Robert Redford's new movie “All is Lost” serves a subtle reminder to the overseas shipping industry of the perils their business may face. After Redford's sailboat collides with a giant shipping container floating in the ocean, he finds himself in an intense man-against-the-sea drama.

While the shipping container may only play a minor role in the film for the average moviegoer, for those who export their goods overseas it is a stark reminder that shipping products is a risky business that requires taking prudent precautions up front. This is particularly true for small businesses that have fewer resources to withstand a catastrophic loss, whether from the dangers of ocean travel or the uncertainties of dealing with foreign partners in trade.

The risks are no surprise to veteran ocean marine insurance agents, brokers and underwriters. What may catch them unaware, however, is the fast-growing number of small businesses that are entering the export world. Providing expert guidance to these shipping novices is an opportunity to provide valuable service and strengthen relationships with small business customers.

Recommended For You

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader

Your access to unlimited PropertyCasualty360 content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:

  • Breaking insurance news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
  • Weekly Insurance Speak podcast featuring exclusive interviews with industry leaders
  • Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
  • Critical converage of the employee benefits and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, BenefitsPRO and ThinkAdvisor
NOT FOR REPRINT

© Touchpoint Markets, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more inforrmation visit Asset & Logo Licensing.