The group's business focuses on P&I and hull covers for shipowners, operators and charterers; marine builders' risks, the oil and gas markets, defence and small craft and offshore windfarm operators..
Shipowners, operators and charterers
Gard provides liability, property, and income insurances to shipowners and operators, including tailor-made covers adapted for individual operators, as well as many non-standard P&I shipping covers.
Liability insurance, known as P&I insurance, protects the shipowner against third-party liabilities and expenses arising from the ownership and operation of ships. The insurance is provided through a mutual structure which means that the buyers of the insurance are effectively the insurer.
One of the particularities of the P&I clubs, is that they participate in a claims sharing and collective reinsurance purchasing arrangement through the International Group of P&I Clubs. The reinsurance programme is the largest in the world. The arrangement, due to its size and structure, enables the clubs to significantly reduce their need for risk capital in a cost-effective way. The aim is for these cost savings to be reflected in the premium levels shipowners pay for their P&I cover over time.
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Property insurance covers the assured against losses that may occur to the vessel and her equipment as a result of an accident, while income insurance protects against losses where the ship is wholly or partially deprived of income as a result of it being out of operation. These insurances are provided by Gard on a commercial basis rather than through the mutual organisation. The earnings from this business are therefore retained for the benefit of the mutual members (the buyers of mutual P&I cover).
Marine builders risk
Gard also provides cover for the shipbuilding industry for the risks involving in building ships (from “keel laying” to delivery) and for projects where a ship is converted from one type of use to another. This includes covers such as towage, delay in delivery and non-delivery. There is also mortgage covers for banks and financial institutions which protect the policyholder against the perils of non-payment of outstanding loans and interests in “sailing” ships, i.e., they are not linked to ships being built.
Oil and gas markets
Gard provides insurance for companies in the upstream oil and gas industry, including large oil producers, as well as contractors operating mobile offshore drilling units, such as offshore accommodation units and FPSOs. The covers range from traditional property and casualty to liability insurances. The company has also entered the renewables market with insurance for offshore wind power projects.
Small craft
Insurance covers for operators and owners of small crafts such as passenger and local ferries, fishing vessels, tugs, dredgers, coastal cargo carriers, pushers, pontoons, barges and more.
Defence
Insurance against legal and other costs incurred in establishing and defending claims from business operations.
Offshore wind
Following the purchase of the marine and energy portfolio of Codan, Gard is today one of the market leaders in offshore wind insurance.
