Marine insurance claims are escalating. As a result, underwriters are adopting a much more active role in assessing the risks they are asked to cover in renewed efforts to reduce and control claims. The decision was taken by IUMI’s executive committee which met in London, and is being relayed to the worldwide membership. The chosen theme will run through the conference program, the planning of which is largely the responsibility of IUMI’s seven technical committees. These will meet in Berlin in April. There have been two changes among the committee chairmen. Lloyd’s underwriter Dominic Hoare now chairs the energy and offshore committee, and another Lloyd’s underwriter, Quentin Prebble, heads the loss prevention committee.