Zooming in

July/August 2006

Originally published by Trade Finance Magazine, July/August 2006

The challenge for credit and political risk insurers is considering the numerous factors that affect the markets in which they operate. Global trends affect the demand for business and local issues determine how they structure cover for their clients. Oliver O'Connell looks at a snapshot of the Asian credit and political risk insurance market and the wider external factors and detailed internal issues that affect it.

"The first trend to take into account in the region is the increase in intra-Asian trade. This has been increasing over the last few years, and while business between Asia and Europe and North America has always been there, intra-Asia business is certainly a much greater percentage of the total than it was two or three years ago," observes Jeremy Hampshire of Hong Kong-based Trade Line, the specialist trade credit and political risk insurance broker.

"The second trend, which follows on from that, which is obviously a global trend – is the movement from LC to open account. In Asia this has manifested itself as European and US buyers saying that this is the only way we are going to trade from now on. If you combine these two trends you end up with higher credit and political risk, especially credit, for companies within Asia, and their trading. It doesn't matter where they're trading, but this has led to an increased requirement for trade credit insurance," he adds.

In terms of the most affected trade sectors, the trend began a few years ago with the transition to open account in the electronics industry. Following on from this was also a shift in the textiles industry amounting to approximately 65% of transactions by early 2005. Other trade sectors showing a similar trend include plastics, chemicals, steel, and some soft commodities.

This is also leading to a trend in which payment terms are being pushed out. Starting with a move extending payment terms from 15 days to 30, this has eventually been pushed as far as 60 days. These companies now have higher accounts receivables on their balance sheet for the same amount of business than they did one or two years ago. This means higher risk and supposedly more trade credit insurance opportunities.

In the last 18 months underwriters report to have seen a 25% increase in business, if not 30% in some areas, and in line with global trends, brokers have seen a 25-35% increase in enquiries over the same period.

Increased competition
Greater demand for insurance has seen an increase in interest in Asia from insurers, with a number of new office openings, cooperation agreements and new initiatives. Says Hampshire: "The main brokers have never made a big commitment to this class of insurance. They may have done so in Singapore for example, but they don't have a significant presence. So things have been left largely to individual operators."

In March, Trade Line entered into a strategic alliance with Cosmos Services Company giving the company access to a network of offices across Asia, as well as in London. For Cosmos, part of Japan's Itochu Corporation, the aim of alliance is to expand its trade credit and political risk insurance field to better serve its client base. Trade Line still operates as a separate independent unit but now is a greater presence within the industry.

On the more specialist side of the industry, FP Marine Risks, the Hong Kong-headquartered specialist marine insurance broker, has launched a new trade finance initiative aimed at providing specifically designed marine insurance products for the industry.

Philip Bilney, executive director of FP Marine Risks, says: "There's no doubt that in Hong Kong and Asia there is a growing need for trade financing banks to protect their marine exposures. By launching this initiative, we are leveraging our existing portfolio of specialist marine insurance services to address this need."

Spearheading the new initiative is Audrey Poon, a broker with 16 years of experience in the insurance industry who joins FP Marine Risks as manager, trade finance. Having spent the past decade specialising in marine cargo insurance for trade financiers and international commodity traders in Singapore, Poon is aiming to help similar companies in Hong Kong minimize their risk in what FP Marine Risks see as an increasingly volatile market.

In the underwriting section of the insurance business, the major players are increasing their presence in the region. Atradius is establishing an office in Hong Kong at the moment and is investigating obtaining a license for China as well. Bermuda-based Exporters Insurance Company is establishing a representative office in Hong Kong in what is described as a prelude to the expansion of Exporters' activities in the region through growing contact with local brokers. It is expected that Ace will also look to develop in Asia, perhaps using Japan as a platform for expansion into the rest of the region.

Hampshire adds: "A lot of the other majors are here already so perhaps some of the niche players will want to increase their presence here. We certainly get more visits of representatives from the majors coming through than three or four years ago. The general feeling is that there is more business going on in Asia and Latin America than elsewhere, and given the situation in Latin America at the moment, Asia seems preferable."

In conjunction with this increased interest in the region is an increase in people moves within the industry. There is a level of opportunity, but with factors such as the cultural difference between Europe and Asia it is difficult for companies to simply parachute someone in and expect them to be able to create new business in a short time. Underwriters claim that with a lack of 'home-grown' specialist brokers, they have to spend more time on direct marketing and direct sales and cannot just rely on broker channels to drive business.

Active markets
In terms of the markets within the region that are driving business, China, unsurprisingly, leads the way in generating enquiries. Business coming from China is more for credit insurance rather than political, but most other active markets in the region are weighted more in the favour of requests for political risk coverage. For example, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam all generate more political than credit insurance requests.

The challenge of low pricing that has featured across the world has been especially prominent in Asia with rates falling dramatically in most countries. Of the above mentioned countries, Indonesia and Vietnam have dropped quite significantly, though the Philippines and China have maintained similar pricing levels to the recent past.

Indonesia is of particular concern in that some brokers feel that margins have dropped to the extent that perhaps things have gone down by too much against the potential risk in the country. Mining has proved an especially strong sector for political risk insurance, Martin Phelan, head of political risk for the Pacific region at Marsh in Melbourne, comments: "We've done a number of transactions in lease and asset finance for mining equipment. For example in the coal sector in Kalimantan, Indonesia, where the client is supporting international contract mining companies by using asset finance as an alternate structure to pure project finance or traditional on balance sheet debt."

In this instance the mining company required limited recourse project finance to develop $300 million copper-gold project on which it had completed a bankable feasibility study. The project is located in a sparsely populated country with limited infrastructure – physical, commercial and legal – very low income levels and virtually no history of foreign investment or financing other than that provided by development agencies. The mining laws and regulation that did exist was untested at the time.

Understandably the banks were concerned with the risks involved – the stability of key property rights including government commitment on issues such as royalties and the right to export minerals, the reliability and transparency of the legal system and the remoteness, and therefore possible vulnerability, of the project.

Marsh brought together a syndicate of political risk insurers to ensure that commercial lenders had the appropriate coverage against a range of actions and events that could affect the project.

High commodity prices across the globe over the last two to three years have been driven this mining and oil and gas boom causing a reasonably pronounced upturn in new projects and investment. This is channelling into copper, gold and other base metal mine development and the consolidation of project financing schemes in addition to new exploration and extraction of oil and gas deposits.

Phelan highlights the opportunities available for insurers: "A lot of the transactions we've been involved in are still creating further opportunities, medium to large project finance-based copper and gold projects, including in some new countries such as Laos. The commercial market facilitated the entry of foreign investment into the country over the last three years, and by the close of this year, total foreign investment over the last five years – largely from Australian companies in the mining sector – amounts to over $1 billion."

As demonstrated by the Kalimantan mining project, it is localised issues, not global trends that determine the details of political risk coverage. The Philippines and Papua New Guinea tend to be both the hottest and most contentious markets for enquiries and are dominated by local risk factors.

On a national level the Philippines is a highly attractive country geologically for mine development, but is also a challenging country politically with a range of cultural-cum-political issues. The influence of the Catholic Church is just one of the political and cultural challenges faced by foreign investors in new mining projects, as it is a strong vocal force and strident agitator against new projects because of their environmental, social and cultural impacts.

Phelan comments: "At Marsh we get involved in very distinct regional, national, provincial and even local issues. Political risk is not just about sovereign government issues. For example Papua New Guinea has very high levels of tribal diversity especially in the southern highlands – nationally there are as many as 700 tribes and 700 different dialects. The devil is in the detail when providing cover to projects in regions such as this. It doesn't necessarily stop deals getting done, but it can be highly intimidating as a challenge in the market. So you need to have the knowledge and ability to come to grips with what the issues are and how they can be managed."

While it may be wider global factors that moderate the wider market trends and flows of business, it is the location-specific issues and the ability of both the underwriters and brokers to come to grips with them that determines success and failure in a regional market. There is no shortcut to developing workable market knowledge.

July 2006 Q&A with Lloyds

July 2006

This was published by Lloyd's Asia Pacific, July 2006

Philip Bilney is an Executive Director at FP Marine Risks, the first Asian broker to receive full Lloyd's accreditation in its own right. He heads up FP Marine Risks' Hong Kong Office.

Q1: Why and when was FP Marine Risks set up?

A1: The company was set up in January 1994. At the time, the Asian marketplace was characterised by multi-national broking houses who maintained very little in-house marine expertise, and certainly not across all marine lines. There were no regional brokers with the skills and knowledge required in this market sector, which created a clear opportunity to set up a specialist marine broker.

We have been able to successfully grow within that marine niche since then, and today we have 33 staff in the Hong Kong office and 47 in total.

Q2: Hong Kong is a competitive market – how does FP Marine Risks stand out?

A2: Above all else we differentiate ourselves by remaining focused on our marine specialisation.

All of our tools, resources and processes are designed with that very much in mind, which I think benefits all parties involved.

Many people also comment on the energy and drive of the company. There is a sense of urgency in the place, which I think is vitally important to clients.

Q3: What classes and areas do you specialise in?

A3: All marine classes and all Asian countries. As might be expected, we are finding that China and India are attracting most attention these days, but the rest of Asia Pacific shouldn't be ignored. There is growth almost everywhere in the region.

Q4: Why did you apply for Lloyd's broker accreditation?

A4: As individuals we came from a Lloyd's background so it was an easy decision for us, particularly given Lloyd's' pivotal role in our business.

This was further reinforced by the fact that we were keen to be able to conduct our dialogue with the Lloyd's market without the need to involve third parties, which meant of course having a direct presence in London.

Q5: What do you find is the perception of Lloyd's in the local market?

A5: Lloyd's has the best brand and the best name recognition in the business. Perhaps because of that some Asian buyers of insurance perceive Lloyd's to be expensive, even though we all know that isn't necessarily the case. So we sometimes have to overcome that obstacle.

There is also a certain mystique about Lloyd's, making it appear perhaps rather elitist, which can actually help to attract business sometimes. But at the end of the day, price considerations almost invariably prevail.

The insurance market in Asia tends to see Lloyd's as remote and a little aloof. However more recently there has been a realisation that Lloyd's has been modernising rapidly and becoming more professional. Lloyd's chain of security is generally recognised as a powerful asset.

Q6: You have just received your full accreditation as a Lloyd's broker – how will this help your business?

A6: It demonstrates that we have placed substantial and growing amounts of business into Lloyd's over the last three years. It also shows that we have met the standards of Lloyd's brokers, and from a Hong Kong perspective this demonstrates professionalism and credibility.

There are a number of current London market initiatives, such as contract certainty, which of course we buy into as a Lloyd's broker. But we have also made a conscious decision to extend the same initiatives into Asia – we want to deploy these improvements in professional standards as widely as possible.

Q7: FP Marine Risks opened a London office – why was this?

A7: We opened the office in London in August 2003 as we knew we needed it in order to operate effectively as an accredited broker. We found it essential to have a presence on the ground, and since then have been able to recruit a number of specialist brokers in our office there.

We have two routes to Lloyd's underwriters – the first is directly from Hong Kong by email to underwriters in the Room. Some underwriters have been adept at changing their own practices to accommodate this and in practice can work with us in the same way that a local underwriter can – a Lloyd's underwriter who replies to us first thing in the morning in the UK will sometimes have responded more quickly than his Asian-based competitors. This is important to us and has worked well.

The second route is via our brokers on the ground in London. Dealing directly with a broker 7,000 miles away from Lime Street requires a particular mindset, so we find having the two approaches essential.

We now have 12 people in London and nine who regularly walk around the Room, which has had a massive impact on our profile in Lloyd's. Having a fully operational London office also sometimes presents us with new business opportunities – being Asian specialists we often get referrals and enquiries related to the region.

The more we become engaged in London the more it becomes apparent that London and Lloyd's remain the epicentre of marine insurance. There is tremendous value in the way Lloyd's operates – it enjoys a unique physical marketplace that is just not found in other centres around the world.

Q8: Do you see syndicates setting up in Asia having an advantage?

A8: Yes, the syndicates who set up in Asia are in the front-line and as such are much more likely to see a greater choice of risks, and to understand the market better.

It's worth bearing in mind that marine underwriters operating in Asia are generally doing well. Although rating levels here are often lower than in other parts of the world, claims tend to be as well.

Q9: FP Marine Risks recently set up a Melbourne office – what was the rationale for this?

A9: Australia and New Zealand are markets that suit us perfectly in terms of language and legal systems, and of course they share similar time zones to Hong Kong. But they can also be quite introverted markets, and therefore a presence on the ground is essential. So when the opportunity presented itself we were very keen to quickly establish ourselves.

I'm very pleased to say that the office is doing well - we are seeing business that is of high-quality and well-presented. It's tremendously exciting.

Q10: What are your predictions for the Hong Kong and regional market for ten years time?

A10: I hope and expect that Hong Kong will still be the key regional Financial Centre for Asia in ten years time – it has all the infrastructure that it needs for that, and many advantages over Shanghai or other cities.

Many people expect China to continue on its path of tremendous growth and reform, and I'm sure that will be the case. But it won't all be in a straight, trouble-free line – expect many bumps to come. The insurance market there will no doubt continue to develop and open up, and the indigenous insurers will continue to become more sophisticated. The old polarisation of the market into one or two huge players will never return.

Q11: What is the future for FP Marine Risks?

A11: We will continue to be marine specialists – that focus has worked well for us. I see huge and exciting potential for considerably more growth for us in the Asia-Pacific region, and indeed elsewhere around the world.

Philip was in conversation with Alex Faris, Lloyd's General Representative for Hong Kong.

Broking with Tradition in Asia

July 2006

This article was published by Lloyd's, July 2006

Brokers are becoming an "essential part of the insurance buying process" in Asia, according to Lloyd's first accredited broker in the region.

Philip Bilney, executive director of FP Marine Risks, says that although there is a well-established market in Asia already, there is still a lot of potential for growth. He adds that the time is right for brokers who want to start offering their services in the region.

"As a developing market, the primary distribution channels have traditionally been via insurance company agents," he says. "But as risks become more complicated and buyers more sophisticated, brokers are becoming an ever more essential part of the insurance buying process." This sentiment echoes the findings of recent research conducted by Lloyd's which found that there is significant and growing demand for specialist services offered by commercial brokers.

Bilney adds: "Looking at the region as a whole, the insurance industry is more experienced and better founded than it was a decade ago. The Asian market is more mature and has more experienced individuals within it."

Bilney believes that this has in part been reinforced by the Lloyd's syndicates established in Asia over the last several years.

"From our perspective, the Lloyd's market is enormously relevant," he says. "It's at the hub of marine insurance worldwide. It has far more experience than any other single market or body of underwriters. There are very few risk types which are entirely new to Lloyd's underwriters, so it's not just about innovation, but experience and expertise."

The Lloyd's market is also willing to commit substantial capacity to specialised or complex risks, the kind that some Asian international insurance companies might be more wary of, according to Bilney.

FP Marine Risks is a specialist marine insurance broker with offices in Hong Kong, London, Melbourne and Taipei, operating in key markets such as Asia, London, continental Europe, the United States and the Middle East.

Feeling Undervalued?

April 2006

This article was published in Asia Pacific Shipping, April 2006.

Andrew Brooker, Associate Director of FP Marine Risks, a leading marine insurance broker based in Hong Kong, explains: "The S&P market can have a huge impact on the ability of shipowners to receive full reimbursement from their insurers in the event of certain types of loss, specifically a salvage, general average incident or total loss.  Unfortunately, many assureds don't realise this until they come to make a claim".

The science is simple – for example, a vessel valued at USD2.1million and insured accordingly could see its market value rising to USD3million as a result of a buoyant S&P market. If the valuation on the insurance cover is not adjusted accordingly, the assured could find themselves having to meet the additional costs.

Andrew says: "For example, if a vessel has to be towed to port as a result of an accident or breakdown, salvage charges are payable from both the ship and cargo.  However, if a vessel is underinsured, the amount of reimbursement the shipowner will receive from the insurer for these charges will be reduced by the same proportion that the ship is underinsuerd."

It is up to the assured to advise insurers of any changes in the value of their vessel.   "We recommend that shipowners keep an eye on the S&P market and speak to their insurance broker if they believe there have been significant changes in the value of their vessel," Andrew continues. 

And for those who are thinking the easy solution is to overinsure, unfortunately the insurer may refuse to accept the increase in value and demand proof by way of an independent valuation.