Marine Insurance Fraud

STEAL, CHEAT, AND LIE YOUR WAY TO THE TOP-a growing practice on both sides of the Atlantic that's costing consumers millions each year. Marine insurance is based on Uberrimae Fidei or utmost good faith but it hasn't worked out that way. Author Ed Geary closely examines the schemes of marine insurance fraud and conspiracy that involves not only boat owners and policy holders, but insurance brokers, and marine underwriters. During his five year USCG training mission of the Venezuelan Coastguard Geary's disclosure of the Central Intelligence Agency's clandestine Operation Deep Six to destabilize the elected government of Venezuela and install Hugo Chavez as president put him in the cross-hairs of the Agency. Silencing him became an even greater priority when Geary exposed the CIA's theft of high value yachts used in idiotic schemes to smuggle narcotics from Colombia to the United States. Gotcha delves into the flawed business practices of The London Salvage Association that ultimately destroyed an organization that's been around before the reign of Queen Victoria and exposes the fraud and "trickle-down-corruption" that has tainted the Lloyd's Agency System. After the melt-down of ENRON and WorldCom the cover-up of Arthur Andersen's fraudulent ship valuation conspiracy by the once reliable Lloyd's List in London challenges the imagination.

This book provides a comprehensive and coherent legal analysis of the impact of fraud on the position of various parties to a marine insurance contract, as well as the cover provided by standard marine policies. The issues under discussion in this invaluable guide are also equally relevant in the context of non-marine insurance contracts. Helpfully divided into two parts; the first part deals with the impact of fraud committed by parties to an insurance contract i.e. the assured, brokers and insurers.The second part analyses the extent to which standard marine policies cover the fraudulent and dishonest activity of third parties to an insurance contract. This book will be of huge practical assistant to practitioners specialising in marine insurance as well as insurance generally, and to professionals, academics and post-graduate students.

Insurance fraud is a growing problem on a global scale. The ABI estimates that fraudulent insurance claims on motor and household policies alone cost insurers in excess of £1 billion every year. This book provides an analysis of the insurance industry’s response to the problem and examines fraud from legal and practical perspectives to determine how to manage and reduce fraud. Key issues covered include: fraud in the insurance and reinsurance context, a look at industry-wide initiatives and individual insurance companies’ approaches to the problem, consideration of recent legal developments and a look at how insurance fraud is tackled in other jurisdictions. Includes a chapter on marine insurance fraud.

The main focus of this book is the impact of maritime fraud on contracts for sale and carriage, documentary credits and marine insurance. It covers all varieties of maritime fraud, from the most serious downwards, describing the methods employed and the risks to traders and carriers. At the serious end of the spectrum, pirates capture an entire ship, often murdering the entire crew, in order to sell the cargo (to which of course they have no title), later to use the “innocent” ship to pose as innocent traders. Less serious (but perhaps of greater interest to lawyers) are misdescriptions of cargo in, or backdating of, bills of lading, and other deceptions, usually practised on purchasers and banks.

"This is a law book about maritime fraud, involving traders in international sales and sea carriage. Maritime fraud directly impinges on contracts for sale and carriage, as well as documentary credits and marine insurance and it is its impact here that is the main focus of the book."