Marine Bind strengthens technical expertise and technology
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Marine insurance specialist embraces change, expanding its capabilities through strategic hires and digital enhancements to better support brokers
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IN AN industry where technical complexity often creates barriers, Marine Bind has spent the past year methodically removing obstacles between marine insurance and the brokers who sell it. Through strategic hiring of industry veterans and clever deployment of AI technology, the company has transformed itself into a one-stop solution for brokers navigating the specialised world of marine coverage.
The changes at Marine Bind reflect a clear philosophy: that deep technical expertise and cutting-edge technology aren’t opposing forces but complementary strengths.
“I don’t see any conflict between being technically minded, assisting brokers with coverage and claims, and working with colleagues who are striving to make brokers’ Marine Bind user experience that much more pain-free,” says Neil Hiller, director at Hiller Marine.
By achieving Lloyd’s Coverholder status, launching specialised educational resources, expanding product offerings and bringing aboard respected specialists, the company is positioning itself as both a technology innovator and a technical authority in a category that demands a commitment to blending technological efficiency with human expertise.
Hiller Marine is an underwriting agency that offers marine insurance products and specialist risk advice to brokers and their clients. Brokers can access our exclusive products, which are backed by first-class local security, via Marine Bind – a simple, easy-to-use online quotation and bind system. With over 200 years of underwriting and claims expert experience in the team, the company excels in risk assessment and management, ensuring robust coverage for a wide range of marine and transport related risks. Hiller Marine specialises in providing recreational marine, commercial marine and logistics industry insurance products, delivering exceptional service and support to clients.
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Key changes at Hiller Marine over the last year
Robert Hammersley joined as head of marine insurance operation to lead Marine Bind team
Steve Ford, former managing director of Associated Marine and founder of Allianz Marine & Transit, joined the advisory board of Hiller Marine
Claims operation established with Michelle McNamara joining as marine claims manager
Lloyd’s Coverholder status attained
New products launched, including:
Marine:
• Skipper Charter Insurance
Non-marine:
• Caravan Insurance
• Trailer Insurance
• Enhanced Portable Property cover
Marine Bind Platform system enhanced through introduction of:
New online claims processing system with connectivity to policyholders, brokers and claims adjusters
Development of series of CPD-accredited marine insurance educational videos
“Now that we are a Lloyd’s Coverholder, [it] means that brokers are able to use our system to obtain quotes for a wider range of marine-related products”
Neil Hiller,
Hiller Marine
it is to obtain a quote without having to key in every detail of a risk because all they have to do is upload existing documents and the AI-driven system reads all of the information and extracts all of the relevant risk information,” says Hiller.
This emphasis on streamlining processes extends beyond the initial quoting phase, with Marine Bind introducing tools specifically designed to reduce costs for policyholders.
“Many owners of older boats have expressed how pleased they’ve been to learn that there is now a marine insurer that’s not insisting that they go to the time and trouble of engaging a very expensive surveyor to inspect their boats,” Hiller explains. “We want to ensure that a boat is in a good condition before we offer cover, but boat owners can access our very simple AI-driven app, and it will actually do the survey for them. All they need to do is follow the instructions on their smartphone and take some pictures, upload to us, and the app will tell underwriters most, if not all, they need to know – saving our policyholders a significant amount of money.”
A major milestone for Marine Bind in the past year was achieving Lloyd’s Coverholder status in December 2024, significantly expanding its capabilities and market reach.
“Now that we are a Lloyd’s Coverholder, [it] means that brokers are able to use our system to obtain quotes for a wider range of marine-related products – such as our new Skipper Charter Policy – for a much wider variety of risks,” says Hiller. “They don’t have to have the inconvenience of searching for underwriters and navigating through websites to locate what their client requires. They will increasingly be able to find all they need on a single website – here at Marine Bind.”
The new status complements Marine Bind’s existing capacity while providing increased flexibility and a broader risk appetite, allowing the company to cater to a more diverse range of client needs.
‘marine policies’ are governed by the Insurance Contracts Act.”
This distinction becomes particularly relevant when considering how recreational vessels can sometimes inadvertently cross into commercial territory.
“Not so well known are the scenarios where these policies can unknowingly revert back to the less consumer-friendly MIA. This can occur simply because the insured boat has been used, even only once during the year, for commercial purposes,” Hiller points out.
The new Skipper Charter Policy was developed specifically to address this gap in coverage that brokers frequently encountered.
“Our Skipper Charter Policy was introduced because brokers find it frustrating to discover that their client’s boat policy was potentially void because their clients, in exchange for a few hundred dollars or a case of beer, may have once taken out some people on their boat to do some fishing,” says Hiller.
The company’s product diversification also reflects its understanding of the broader needs of its client base.
“Many of the people who own boats also own caravans or trailers – camper trailers or just general home trailers,” Hiller explains. “Brokers are pleased to see that they don’t have to look too far to find products for these clients. They are all found on Marine Bind.”
Marine Bind’s growth strategy has included bringing on board highly respected specialists in marine underwriting and claims management.
“In the last three years we have grown considerably,” says Hiller. “Brokers like using our platform because it’s so easy, and they like to speak to marine insurance experts. But marine insurance is a diverse class of business with different types of products that require different types of expertise.”
The past year saw Michelle McNamara join the company as marine claims manager, bringing 35 years of experience in marine claims management from roles at Liberty, QBE Marine
& Logistics and Associated Marine Insurers. Additionally, Robert Hammersley joined in May as director heading up the company’s marine insurance operation.
Hammersley began his career in London as an average adjuster specialising in complex cargo, hull and marine liability claims. After moving to Australia, he transitioned to underwriting and was appointed managing director for underwriting and business development at Thomas Miller (Australasia), managing the TT Club that insures multimodal risks for ports, terminals and logistics operators. He later worked alongside Hiller as general manager of marine departments at Lumley General and QBE, focusing on hull and liability risks. Before joining Marine Bind, Hammersley served as managing director of WE Cox Claims Group’s Australian branch and also spent six years at a specialist marine insurance brokerage acquired by Howden Pacific in 2023, most recently as head of marine and logistics.
Hammersley sees his background as particularly valuable in helping Marine Bind blend technical expertise with user-friendly technology: “I have spent much of my career training younger team members and trying to explain the more complex aspects of marine insurance in easier-to-understand terms to clients, brokers and colleagues,” he says. “The exciting opportunity for me is to try and use the company’s extraordinary technology to streamline and simplify the more complex underwriting and claims processes that will ultimately benefit clients, without losing any focus on sound risk and claims management.”
This focus on expanding technical capabilities while maintaining ease of use aligns with Marine Bind’s product development strategy. “My experience in the areas of commercial hull, liability and P&I will see products that have traditionally been manually handled extended to the company’s online product range,” Hammersley explains. “Even more complex products that can’t entirely be migrated to an online quote and bind system can benefit from clever technology that will help clients and brokers more easily transact business with Marine Bind.”
Hiller says the recent additions fulfil a long-held goal of being able to provide brokers with access to underwriters and claims adjusters who have a comprehensive understanding of how policies and claims work across a broad spectrum of marine insurance policy types.
“As we go forward, brokers recognise that Marine Bind now delivers products and expert advice to brokers in the areas of cargo, pleasure craft, commercial hull, carriers and marine liability insurances,” he says.
This product knowledge is complemented by an understanding of the service relationship as well, which reflects a deliberate strategy to combine diverse industry perspectives in one group.
“Our team is made up of people that have been both brokers and underwriters. Having insights into the broker and client perspective allows us to be that [much] more helpful,” says Hiller.
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Lloyd’s Coverholder status opens new doors
Building a team of specialists
Published 19 May 2025
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“Brokers recognise that Marine Bind now delivers products and expert advice to brokers in the areas of cargo, pleasure craft, commercial hull, carriers and marine liability insurances”
Neil Hiller,
Hiller Marine
combined broking and underwriting experience at Hiller Marine (May 2025)
200+ years
The past 12 months have seen Marine Bind significantly enhance its platform with artificial intelligence capabilities, creating tangible benefits for brokers and clients alike.
“We’ve had lots of feedback from brokers who’ve said how surprised they were to find out how easy and quick
Technical expertise meets digital innovation
Marine insurance presents unique challenges for general insurance brokers, with distinctive contract law, principles and practices that differ substantially from property insurance. Marine Bind has recognised this knowledge gap and developed resources to address it.
“Although we make every effort to ensure that using Marine Bind is as uncomplicated as possible for brokers, marine insurance can be a very complex subject. Anyone that says it isn’t probably doesn’t understand it!” Hiller says.
The company has invested in creating educational content specifically designed for brokers who may not specialise in marine insurance but need to serve clients in this sector.
“Most insurance brokers here in Australia are general practitioners, not specialists. The contract law, principles, practices and concepts of marine insurance can be very different to what brokers are accustomed to on the property side. Getting some of the technicalities wrong can mean their clients don’t have the cover they should have,” says Hiller.
To address this knowledge gap, Marine Bind has developed a series of educational videos highlighting key differences between marine and non-marine insurance. The company also offers in-person technical workshops.
“Apart from being happy to make the time to talk through risk and coverage issues and point brokers in the right direction, we have created a series of NIBA-accredited broker training courses highlighting some of the main differences between marine and non-marine insurance,” Hiller explains. “Frequently, brokers ask that we come to their offices and spend an entire morning or afternoon undertaking a technical workshop with their team – they can earn a significant number of CPD points.”
Educating brokers on marine insurance complexities
Marine Bind has expanded its product offerings beyond traditional marine insurance to include related categories that serve similar client bases. This expansion includes both new marine products like Skipper Charter Insurance and non-marine offerings such as Caravan and Trailer Insurance.
“Strictly speaking, a marine insurance policy is a policy that covers maritime perils,” says Hiller. “Some local brokers might be aware of the Australian Marine Insurance Act [MIA] of 1909 that says just that. However, not all policies issued by marine insurers fall within the scope of that Act. Some
Expanding product range to meet market needs
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Quicker and easier claims processes, including ability to read and review survey and assessor’s reports and capture and analyse data from insurance-related documentation
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Contact Us
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