GTS ASSISTS WITH THE HEAVY LIFTING€¦ · businesses across all of our property and casualty business units. The response to the new focus on GTS has been universally welcomed, and

Volume 6, Issue 1, August 2015 A publication of Crawford & Company’s Global Technical Services®

GTS® ASSISTS WITHTHE HEAVY LIFTING

(pg. 3)

InsIde thIs Issue

GTS® Assists with the Heavy Lifting ........................3

Crawford & Company’s GTS® Engineering Experts Help Recover One of the World’s Largest Mobile Cranes ..........................................4

Five Questions with Tom Carstens ...........................5

Environmental Adjusting: What lies beneath… .........6

New & Noteworthy ..............................................8

Articles can be found online at www.crawfordgts.com/TechTalk

Although care has been taken in the preparation of this newsletter, it should be used for general guidance only. Crawford & Company is not offering legal advice and does not accept responsibility for any factual errors or for any loss, direct or indirect, that reliance on the information in this newsletter might cause.

Comments or suggestions for Tech Talk? E-mail: [email protected]

Editor: John L’Abate, Public Relations ManagerDesigner: Helena C. Bretherton Hay, Graphic Design Specialist

GTS Tech Talk is published by Crawford & Company. © 2015

Crawford & Company 1001 Summit Blvd Atlanta, GA 30319

2 Tech Talk

Welcome to the summer 2015 issue of Tech Talk.

This is the first issue since the GTS® Renaissance project was initiated to support our stated strategy to continue to expand GTS across the globe.

Together with the new leadership team I have undertaken a detailed review of our GTS operations, and plans are now being implemented to grow our major, complex and specialty businesses across all of our property and casualty business units.

The response to the new focus on GTS has been universally welcomed, and I look forward to the challenge of obtaining new business, increasing the breadth of our services and the recruitment of specialist and professional staff.

There are a couple of points about this issue of Tech Talk that I’d like to highlight.

First, the theme for this issue could be considered Heavy Lifting. Whether GTS is assisting with the recovery of one of the world’s largest mobile cranes, or overseeing a very large marine vessel that is transporting another large marine vessel, our feature stories this issue both deal with the careful, strategic movement of large, extremely valuable pieces of complex equipment.

Also in this issue we profile my colleague Tom Carstens, one of several senior executives who have chosen to return to GTS after career detours with other firms. After almost 35 years with Crawford & Company®—and GTS—Tom has some compelling opinions on our industry and the role of adjusters, and I think you’ll find his insights engaging and thoughtful.

Tom’s return to GTS reinforces a trend you’ll see dominating our New & Noteworthy section. In the last six months across the Americas, we’ve added more than a dozen new professionals, ranging from senior vice presidents to international executive adjusters and regional general adjusters. We expect to continue adding to our ranks with more skilled and experienced adjusters this year.

This growth in technical professionals reflects our progress on the global GTS expansion. We are focusing on increasing technical expertise in key industries and product lines such as Marine, Aviation, Energy, and Forensic Accountancy and by delivering superior service to maintain and grow the trust of our clients. We have a keen eye on emerging products and services as evidenced by our recent launch of a unique solution to the reality of cyber and cyber-related losses.

While we grow in new areas we are not losing sight of our core GTS products, which as I mentioned are being bolstered by our constant focus on attracting top talent and providing our people with training and mentoring opportunities.

If you would like to know about our new people and enhanced capabilities—or anything else GTS related—then please contact me at [email protected].

Mike Reeves is executive vice president and head of Global Technical Services for Crawford & Company. He is responsible for the group’s strategic planning and market management of its complex, specialty and major loss businesses. n

About CrAwford & CompAny®Based in Atlanta, Ga., Crawford & Company® (www.crawfordandcompany.com) is the world’s largest independent provider of claims management solutions to the risk management and insurance industry as well as self-insured entities, with an expansive global network serving clients in more than 70 countries. The Crawford SolutionTM offers comprehensive, integrated claims services, business process outsourcing and consulting services for major product lines including property and casualty claims management, workers compensation claims and medical management, and legal settlement administration. The Company’s shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbols CRD-A and CRD-B.

3Volume 6, Issue 1

A heavy lift vessel (“HLV”) is a specialized ship designed to move very large loads that cannot be handled by normal cargo ships. There are two types of HLVs: semi-submerging vessels capable of lifting another ship out of the water and transporting it, and vessels that supplement unloading facilities at ports that lack full lifting capabilities.

Heavy lift vessels have been in operation for several decades, and in recent years the submersible ships have created a niche market for the dry carriage of large marine vessels or production platforms such as for oil or gas. Crawford GTS® has been assisting maritime clients with custom lift and transportation needs for years, assuring that their cargo arrives intact and on time anywhere in the world.

The precise lifting, stowage and transport of hundreds of tons of expensive vessels across what may be thousands of miles of ocean may appear to be daunting, yet this type of operation has become relatively standardized, requiring the fundamentals of experienced technical knowledge, detailed planning and the appropriate equipment. When planning lifting and transportation, a thorough understanding of vessel stability—particularly the effect of water plane area and loss of GM due to free surface effect—is a pre-requisite. GM is the metacentric height of a water-borne vessel. The metacentric height is a measurement of the initial static stability of a floating body. For a vessel to be stable in the water the numerical value of GM must be positive.

One key to a successful lift and transport is to employ well-qualified marine personnel, but most importantly the crew must also understand the attitude and behavior of “take your time and do not hurry.” Another significant aspect of a heavy lift is the inspection, or Marine Warranty Survey. The scope of the inspection is wide ranging, but broadly covers the following areas:

� Statutory and equipment certification

� Construction Type � Hull Form � Compartmentation � Navigational Equipment � Communication Equipment � Propulsion Machinery � Propellers � Bow Thrusters � Steering System

� Generators � Services System � Ballasting and De-ballasting System

� Main Deck Fittings � Tank Capacities & Fuel Consumption

� Departure Draft � Cribbing and Sea Fastening condition

| ContInued on pAge 11

gts® Assists with the heavy LiftingBy Captain Terence Robinson, MM MSA CIP

Above images: This cargo comprised of dredger, a multicat, a tug and a support boat. A multicat is a multi-purpose work vessel which is built with a rectangular deck supported by twin pontoons; it may be best described as a catamaran-designed hull; its shallow draught is suitable for marine construction and harbor work.

This is the conical drilling rig on deck of a HLV after the rig grounded offshore in Alaska.

Offloading of dredger #1 of 4 units. Stern of the lifting vehicle showing the crane

4 Tech Talk

cranes (including three 500-ton machines) and 40 men performing an “aerial ballet” of slowly lifting and rotating the machine in a single simultaneous movement choreographed by Crowland Cranes, closely following the plan composed by Liebherr.

The machine was landed safely at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 2, to a fanfare of cheers from the dedicated recovery team, the watching public and news media. Throughout the entire operation not a pane of glass or a light lens was broken on the crane.

Chaz Winterton, senior regional engineer, Crawford Global Technical Services®, said “The fi ve days spent on the recovery of the crane have been some of the longest and nerve wracking in my life but the end result was spectacular. Dangling £3 million worth of machine on three pieces of string whilst spinning it on the spot is not for the fainthearted. The fi nest accolade was paid by the third-party team who commented ‘well that looked easy’, a testament to precise planning and perfect execution by a team of dedicated professionals.”

The crane is now back in Biggleswade UK having had the running repairs completed, and a full assessment of damage was then undertaken. The most obvious damage was to the boom, which had to be cut off. However, because of the care taken during the recovery period, only the already damaged section of the boom was be scrapped. The remainder the crane components were planned to be re-installed. n

Crawford & Company’s gts® engineering experts help recover one of the world’s Largest mobile Cranes

In May of 2014, a 500-ton crane overturned in Peterhead, Scotland and Crawford GTS®’s engineering experts were at the heart of the recovery program.

The crane was an eight-axle Liebherr, model LTM 1500-8.1 equipped with a seven-section, 84-meter telescopic boom. Based in Germany, the family-owned, private Liebherr company is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of construction machines, including cranes.

The crane—which is owned and operated by Whyte Crane Hire—tipped over backwards when the ground under one of its supporting outriggers gave way. It was working at Aquatic Engineering and Construction’s base on the Dales Industrial Estate in Peterhead, Scotland. The crane remained in its overturned position while the best experts at Crawford, Aviva and Crowland Cranes put together the single most complicated crane recovery the United Kingdom has ever seen.

Five months and many hundreds of hours consisting of planning, computer modelling and the creation of some specially fabricated lifting collars resulted in the successful recovery of the Liebherr LTM 1500-8.1. The recovery focused on minimizing the damage to the crane as well as maximizing safety for the recovery crew, support staff and bystanders.

Dry ground conditions, careful environmental control and thorough site security all played a part in supporting the recovery effort. The actual lifting of the crane, which was carried out in stages over fi ve days, involved fi ve

5Volume 6, Issue 1

Editor’s note: This is the first in an ongoing series of profiles that introduce senior leaders in GTS®.

Earlier this year, Tom Carstens rejoined Crawford Global Technical Services® (GTS®) as a senior vice president. Tom was one of the original team that developed the GTS business unit and strategy within Crawford, and he brought back to GTS several decades of deep experience in the market—including 34 years with Crawford. He is based in the world headquarters located in Atlanta.

He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance, Insurance and Risk Management form the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and holds the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters designation. Below Tom discusses a variety of topics ranging from the changing industry to key elements of good client service.

how has the market changed since you began your career?

Consolidation in the insurance industry through mergers and acquisitions, centralization of operations, and standard competition have impacted various industry participants— insurance carriers, independent adjusting firms, experts, and other vendors. Local relationships with claims offices, agents, and contractors have transitioned to national and centralized claims offices along with online purchasing of policies, and the creation and expansion insurance restoration networks.

Technology has gone through the evolution from postage mail > fax machines > email, and it has increased expectations of service delivery timeframes and “tightened” time in process standards. We have moved from carbon paper to personal computers, then from laptops to tablets, and from cellular phones to smart phones. Overall we have improved the ability to respond and deliver instant information, advanced the communication process with the insurer and insured, and now we can provide end-of-day settlement of claims.

five Questions with tom CarstensAn adjuster’s life has changed over the past three decades. The advancements in technology call for precise measurements in the adjustment process, including detailed loss valuation criteria, and the expectation of improved overall performance. Efficiencies and performance in the claims industry has become highly measurable and transparent. Measurements regarding loss adjustment accuracy and time in process are critical components of the 21st century adjuster role.

While these changes create challenges, industry leaders will evolve to meet them, and success will be achieved by those who address the changes as opportunities.

what will you be focusing on now that you are back with Crawford?

I am focusing on Global Technical Services, as well as commercial property claims services in general, ensuring that processes are followed, technical quality is maintained, and our culture is reinforced. Our formula for a successful business is comprised of fundamental elements. Crawford & Company continues to concentrate on quality products and services, client satisfaction, and investments in personnel development. GTS’s foundation is based on listening to our customer’s needs, working together to exceed standards, and leading the way to best practices. Our culture surrounds the personnel of the company, supporting teamwork throughout the adjustment practice, and “just getting it right” for our clients.

what are the essentials of good client service in adjusting?

A client recently commented on what they are looking for in their service to their customer. The client states they sell a policy with contractual language between the insurance company and the insured. “The loss adjustment needs to deliver the promises provided in the policy.” While this may be an oversimplified analysis, it certainly strikes the core of the transaction. The adjuster must recognize the insurance company and insured relationship, and provide a service and work product ensuring compliance with policy language, service standards, and professional conduct.

Technical expertise relating to the loss exposure is certainly essential to the adjustment and service. Dedication and designations to industry sectors is a best | ContInued on pAge 11

6 Tech Talk

Loss adjusters, almost by defi nition, handle crisis situations, and the arena of environmental insurance claims can present some of the most challenging and dynamic of scenarios, where environmental damage and associated fi nancial liabilities can be growing rapidly during the fi rst few days or even hours of an incident.

It should be recognized that environmental claims do not comprise solely losses under Environmental Impairment Liability (EIL) or similar specialist wordings, but can be a signifi cant aspect of a wide range of insured events. These events can range from fl oods carrying pollutants, a major fi re with implications in relation to hazardous waste disposal, spread of noxious smoke or asbestos-containing materials and containment, handling and appropriate disposal of extinguishing mediums, through to commercial or domestic oil spills.

An insurance claim can therefore have an environmental aspect where the incident results in pollution or contamination to buildings or other structures, threats to human health, land, the atmosphere, or any watercourse or body of water. Insured costs can attach to fi rst party Material Damage wordings or to Liability or specialist covers, and, although dependent on jurisdiction, there are a number of potential insurance cover shortfalls.

But fi rst— before detailing all aspects of in force or absent coverage— what are the immediate challenges when adjusters are instructed on a claim with environmental pollution implications?

In a typical scenario, adjusters may receive an instruction from the All Risks, Material Damage and Public Liability (PL) insurers of a commercial operator, which has been approached by the environmental regulator in relation

to the appearance of pollution in a watercourse at the rear of the business premises. The business may have a bulk diesel store for use to fuel its distribution vehicles, and checks undertaken after the business is alerted of the problem may have determined that there is a large quantity of fuel unaccounted for. The implications would appear to be that there has been a leak from the fuel installation and that the escaping oil is spreading underground to enter the nearby watercourse. There may be fi shing rights on the watercourse further downstream, and if oil were to reach the fi shery area, a substantial fi sh-kill could be anticipated.

It might also be that groundwater beneath the site lies within a geological body, known as an aquifer, which potentially over a large geographical area can hold water that may be extracted as a public drinking-water resource, although it is more typical that the business might be completely unaware of these environmental risk issues. This “unseen” aquifer can give rise to massive fi nancial liabilities if public drinking water is contaminated.

Adjusters receiving an instruction for a claim in the scenario described would hopefully recognize that there is potential for the ultimate fi nancial liability to be rapidly escalating. At the same time, the adjuster needs to recognize potential policy limitations including:

� Cover for fi rst party damage, or liabilities arising from pollution or contamination may well be restricted by exclusions to incidents of a “sudden, identifi able,etc.” nature.

� Even fi rst party All Risks wordings may exclude cover from pollution-type events, unless caused by a defi ned peril— e.g., fi re or escape of oil from a heating installation.

environmental Adjusting:What lies beneath…

By David Waller, LLB (Hons) ACII ACILA

7Volume 6, Issue 1

� Contamination of land would not generally satisfy the criteria that insured damage is occasioned to insured property, such as Buildings as defined.

� Public Liability covers may not engage in respect of clean-up on own land, even if its purpose is to prevent off-site damage, on the basis that the policyholder has a contractual duty to mitigate and there is, as yet, no third-party damage.

� In the UK— and potentially in other jurisdictions— environmental liabilities imposed by a regulator are not, on a strict interpretation of current law (the so-called Bartoline rule) regarded as a “Legal liability for damages” as covered under a standard PL wording— rather they are a statutory debt. The business has a legal liability but it would not be covered under the standard PL wording— they would need a Bartoline extension, or specialist EIL-type cover.

The prudent adjuster would therefore explain to the policyholder at the outset that it was not possible until investigations were complete to confirm the position on insurance cover, while urging the operator to take mitigation steps. The practical challenges to be considered include:

� Immediate emergency response can usually hugely mitigate project cost— absorbent booms installed correctly in the stream would contain the contamination and protect the fishery— but it is important to close the emergency phase as soon as possible, as premium costs attach to these works.

� Understanding the risks posed— are there environmentally-sensitive receptors like the fishery, groundwater extracted as a public drinking resource or the like? Rapidly knowing and understanding these issues will enable proper decision making in the scope of the emergency response.

� Assess the legal liability position— will the operator be liable in civil law for damage to adjacent properties or in environmental law, damage to the ecosystem?

� Recoveries/contribution— spills are often caused by third parties such as fuel delivery companies or maintenance engineers— so adjusters must ensure appropriate evidence is secured.

� Consider insurance cover issues— are there potential shortfalls in cover? Was the causative incident “sudden, identifiable”? Are there any other insurance covers— e.g., separate EIL policies, in place?

� Consider engaging with other stakeholders and in particular, the authorities/regulator.

� Consider scope, strategy and cost of works post-emergency phase— substantial savings can be made by negotiating pragmatic, achievable clean-up targets and avoiding over-cautious scopes of work, which can be proposed by independent contractors/consultants.

envIronmentAL ImpAIrment LIAbILIty CAse study

Crawford’s environmental team was instructed by specialist Insurers under an EIL wording. The policyholder had acquired a large commercial site at favorable terms, knowing that there was significant oil contamination present and they were funding the ongoing cost of remediation of the known contamination. Policy cover would engage only in the event of a “new Pollution Condition” arising.

It was suggested that such a new pollution condition had been discovered in the form of chemical solvents— TCE and DCE. Trichloroethene (TCE) is an industrial chemical often used as a metal cleaner and degreaser, while dichloroethene (DCE) and vinyl chloride are chemicals that can be formed from the breakdown of TCE in the environment. DCE and vinyl chloride are also chemicals that each have industrial uses. When examining the situation it had to be considered whether DCE and vinyl chloride had been introduced | ContInued on pAge 14

8 Tech Talk

In remembrance: Laurie bevan, Chairman of Crawford & Company Australia

Laurie Bevan, chairman of Crawford & Company Australia, passed away on July 6 in Melbourne, Australia, after a brief illness.

Laurie was Crawford’s fi rst managing director for the country

beginning in 2002, after loss adjuster Robertson & Company merged with Crawford. He was considered one of Australia’s premier adjusters over a career of almost 50 years, and specialized in mining and energy claims. During his time with Crawford he personally handled some of the Company’s largest claims.

Refl ecting on Laurie’s passing, Crawford & Company President and CEO Jeffrey T. Bowman noted that: “From a business viewpoint we have lost a highly regarded leader in our industry. He was one of our very best Global Technical Services claim adjusters and his vast technical knowledge and his famous humor will be greatly missed by us all.”

Ken forsyth named managing director, Aviation - the Americas

Ken Forsyth has joined Crawford Global Technical Services® (GTS®) as managing director Aviation - the Americas. Ken brings with him more than 37 yea rs of aviation claims experience, and

is based in the GTS Miami Aviation offi ce.

where he specialized in insurance policies of Industrial All Risk, Machinery Breakdown, Fire-catastrophic events and Business Interruption. Prior to that he had been a loss adjuster for engineering claims and losses with Crawford.

gts® strengthens u.s. Adjusting team with five experienced Adjusters

The GTS® unit has added fi ve new experienced adjusters across the U.S. as part of its growth strategy. The fi ve adjusters are based in the New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver and Provo areas.

“The addition of these fi ve new adjusters to our high-performing GTS team refl ects our commitment to bringing in top, experienced talent across the country,” said Rich Lafayette, senior vice president and chief technical offi cer, GTS. “These are all veteran professionals with excellent technical skills who are dedicated to quality client service and to helping GTS remain an industry leader.”

The new GTS team members include:

Michael Wysoczan is a regional general adjuster based in the Chicago offi ce. He has 17 years of claims adjusting and related insurance industry experience, including previously serving with Crawford for nine years. He holds an Illinois license as a Property and Casualty Producer and is National Flood Insurance Program certifi ed for Homeowners/Mobile Homes/Small Commercial.

Also serving the greater Chicago area is Regional General Adjuster Steve Boss. Before joining GTS he held claims management positions with RGA Claims Management,

“GTS is fortunate to have Ken on board as head of our Aviation claims group in the Americas. There are few professionals in the industry who can match his depth and breadth of experience,” said John Sharoun, Global Technical Services CEO - the Americas. “As we focus on growing our Aviation capabilities in this region—and globally—he will be a major contributor to our efforts.”

Prior to joining GTS, Forsyth was a regional director of McLarens Aviation. Earlier he had served for more than 16 years as president of Airclaims, Inc., and before that position was director of the Claims - Specialties Group at Lambert Fenchurch Insurance Brokers, Ltd., in London for over 19 years.

Forsyth will work alongside another Aviation expert, Nic Stratta. Stratta joined Crawford as a result of the recent acquisition of GAB Robins, and brings many years of industry experience, leadership and innovative solutions to the Company’s Aviation clients. He serves as chief operating offi cer of Dallas, Texas-based Aviation Light Services Corporation, (ALSC), a Crawford company.

Alejandro glaentzlin rejoins gts® as International executive general Adjuster

Alejandro Glaentzlin has re-joined Crawford Global Technical Services® as an international executive general adjuster. He is based in the Company’s Mexico City offi ce.

Glaentzlin has 20 years’ experience as an engineer and as a claims adjuster working in Venezuela and Argentina. Prior to joining GTS, Glaentzlin was a loss adjuster with Associated Loss Adjusters C.A., for seven years in Caracas,

9Volume 6, Issue 1

McLarens Global Claims Service, and SYNERGENIC GROUP, LLC.

Seth McClure is a regional general adjuster located in the Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo area of Utah. He joins Crawford GTS after working 15 years as a large loss claims specialist for Nationwide Insurance handling large and complex commercial, farm, and residential property claims. McClure also served periodically as a regional training consultant at Nationwide Insurance assisting with the education, instruction, and use of claims systems technology, including Xactimate®, property valuation software, and various claims management programs.

Woodie Woodward has joined GTS as a national general adjuster with more than 25 years of experience. While based in the Denver area, his area of responsibility is the entire United States. Woodward formerly served as an adjuster with vrs>>VeriClaim, Inc. His expertise includes large loss heavy equipment and oil production claims; he is also a marine cargo surveyor and is experienced in claims involving a wide range of equipment on and offshore.

Based in the Los Angeles area, Cory Robbins is a GTS senior property general adjuster. Earlier in his career he worked with Envirocheck, Inc., White Van Restoration

and Rightstop Restoration. He is certified in water damage restoration and in odor control by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration.

Canadian gts® team Adds Industry-recognized marine professionals

Mark Thompson, Joseph Trudeau, and Jason Trudeau have joined the Company’s GTS® team in Canada. The appointment of these well-established, industry-recognized professionals enhances the Company’s marine services capabilities within the domestic and Lloyd’s markets. Reporting to Paul Hancock, vice president, GTS Canada, Thompson and the Trudeaus account for the most recent additions to Crawford Canada’s existing high-performing GTS team.

Crawford’s Global Technical Services division has made considerable strides in expanding its service offerings and scope within the Canadian

and international markets. As an organization it continues to strengthen its position in the specialty and complex loss markets through effective talent management and the development of market-leading, solution-based service offerings.

The new team members are:

Mark Thompson, B.A. (Hons), Dip MAR Surv - Senior Marine Surveyor. Thompson has been a loss adjuster since 1992 specializing in marine losses. Prior to that, he served 20 years at sea, raising in the ranks to the position of warship command in the Royal Navy. As a result of his extensive professional career, Thompson is well versed in handling matters associated with marine accident reconstruction and the application of collision regulations, as well as possessing considerable insight into marine systems. Complementary to his professional career, Thompson holds a diploma in Marine Surveying from Lloyd’s Maritime Academy and is recognized as a Lloyd’s Claims and Recoveries Agent.

Joseph Trudeau - Senior Marine Surveyor. Having commenced his career in the marine vessel repair and construction field, Joseph Trudeau moved on to apply his knowledge to the loss adjusting realm as a marine surveyor conducting valuation surveys, damage appraisals and investigations. From 1986 onward, Trudeau worked as a marine surveyor for a large, national independent adjusting firm.

Jason Trudeau – Marine Surveyor. Jason Trudeau has worked within the boating and marine industry since 1993, and for the last 20 years has been a marine surveyor and appraiser. As an expert in this field, he specializes in condition and valuation surveys, damage appraisals (both mechanical and structural), as well as wreck removal.

Improving environmental Credentials in Canada

Recently, Derek Smith, an environmental consultant in Crawford & Company (Canada) Inc.’s Toronto-area GTS® unit, earned his Environmental Professional (EP) designation, which is accredited through ECO Canada. ECO Canada trains and

certifies Canada’s environmental professionals. It maintains Canada’s premier online job board and training academy for environmental careers and sets the standards for certified Environmental Professionals (EPs).

To become an EP recipient, Derek successfully demonstrated his knowledge of the National Occupational Standards in the realm of environmental protection, resource management, environmental sustainability, environmental management, environmental auditing and greenhouse gas reporting.

As a professional at Crawford, Derek’s successful attainment of the EP designation complements his background and previous expertise in site assessment, reclamation, water quality, residential fuel spills, transportation losses and property assessments. His experience includes a thorough understanding of environmental regulations and working with various consultants and contractors in the field.

Crawford & Company® named to 2015 InformationWeek elite 100

Crawford & Company® has appeared on the 2015 InformationWeek Elite 100—a list of the top business technology innovators in the U.S—for the second consecutive year. Crawford received the award for creating business value from technology, and this year’s win highlighted Crawford iQ™, the Company’s proprietary desktop and mobile software, for the improved quality and process efficiencies it is driving in the organization. With this Elite 100 win, Crawford has garnered 12 national innovation awards for its technology over the past seven years. The list of 2015 InformationWeek Elite 100 winners may be found on http://www.informationweek.com/elite100.

Crawford & Company® 2014 Annual report now Available

Crawford & Company®’s 2014 annual report is available at its site https://www.crawfordandcompany.com/about-us/investor-relations/annual-reports.aspx. n

10 Tech Talk

Crawford GTS® has redesigned its website (http://www.crawfordgts.com/), enhancing its accessibility and usability on mobile devices. Now you can access the completely revised GTS website from all common browsers and on most modern mobile devices including iPads® and iPhones®. The Crawford GTS mobile website won a 2013 MobileWebAward from the Web Marketing Association.

The enhanced user experience provides more visuals, easier navigation, and robust search and mapping tools. Through the use of responsive design, this site automatically optimizes the layout and design to fit any screen from desktop to tablet to mobile phone. This new mobile-friendly website replaces the previous GTS mobile application, providing greater functionally without the need to download an application. The new mobile website provides all the same great search functions of the previous mobile application, plus it is:

� Instantly available from your browser— no download required

� Compatible on most mobile devices

� Can be upgraded instantly � Is easier to find and share with other users

the Crawford gts website offers enhanced usability and Access for office and mobile users

Find a technical adjuster for any region of the world

See what’s news with GTS® and its professionals

Research our regional capabilities

Review Tech Talk, our magazine on global technical adjusting

Learn about specialized GTS industry services

11Volume 6, Issue 1

Loading via the stern.

heavy LiftingContInued from pAge 3

This cutter dredger was loaded onto the HLV Wish Way in January 2015. This lift was particularly sensitive in that the vessel was loaded from the stern through the two stability columns with only two feet clearance each side. Weather conditions need to be close to ideal to begin and complete safe operations.

practice to place the right talent and skillsets to the loss assignment. Oversight by leading sector specialists, co-adjusting large, complex claims, and mentoring all are key methods to ensuring good client service.

how do you see the industry changing in the future?

Most believe technology will play an increasing role in various ways, from the distribution of insurance products to servicing the end user. Standard claims systems, connectivity among the insurer, insured, and service providers, and a common technology platform for a variety of devices will make IT departments responsible for maintaining and updating more complex interconnected systems.

The challenge for growth by carriers and vendors will continue to influence acquisitions and a reduction of “brand names” in the industry. As well, the recent impact of private equity investments in vendors and demands for returns will contribute to competition for business and personnel.

what do you think is most important in ongoing professional development for adjusters?

The professional development of adjusters has become dependent on a combination of online courses, classroom, and on-the-job training. The new adjuster will experience all three methods to enhance their knowledge and skill sets. The online courses and resources— and certifications— have become a standard approach for the adjuster career development. Classroom, seminars, and vendor presentations are all available to improve adjusters’ skills.

Technical skills require separate, or additional, training and background. Skill sets in the areas of accounting, engineering, geology, and construction are all valuable to the adjuster career.

The complete knowledge of policy coverage, good technical business writing skills, and overall professionalism round out some of the valuable attributes the successful adjuster. n

CarstensContInued from pAge 5

The marine inspection team requires a seasoned naval architect who will review the transport manual and all of the technical side of stow. Commonly, the review of the manuals and the ensuing questions that will surface require approximately 40+ hours of thorough review.

The onsite Marine Warranty Survey team will often require two seasoned Mariner surveyors, one to be positioned on the heavy lift ship and one on the vessel to be loaded—the loading supervisor, who is usually engaged by the charterer. A Marine surveyor conducts inspections, surveys or examinations of marine vessels to assess, monitor and report on their condition and the products on them, as well as inspects damage caused to both vessels and cargo. | ContInued on pAge 12

12 Tech Talk

166’10” (50.9-meter) vessel. This involved a relatively small lift weighing in at approximately 397 short tons, but still requiring the disciplines of a highly experienced team of Mariners to ensure zero damage to the unique and valuable cargo. A custom boat of this size is likely to have an initial purchase price well above US$70 million.

Given the unpredictability of weather and sea conditions, heavy lifting and transportation should always be considered a cautious undertaking that should be carefully planned and never rushed. Every cargo and shipping situation is unique, but bringing in experienced partners with expertise that matches clients’ exact needs can contribute to a successful outcome.

Capt. Terence A. Robinson MM, MSA, CIP, is a regional energy & marine manager with Crawford GTS® based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He may be contacted at +971 (0) 2 622 8114, mobile: +971 (0) 501448864 or [email protected]. n

When conducting a heavy lift, weather conditions must be at or less than the maximum acceptable limit required as stated in the Transportation Manual. There must be no compromise on what is considered acceptable weather as the underwriters provide coverage based upon certain external environmental criteria being met, with sea state, swell level, wind, temperature and other weather conditions being key evaluative factors.

The cargoes shipped can be valued at low millions to hundreds of millions of dollars, and lifting and transportation can take weeks of effort. As mentioned earlier, the process cannot be rushed, which limits the number of lifts that can be accomplished in a year. The Crawford GTS® team is currently busy with heavy lifts being transported from the United Arab Emirates to the Suez Canal. Between November 2014 and January 2015 the Crawford team engaged in three onloads and three offloads, with 10 more scheduled for 2015.

One lift and transport involved an extremely sophisticated and expensive young vessel with no industrial, commercial or research application. Alongside the company Strategic Maritime, we were involved with the offload of the Prince of Dubai’s triple-deck megayacht, the Reem 1, an all-aluminum

heavy LiftingContInued from pAge 11

Drilling rig under transport on a HLV.

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14 Tech Talk

directly into the affected area or were present as a result of the gradual breakdown of TCE.

There was a known history of heavy engineering on the site, with solvents being used as a degreasant agent. These solvents had been detectable in boreholes on the site in low quantities since the outset of the planned oil clean-up works. The new data from site boreholes indicated a much greater presence of TCE breakdown products, rather than the original solvent, indicating that the pollution had been present in the ground for a long period of time. The treatment works on the oil contamination had affected the flow of shallow groundwater and mobilized the TCE contamination that had been present throughout. This was not, therefore a “new pollution condition” in accordance with the terms and conditions of the policy. Crawford’s in-house scientist provided a suitable technical interpretation, which formed the basis of a repudiation. Savings to insurers were at least £250,000 sterling (approximately €350,000 or US$ 388,600).

gts® CApAbILItIes

Globally, Crawford GTS® has handled a large number of very high-profile environmental incidents. These have ranged from involvement in the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling platform incident in the Gulf of Mexico, a massive spill of crude oil from a facility on an estuary site in Bordeaux, France, a major spill of oil in one of the world’s busiest commercial ports involving an immediate catastrophe response from 90+ Crawford staff allocated solely to the project over many months, as well as other major losses, including mining disasters.

Crawford Environmental in the UK, a unit of specialist adjusters and environmental scientists/adjusters (with backgrounds working for remediation consultants or regulators) specialize

in providing a holistic service to Insurers on environmental claims, and this includes providing technical assistance on environmental aspects of claims to Major Loss colleagues and clients in Europe and beyond. With our combined experience of 6,000+ environmental claims, the unit assists insurers by controlling every aspect of a claim from emergency response, advice on legal liability and policy cover, insight into strategy, scope and cost of remediation projects, challenging scopes of works presented by independent contractors where these are inappropriate or over-cautious, and engaging directly with the authorities/regulators on a technical level to agree achievable clean-up targets.

While jurisdictions and applicable legal frameworks vary by country, there are very many common factors. In the European Union there is overarching environmental regulation provided by the Environmental Liability Directive (which was modelled to some degree on the framework in the USA) in all countries, and while policy wordings inevitably vary and legal interpretation of any ambiguous areas of policy are very much jurisdictionally based, the overall regulatory and legal principles are often the same. Crawford Environmental has recently provided technical support on a variety of incidents for its adjusters in France, Italy and Belgium. n

David Waller LLB (Hons) ACII ACILA, is the head of Environmental Adjusting with Crawford GTS® in London. He may be contacted at 0207 265 4076 or [email protected].

environmental AdjustingContInued from pAge 7

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