PRESS RELEASE INFORMATION
The 37th Annual Conference of IMIA was held in Rome, Italy from 13th to 15th September 2004.
IMIA is an international forum for the exchange of information, knowledge, experience and opinions between Engineering Insurers. Such co-operation is needed, as Engineering Insurers are permanently confronted with risks emanating from new technical developments in Industry on a global basis.
IMIA is a non-profit organisation and operates through an Executive Committee, which in 2003/2004 comprised the Chairman A. LINDBERG (If P&C Insurance, Stockholm), H. HELLER (Allianz, Munich), L. WASSMER (Infrassure, Baden), D. HEIDENHAIN (Munich Re, Munich), M. PETRUZZELLO (HSB, Hartford), O. TRECENO (Swiss Re, Zurich) and the Secretary A.WATT (Great Britain).
Membership of IMIA comprises 19 countries representing the major part of the world-wide premium income of engineering insurance. Member countries are Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Switzerland and USA. Taiwan joined IMIA this year.
59 delegates and guests were welcomed by the President, Ugo Pino of National Vulcan Italia, Genoa, Italy.
The total premium income for engineering insurance for 2003 reported by the delegates amounted to over 6.1 billion US$.
The guest speaker at the conference was Dr. Francesco La Gioia of Zurich Italia
The following topics were considered by working parties who presented reports at the Conference on:
Maintaining technical expertise in the insurance and reinsurance industry
Steel Plants - Risk Exposure and claims experience (Part one)
Impact of increasing Natural Hazards on Engineering Insurance
Monitoring of large CAR/EAR Projects
Insuring Utility Interruption - A Global View
Presentations on the following subjects were given by guests attending the conference:
Claims by Engineers - Problems that engineers encounter when claiming and the trouble these cause to insurers.
Unclear/Imprecise Wording and Common Law Principles of Construction.
Latest developments in Siemens gas turbines
Advantages of mediation in resolving complicated claims
Public/Private Partnership (PPP) for public infrastructure projects: What have we learned from the UK experience?
Development of the IMIA web site has continued on the Internet, www.imia.com, in order to improve the information about IMIA and to provide a tool for distribution of information and best practices in Engineering Insurance. Papers presented at this year's conference will be published on the IMIA web site.
The next Conference will be held in Moscow from 17th September to 21st September 2005
Anders Lindberg, Stockholm