changing risk positions is at the forefront of both marine and inland marine business. The reality is that what we have can't be replicated overnight. Just like a beautifully built ship, our experts are craftsmen of their trade — all in a one-stop shop for your next successful claims outcome.

5. Technology and real-time information are becoming more important across transportation and logistics claims. How are data, reporting, and claims intelligence helping organizations make better risk and claims decisions?

Answer focus: Being the largest ocean cargo claims company in the world, we know how to leverage historical data, and we are utilizing technology to predict future outcomes. What this means for the client is quicker claims processing and more successful recoveries.

6. Looking ahead, what should carriers, brokers, and risk managers be doing now to prepare for the next generation of inland marine and transportation-related claims?

Answer focus: Right now, the biggest change is simply that inland marine claims and transportation claims are becoming less about a single damaged asset and more about managing an interconnected event involving cargo, vehicles/equipment, multiple transportation modes, technology custody changes, vendors, coverage, and recovery.

Tomorrow's inland marine and transportation loss may begin with a truck, move through a warehouse, involve an ocean container, include a cyber component, require multiple technical specialists, and, ultimately, create recovery opportunities against several different parties.

Carriers, brokers, and risk managers should be preparing for that complexity today.

The future of claims handling will require earlier intervention, better data, connected experts, stronger chain-of-custody documents, immediate recovery evaluation, and greater coordination across traditional claims disciplines.

W K Webster is the best organization to handle these claims because the future isn't about responding the fastest; it's about seeing the entirety of the loss sooner.