An excess of capacity, new competition amongcarriers and increased measures against cargo theft characterizethe landscape of the Inland Marine segment, the vast and variedcoverage area that encompasses any type of shipment that does nottravel over an ocean, including fine art and jewelry. 

A rash of start-ups in Inland Marine over the last three to fiveyears has created a “tremendous amount” of competition in thesegment, says Christine Santiago, vice president for CommercialInland Marine at the Starr Marine Group, one of those new entrants.The company's Inland Marine coverages include Warehouse OperatorsLegal Liability; Domestic Transit; Motor Truck Cargo LegalLiability; Contractor's Equipment; and Installation and Rigger'sLiability.

Construction and transportation together drive the Inland Marinesegment and account for about 60 percent of its premiums. Somestart-ups might not have had the traditional capacity of theestablished big players in this space, says Santiago, but they havemade inroads into some of the more popular lines or have brought afollowing of clients with them.