1. What does joining the IUMI Cargo Committee entail?

I believe it is a privilege to represent ALSUM before IUMI. First, because it involves listening to the concerns and needs of our community and also sharing our region’s point of view on marine insurance with the whole world. And on a personal level, well, it is an honor to sit at the table with high-level professionals and share my point of view, which also represents that of all of you. It is important to emphasize that it is also a great responsibility, because it is not a passive representation, but rather an active, two-way contribution. So, the idea is that IUMI can see that ALSUM is enriching the global vision and that ALSUM can learn about the most relevant issues and concerns of the rest of the world. This is also an opportunity to showcase everything we do in Latin America, which we do very well, and demonstrate our knowledge to the rest of the world.

2. What is the role of this committee and what is its relevance to the marine insurance market?

Well, it is very similar to the ALSUM Cargo Committee. The IUMI Cargo Committee is made up of professionals from the world’s most important markets, who are represented within the association. The committee is dedicated to monitoring all the most important issues for the cargo insurance industry and works actively to increase knowledge of the field among all members of the association. In particular, it seeks to fulfill UMI’s mission, which is to develop a vision for the industry and influence it by raising awareness of issues relevant to insurers. It is very important to note that while the ALSUM committee includes members and affiliates, such as brokers, adjusters, lawyers, risk managers, etc., the IUMI committee is made up solely of cargo insurance underwriters.

This is something very different. Both ways of working are very effective and the dynamics of active listening are very similar, but the way of working is different. So, that different dynamic makes it a little bit different and also interesting. In terms of relevance, committees are a bit like a market thermometer, allowing us to visualize commercial or technical trends, or even legal issues such as social inflation. Similarly, they highlight problems that may exist in a particular market, serve as a warning to other markets, and allow us to take preventive action. It is also very important that they help us learn from the experiences of others. The relationship between countries in our industry is part of everyday life, because the IUMI or ALSUM cargo committees also allow us to see the issues that can affect the decisions of underwriters on a daily basis at their desks, which I think is also very important.

3. How do you think this participation can contribute to Latin America?

Well, as for what IUMI can contribute to Latin America, I think I answered that in the previous question, but I believe it’s time to go much further and not just think about what IUMI is going to give us, but also what it means to us and how we can contribute to IUMI. Latin America is truly a treasure trove. We have people, we have culture, each country is unique and presents individual challenges that are unknown outside our region. So at ALSUM we have the expertise of that region. In Latin America, the whole issue of risk management developed earlier than anywhere else. In Latin America, we suffered from theft earlier than anywhere else, so while some countries are suffering from this now, we have already been dealing with it for a long time. Our expertise is something we can offer and that is extremely useful. I think it’s an opportunity to show the world who we are and how good we are.

4. What opportunities do you see for ALSUM and its affiliates from this space at IUMI?

I think that talking about its members would be most relevant, that is, for the ALSUM community, because at the organizational level, at the association level, at the committee level, I think there is a lot, but not everyone sees what happens in the committees. However, at the member level, IUMI is a constant source of knowledge. It brings us closer to the rest of the world and allows us to learn about the concerns of professionals in other countries. It is a space for networking, so it also allows you to find out who is on the other side in order to improve your technical level and learn about the business.

Something I always talk about with subscribers is the importance of creating support networks, not just for women, but also for all subscribers, because one day you might have a shipment going to Baren and you don’t know what’s in Baren, and maybe you have a contact there and you can say, “Hey, look, I have this thing that’s going to your country, what do I need to be concerned about?” And of course, if you have any questions or concerns, I am more than happy to talk to you and let you know what else you can do at IUMI.